Dose anyone manufacture a network card that works with Cable internet?

[-Blue-]

So I'm soon going to be having quite a few devices on my network (Gaming PC, Media PC, Laptop, NAS and my phone) and I'm worried that this stupid "Panoramic Wifi" Modem/Router combo unit my ISP gave me won't be able to handle the load. So I'm thinking of either getting a better Modem/Router combo unit or possibly making my own router (insert Futurerama joke here). If I do go that route I would need to get a PCIE card that works with Cable internet. Dose anyone make that kind of thing?

[Lurick]

Nope, those haven't been made since the DOCSIS 2.0 days

[Alvin853]

You can probably use the provided unit in passthrough mode and let it run just as modem, and then put whatever router you want behind it dealing with your local network.

[-Blue-]

36 minutes ago, Alvin853 said:

You can probably use the provided unit in passthrough mode and let it run just as modem, and then put whatever router you want behind it dealing with your local network.

Could I say do this with a cheaper unit? Say something I buy from wallmart? This way I could return the stupid thing and not have to pay extra cash a month for it.

[flibberdipper]

18 minutes ago, -Blue- said:

Could I say do this with a cheaper unit? Say something I buy from wallmart? This way I could return the stupid thing and not have to pay extra cash a month for it.

You can easily buy your own "dumb" modems (where it's JUST a modem with a single ethernet port) from the likes of Arris, just make sure it's rated to deliver your current speeds (or any speeds you might upgrade to later on down the line). Personally I think a decent rule of thumb is to go a tier above what you actually need. We got a SB6183 but we probably should have at least gotten the SB6190.

[Lurick]

20 minutes ago, flibberdipper said:

You can easily buy your own "dumb" modems (where it's JUST a modem with a single ethernet port) from the likes of Arris, just make sure it's rated to deliver your current speeds (or any speeds you might upgrade to later on down the line). Personally I think a decent rule of thumb is to go a tier above what you actually need. We got a SB6183 but we probably should have at least gotten the SB6190.

Be careful with DOCSIS 3.0 stuff, the SB6190 uses a Puma6 chipset from Intel which is notorious for causing various issues. The 6183 doesn't have that issue since it doesn't use that chip but there is a huge list of what does out there.

Also, OP, don't buy something that says xMbps on the box and go with that, many ISPs will not deliver near the max of the modem's rating (ex 600Mbps to a 686Mbps capable modem) but only deliver say 70% to a modem because those modem ratings are lab tested scenarios where the real world degradation doesn't really apply (distance, damage to cables, aging cables, etc)

[flibberdipper]

4 minutes ago, Lurick said:

Also, OP, don't buy something that says xMbps on the box and go with that, many ISPs will not deliver near the max of the modem's rating (ex 600Mbps to a 686Mbps capable modem) but only deliver say 70% to a modem because those modem ratings are lab tested scenarios where the real world degradation doesn't really apply (distance, damage to cables, aging cables, etc)

I felt like I was forgetting another part to what I said and that was it lmao

Also noted that the SB6190 is a bit trash, though I'm sure whenever we do finally get rid of our current modem I'll be able to convince the council to jump a few tiers (assuming I still live with the council when that happens, of course).

[Donut417]

2 hours ago, -Blue- said:

Could I say do this with a cheaper unit? Say something I buy from wallmart? This way I could return the stupid thing and not have to pay extra cash a month for it.

I use the CM1000v2 Docsis 3.1 modem and a separate router. Works well. 

[kirashi]

3 hours ago, -Blue- said:

Could I say do this with a cheaper unit? Say something I buy from wallmart? This way I could return the stupid thing and not have to pay extra cash a month for it.

Depends on your ISP's policies and the modems they choose to officially support. Almost all providers in Canada require you use the modem they provide, or one of a select few from a "supported" list if it's a reseller company. Your ISP may operate the same, or may allow using any DOCSIS 3.1/4.0 compatible modem. If your cable company only supports DOCSIS2.0/3.0 modems in 2022, it's time to switch providers, if possible.

[-Blue-]

2 hours ago, kirashi said:

Depends on your ISP's policies and the modems they choose to officially support. Almost all providers in Canada require you use the modem they provide, or one of a select few from a "supported" list if it's a reseller company. Your ISP may operate the same, or may allow using any DOCSIS 3.1/4.0 compatible modem. If your cable company only supports DOCSIS2.0/3.0 modems in 2022, it's time to switch providers, if possible.

Luckly my ISP does have multiple modems they support listed on their website and a few listed DOCSIS 3.1 units. 

 

Also follow up question though. Could you use your MB's intergrated WiFi or a Wifi PCIE card for broadcasting?

[kirashi]

2 hours ago, -Blue- said:

Luckly my ISP does have multiple modems they support listed on their website and a few listed DOCSIS 3.1 units. 

 

Also follow up question though. Could you use your MB's intergrated WiFi or a Wifi PCIE card for broadcasting?

I'm not familiar with what desktop WiFi chipsets support connection sharing, but I want to say both would work to broadcast a WiFi network for other devices to connect to if the PC were receiving its' internet connection via ethernet cable. You'd have to test it yourself though.

[Falcon1986]

17 hours ago, -Blue- said:

I'm worried that this stupid "Panoramic Wifi" Modem/Router combo unit my ISP gave me won't be able to handle the load.

Load of what? Your devices? How many do you have? Have you tried it? What limitation are you experiencing with it now?

 

10 hours ago, -Blue- said:

Also follow up question though. Could you use your MB's intergrated WiFi or a Wifi PCIE card for broadcasting?

Whatever modem you choose, you'll need a router that can support the speeds you're paying for and be ready for speed upgrades in the future.

 

If you want a custom router, building your own around pfSense is what most people do. My approach would be to get an appliance already built for this that you can upgrade as your needs increase.

 

pfSense does not handle WiFi very well, so I would stay away from trying to run a wireless antenna on it. Just get proper wireless APs and control them independently.

[-Blue-]

6 hours ago, Falcon1986 said:

Load of what? Your devices? How many do you have? Have you tried it? What limitation are you experiencing with it now?

 

Whatever modem you choose, you'll need a router that can support the speeds you're paying for and be ready for speed upgrades in the future.

Most of my computing gear is still on the slow boat from Japan so no reall heavy loads on the ISP provided combo unit. But I have noticed that the unit is a horrible switch when it comes to file transfer speeds. Also it only has two Ethernet ports which are now occupied by my NAS and my laptop (which will become my gaming rig when I get it back)

[Alex Atkin UK]

On 6/26/2022 at 7:16 PM, -Blue- said:

Most of my computing gear is still on the slow boat from Japan so no reall heavy loads on the ISP provided combo unit. But I have noticed that the unit is a horrible switch when it comes to file transfer speeds. Also it only has two Ethernet ports which are now occupied by my NAS and my laptop (which will become my gaming rig when I get it back)

With so few ports maybe they cheaped out and omitted a switch chip entirely.  Didn't think they did that any more, but its possible if they're really working to a budget.  Then again, a Gigabit switch is cheap enough, just annoying to waste another outlet.

 

As for WiFi from a PC my advice would be not to bother.   Even if you get it working, it never works as well as a proper Router or Access Point.  If you share from Windows its even worse still, its usable in a pinch but not for day to day use.