Cable Modem - Want to buy one to give the leased one the heave-ho

[George Bokros]

Looking to buy a cable modem for use on the Time Warner network. Got my cable bill today and it went up $25 a month cause my promotion expired. Called TWC and they would not match the on-line price which was the same as my old price $129.99. Told them I would switch to U-Verse or satellite, their reaction was such that they didn't care. I then why can't you match the on-line price, the answer that the on-line price is only for new customers. The only recommendation was to purchase my own cable modem to save $8/month but it soon would be $10/month.

So what cable modem do you guys recommend? I want one with the RJ45 to feed the hard wired PC. I already have a good 5.4ghz router I own so having a built in router is not necessary.

Thanks for your help.

[Scott Pierce]

I'm a big Motorola Surfboard fan. I had one of their modems for ten years or more. Then last year I replaced it with a newer version. I don't know if I had to, I just thought it was getting old. I've never had a problem with them. Looking at my modem right now, it is the Surfboard SB6121. I highly recommend it. FYI - I have Cox internet.
I would also add that I've always just bought my modem outright. Never rented one. If you own it, you typically get your money back in less than a year (or two), and then the savings start adding up.

[Wade Lippman]

You got off easy. When my promotion ended they doubled my rate. I called and told them it was unacceptable and they cut it to a $25 increase. You saved a phone call.

I also have a Surfboard SB6121. Stupid thing is, I have TW telephone. I have to split my signal into thirds and send one to TV, one to the new modem and one to the old modem for the telephone. They don't charge me the old modem since I bought the SB6121. Go figure.

[Jim Becker]

Whatever you purchase, be sure it's compatible with the DOCSYS 3.0 or above standards so you get something akin to the performance you're paying for. I can't help you with specifics on a brand/model as I haven't had cable modem service for many years now.

[Matt Meiser]

Google will probably get you a list of recommendations. I did that for Comcast and ended up with a Zoom for about $70 that's been great.

[Dan Bundy]

I have Time Warner internet and I'm using a Motorola Surfboard SB6141 I got at Wal-Mart. The internet speed I have is the package that's something like $15/month for internet only. DB

[Jerome Stanek]

Time Warner has a list of modems that will work on your system. I have the Arris TG1672 that Time Warner supplied me for no charge

[George Bokros]

Guess I will get the Arris SB6141. The SB6121 is listed on the TWC website and Dan Bundy is using the SB6141 with TWC the only difference is my speed is 50mbps and his is somewhere around 30 or less.

[George Bokros]

Stupid thing is, I have TW telephone. I have to split my signal into thirds and send one to TV, one to the new modem and one to the old modem for the telephone. They don't charge me the old modem since I bought the SB6121. Go figure.

TWC says right on their website that if you have TWC phone you can keep the modem they supply at no charge, interesting to say the least.

[Myk Rian]

Surfboard SB6141. JUST installed one yesterday after fighting with an ARRIS Xfinity with telephony.
Bought it at BestBuy for $79. It replaced a DOCSIS 2 modem and quadrupled my speeds to 90mps DL/ 24mps UL.

[George Bokros]

Surfboard SB6141. JUST installed one yesterday after fighting with an ARRIS Xfinity with telephony.
Bought it at BestBuy for $79. It replaced a DOCSIS 2 modem and quadrupled my speeds to 90mps DL/ 24mps UL.

Mik, what level of speed in mbps are you promised by your ISP?

[Myk Rian]

Promised is up to 75mbs. I'm impressed. The old DOCSIS 2 was giving me 20dl/4ul.

We were going to get the triple play package from Comcast, so I went and bought an ARRIS Xfinity w/telephony modem/router. $199 at BestBuy. Put it in line, and called Comcast to activate it. Was online with a tech for more than an hour. Nothing worked keeping it online. Finally the guy said I shouldn't have been able to buy that modem at BestBuy. :confused::confused:
Had an appointment for the next day for an installer. This is the modem.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/xfinity-arris-touchstone-docsis-3-0-cable-modem-and-wireless-router-with-telephony-adapter-black/9082028.p?id=1219405801606&skuId=9082028
He said it was never added to my account. Another :confused:
He got it going and left. 5 minutes later it was dead. Another hour on the phone didn't help.

We wound up with a package without the phone, (didn't want it in first place), with more channels at a lower price. My Wife is very good at that. :)
Took the $200 POS back, got the cheap one, and $135 returned to the CC.

