Modem & Router Suggestions

[TheDankKoosh]

I've been doing some searching due to the provided modem/router combo unit being utter garbage from spectrum (as expected), and the dropped connections are forcing me into a better solution. I'm looking for a decent units that are capable of full gigabit speeds for $150 or less, any help is appreciated.

[Donut417]

43 minutes ago, TheDankKoosh said:

full gigabit speeds

As in Gigabit LAN or Gigabit WAN? If you want to do Gigabit from the ISP you need a Docsis 3.1 modem, $150 is about what they cost. So you will need to up the budget to cover a router. Also, many consumer grade routers have a hard time doing Gigabit NAT, so they can slow down your internet speed. One way around this is to get a prosumer router, a business grade router, or building a router yourself with off the shelf PC components. If you dont need Gigabit internet speeds and only need Gigabit on the LAN side, then most routers will do that for you. 

[BULLETBEEF | JA]

oh, i know this experience, the easiest thing to do is to dumb down your modem/combo box into being just a modem and then add an actual router, like a  "gaming" router(like nighthawk and asus). If you want to go more pro, you can look up Cisco or ubiquity products, or use what is called an edge router to do traffic shaping(prioritize gaming applications) and use a cheaper wifi solution on top of that.

[Donut417]

@BULLETBEEF | JA has a good point. You could just put the current combo in bridge mode and use any other router that supports the internet speeds you have. Spectrum isnt cunts like Comcast, they dont charge rental fees for modems. 

[TheDankKoosh]

Just now, BULLETBEEF | JA said:

oh, i know this experience, the easiest thing to do is to dumb down your modem/combo box into being just a modem and then add an actual router, like a  "gaming" router(like nighthawk and asus). If you want to go more pro, you can look up Cisco or ubiquity products, or use what is called an edge router to do traffic shaping(prioritize gaming applications) and use a cheaper wifi solution on top of that.

I would prefer to completely get rid of the modem all together so i can stop paying the rental fee, replacing it seems like a much better long term solution

 

2 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

@BULLETBEEF | JA has a good point. You could just put the current combo in bridge mode and use any other router that supports the internet speeds you have. Spectrum isnt cunts like Comcast, they dont charge rental fees for modems. 

They do charge a fee though.

[TheDankKoosh]

How does an amazon warehouse sb6190 sound for the modem? I haven't had much experience with amazon warehouse.

[BULLETBEEF | JA]

place this in between the box you got from optimum and the rest of your network, with some configuration you should be right as rain. the more features you are able to disable on the isp box the better, if you can get bridge mode working, that would be best.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=edgerouter&qid=1565046789&s=gateway&sr=8-4

[Donut417]

8 minutes ago, TheDankKoosh said:

They do charge a fee though.

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32282063-Does-Spectrum-charge-a-modem-rental-fee According to this post on DSL reports they dont. 

 

"For a monthly fee, Spectrum will provide a pre-configured WiFi router. Customers may also choose to use or purchase their own router. Learn more about In-Home WiFi and routers." off the Spectrum website. They DONT charge for modems. Only for a pre configured router. Routers and Modems are two separate things. 

 

7 minutes ago, TheDankKoosh said:

How does an amazon warehouse sb6190 sound for the modem? I haven't had much experience with amazon warehouse.

1) That wont do gigabit. PERIOD. Dont go based on marketing material. Go based on what the provider tells you. DOCSIS 3.1 is the only standard that CAN do gigabit. 

2) The Puma 6 chip inside all the Docsis 3.0 32 channel modems is defective. While software updates have fixed some of the issues, it has not fixed all the issues. You can have issues and Spectrum wont help you fix them. Ive even read they wont provide software updates for customer owned modems. And YOU the customer CANT update the firmware, only the ISP can. 

[BULLETBEEF | JA]

2 minutes ago, TheDankKoosh said:

How does an amazon warehouse sb6190 sound for the modem? I haven't had much experience with amazon warehouse.

just make sure the new modem is compatible, honestly i've never personally used a 3rd party modem, but if you can get one that is just a modem and nothing else it should do a better job provided that its the modem that is actually giving you the issues your having, and not poor routes from your isp or other isp/infrastructure related issues

[TheDankKoosh]

5 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32282063-Does-Spectrum-charge-a-modem-rental-fee According to this post on DSL reports they dont. 

 

1) That wont do gigabit. PERIOD. Dont go based on marketing material. Go based on what the provider tells you. DOCSIS 3.1 is the only standard that CAN do gigabit. 