[Bill Cunningham]

I'm seriously thinking about dumping Sat TV and using the internet for everything. Every show I watch is online, including all the HBO stuff, news, and movies as soon as their released. I have a router on the second floor of my shop next door, and everything in my house can access it. My main TV. has an old Sony Internet Player (it still works...for now) the others are equipped with MyGica android boxes, and software that will find literally anything. TV,Movies, Specials, etc.. T.V and phone cost me $150.00 a month, My business Internet is $50.00 including taxes and modem. The speed sucks, but it's fast enough for my business use, and fast enough if your only streaming to one or two devices, about 5-6mbps. This is the fastest Ma-Bell will provide in this area. As time goes on, we are watching less and less regular network TV service. Just have to convince my wife to "Cut the Cord" completely.

[Jim Becker]

Bill, if what you watch is available online for streaming and you have the devices necessary to watch it (Roku, AppleTv, smart BlueRay player, etc), then "cutting the cord" can sometimes save a bit of money. Those TV packages from sat service, cable service, etc., all have extra cost material that many folks never watched; things like ESPN which have costly re-broadcast fees and are something that some of us just don't care about.

[Curt Harms]

Bill, if what you watch is available online for streaming and you have the devices necessary to watch it (Roku, AppleTv, smart BlueRay player, etc), then "cutting the cord" can sometimes save a bit of money. Those TV packages from sat service, cable service, etc., all have extra cost material that many folks never watched; things like ESPN which have costly re-broadcast fees and are something that some of us just don't care about.


That's one of the useful things about Verizon's custom TV. I care about sports programming from Sept. to Jan. I could not care less from Feb. to Aug. Verizon allows adding or removing packs month to month. I would not mind seeing that spread. ESPN on the other hand is not a fan, they think everyone should should have to pay for their programming whether subscribers want it or not.

[Kev Williams]

I've had a Surfboard SB6121 since I got cable net 2-1/2 years ago. In all that time I've never given it a second thought. IMO, THAT is a good modem ;)

[Jim Becker]

That's one of the useful things about Verizon's custom TV. I care about sports programming from Sept. to Jan. I could not care less from Feb. to Aug. Verizon allows adding or removing packs month to month. I would not mind seeing that spread. ESPN on the other hand is not a fan, they think everyone should should have to pay for their programming whether subscribers want it or not.

Unfortunately, the word is that that VZ is backing off from allowing folks to have "ESPN-free" TV in the bundles/packs scenario. As it turns out, their contractual obligations require they do an about-face on this.

[Harry Hagan]

Looking to buy a cable modem for use on the Time Warner network. Got my cable bill today and it went up $25 a month cause my promotion expired. Called TWC and they would not match the on-line price which was the same as my old price $129.99. Told them I would switch to U-Verse or satellite, their reaction was such that they didn't care. I then why can't you match the on-line price, the answer that the on-line price is only for new customers. The only recommendation was to purchase my own cable modem to save $8/month but it soon would be $10/month.

So what cable modem do you guys recommend? I want one with the RJ45 to feed the hard wired PC. I already have a good 5.4ghz router I own so having a built in router is not necessary.

Thanks for your help.

Maybe that individual didn't care, but TWC does. I've always been able to negotiate a lower price by requesting to be connected to the "Retention Dept." regardless of the cable company.

[Jim Becker]

Maybe that individual didn't care, but TWC does. I've always been able to negotiate a lower price by requesting to be connected to the "Retention Dept." regardless of the cable company.
This is getting harder to do at this point because all of the providers are both tired of the game and know they're going to lose subscribers as they "cut the cord" for TV, anyway. What's probably more popular (when contracts are not required) is jumping ship for awhile so you can come back to your preferred provider as a "new" customer. "New customer" get the best deals, generally even better than most arrangements with "retention".

[Curt Harms]

This is getting harder to do at this point because all of the providers are both tired of the game and know they're going to lose subscribers as they "cut the cord" for TV, anyway. What's probably more popular (when contracts are not required) is jumping ship for awhile so you can come back to your preferred provider as a "new" customer. "New customer" get the best deals, generally even better than most arrangements with "retention".


Another good reason to not use an ISP's email service as your primary. It's a pain to change email addresses then change them back in a month or two.

[Brian Elfert]

This is getting harder to do at this point because all of the providers are both tired of the game and know they're going to lose subscribers as they "cut the cord" for TV, anyway. What's probably more popular (when contracts are not required) is jumping ship for awhile so you can come back to your preferred provider as a "new" customer. "New customer" get the best deals, generally even better than most arrangements with "retention".