2) The Puma 6 chip inside all the Docsis 3.0 modems is defective. While software updates have fixed some of the issues, it has not fixed all the issues. You can have issues and Spectrum wont help you fix them. Ive even read they wont provide software updates for customer owned modems. And YOU the customer CANT update the firmware, only the ISP can. 

Well, considering that I'm already stretching my budget that seems to be out the the question, would this still provide a great experience along with a MR1700?

[Donut417]

4 minutes ago, TheDankKoosh said:

this

What do you me by this? The SB6190? I wouldnt touch that modem with a 30 foot pole. I WILL NOT recommend any Docsis 3.0 32 channel modems as they all use the Puma 6 chip. Spectrum might have a list of modems that are compatible or at leas they can tell you what you need based on what speed tier you are subscribed to. I can recommend the SB6183, CM500, CM600, and about any D3.1 modem. I would watch about buying 4x4 or 8x4 modems too, because the more channels you have access to the better off you are, even on lower speed tiers. 

 

So what I would look for in a modem is this

Docsis 3.0 (16x4 or 24x8)

Docsis 3.1 (32x8) 

[BULLETBEEF | JA]

23 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32282063-Does-Spectrum-charge-a-modem-rental-fee According to this post on DSL reports they dont. 

 

"For a monthly fee, Spectrum will provide a pre-configured WiFi router. Customers may also choose to use or purchase their own router. Learn more about In-Home WiFi and routers." off the Spectrum website. They DONT charge for modems. Only for a pre configured router. Routers and Modems are two separate things. 

 

1) That wont do gigabit. PERIOD. Dont go based on marketing material. Go based on what the provider tells you. DOCSIS 3.1 is the only standard that CAN do gigabit. 

2) The Puma 6 chip inside all the Docsis 3.0 32 channel modems is defective. While software updates have fixed some of the issues, it has not fixed all the issues. You can have issues and Spectrum wont help you fix them. Ive even read they wont provide software updates for customer owned modems. And YOU the customer CANT update the firmware, only the ISP can. 

this explains a lot, explains why isp provided modems are so bad

[Donut417]

3 minutes ago, BULLETBEEF | JA said:

why isp provided modems are so bad

Not really ISP modems. More like Intel fucked up big time and should stop making chipsets for modems all together. I do know some ISP's will use Puma 6 modems despite the issues. Most notably Arris one of the largest modem makers is getting sued over the SB6190. All the D3.1 modems use broadcom chips, which is why they dont have issues. 

[TheDankKoosh]

On 8/5/2019 at 7:40 PM, Donut417 said:

What do you me by this? The SB6190? I wouldnt touch that modem with a 30 foot pole. I WILL NOT recommend any Docsis 3.0 32 channel modems as they all use the Puma 6 chip. Spectrum might have a list of modems that are compatible or at leas they can tell you what you need based on what speed tier you are subscribed to. I can recommend the SB6183, CM500, CM600, and about any D3.1 modem. I would watch about buying 4x4 or 8x4 modems too, because the more channels you have access to the better off you are, even on lower speed tiers. 

 

So what I would look for in a modem is this

Docsis 3.0 (16x4 or 24x8)

Docsis 3.1 (32x8) 

So I believe that I've found a good final solution for the new network setup and I just wanted a second opinion on the quality of both units

 

Modem

https://www.amazon.com/MOTOROLA-MB7621-Approved-Spectrum-Downloads/dp/B077BL65HS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mb7621&qid=1565050531&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

Router

https://www.amazon.com/MOTOROLA-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Extended-MR1700/dp/B076TRPJ2H?tag=pickmyrouter-20#customerReviews

[Donut417]

16 minutes ago, TheDankKoosh said:

So I believe that I've found a good final solution for the new network setup and I just wanted a second opinion on the quality of both units

 

Modem

https://www.amazon.com/MOTOROLA-MB7621-Approved-Spectrum-Downloads/dp/B077BL65HS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mb7621&qid=1565050531&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

Router

https://www.amazon.com/MOTOROLA-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Extended-MR1700/dp/B076TRPJ2H?tag=pickmyrouter-20#customerReviews

Motorola is owned owned by a company called Zoom I think. Remember Google bought Motorola a while back. Zoom got the Motorola name and ARRIS got the Surfboard branding Motorola was famous for from Google. Arris, Netgear and Motorola are the top branded Modems I see sold. So I would say its safe. 

 

The router on the other hand I cant help with. Didnt know Motorola even made routers. The reviews look ok, but until you buy and test, you really dont know.