Comcast stated a few years back that they would not give promotional deals to existing customers anymore. They seem to have decided to offer discounts again as I still managed to get a deal. Raising prices for existing customers doesn't seem like the right way to fix a sinking ship. There are a lot of people that are one price increase away from cutting their cable TV service.

As far as email tied to ISPs goes I lost my email address that was tied to an ISP so I registered my own domain name. That is probably a little much for most, but at least get your email from gmail.com or similar that isn't likely to go away.

[Steve Kinnaird]

I dumped Brighthouse TV and put up an antenna. I still get around 50 channels and don't miss the BIG expense.

The problem is, I need high speed internet. I use it for work and we have 3 or 4 laptops connected at any given time. Plus all the cell phones using the WiFi. Brighthouse is hitting me with a $66 bill every month. They charge me $5 a month for the modem and $4 a month for their router.

would love to find a more affordable option.

[Curt Harms]

I dumped Brighthouse TV and put up an antenna. I still get around 50 channels and don't miss the BIG expense.

The problem is, I need high speed internet. I use it for work and we have 3 or 4 laptops connected at any given time. Plus all the cell phones using the WiFi. Brighthouse is hitting me with a $66 bill every month. They charge me $5 a month for the modem and $4 a month for their router.

would love to find a more affordable option.


Do you HAVE to use their modem & router? I would think you could at least replace their router with your own. I've never had cable internet - DSL then FiOS so no experience. It doesn't seem like it takes many months to make buying gear cheaper than renting, especially if you don't require the latest and greatest.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Do you HAVE to use their modem & router? I would think you could at least replace their router with your own. I've never had cable internet - DSL then FiOS so no experience. It doesn't seem like it takes many months to make buying gear cheaper than renting, especially if you don't require the latest and greatest.

I had a really nice router and kept losing signal in the house.
So I have kept there.

I purchased the NETGEAR Powerline 500 +WiFi
Check it out here - http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/powerline/XWNB5201.aspx
This will bring the WiFi and a wired connection to the wood shop because the house and wood shop are wired though the same main electrical panel.
Can't wait to get it setup this weekend and see how it does.

[Curt Harms]

It'll be interesting to hear how you get along, Steve. At one time powerline networking required some sort of bridge gadget between the two buss bars in the service panel. Otherwise only outlets on one side of the box had a decent ethernet signal. I guess technology has gotten around that. I believe your network data stream is available to anyone you share a transformer with so if you don't have your own transformer, be sure to enable encryption.

Edit: Informative bit on Powerline networking:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/lanwan-basics/31585-smallnetbuilders-powerline-faq

330566
Makes shop vac manufacturers and their h.p. ratings look honest, doesn't it? :) I suspect WiFi is similar which is why I prefer wired.

[Steve Kinnaird]

It'll be interesting to hear how you get along, Steve. At one time powerline networking required some sort of bridge gadget between the two buss bars in the service panel. Otherwise only outlets on one side of the box had a decent ethernet signal. I guess technology has gotten around that. I believe your network data stream is available to anyone you share a transformer with so if you don't have your own transformer, be sure to enable encryption.

Edit: Informative bit on Powerline networking:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/lanwan-basics/31585-smallnetbuilders-powerline-faq

330566
Makes shop vac manufacturers and their h.p. ratings look honest, doesn't it? :) I suspect WiFi is similar which is why I prefer wired.

I will be installing it tomorrow late afternoon and will update then.
The article you linked to is 5 years old. I am sure a lot has changed since then.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Installed the NETGEAR Powerline 500 +WiFi
After installing the XWN5001 & the XWNB5201 in the house just to confirm that everything was working as expected.

Actually i got a pleasant surprise. My NETGEAR WN3000 range extender, which is plugged in out in the wood shop was giving me 4 out of 5 bars back into the house.

I took the laptop and headed to the wood shop. Sure enough, the extender that did nothing before is now at full strength after adding the XWNB5201 near the cable modem and router. I don't need to plug the XWN5001 into the wood shop. I think I will put it in the garage :)

So I am very pleased with the performance and would recommend it for getting a difficult area up and running on WiFi.

[Bill Cunningham]

Things are supposed to change in Canada, but we'll see. The government has said providers must offer a 'basic' $25.00 package, and allow you to pick and choose what else you want by individual channels and NO bundling. I still won't give up my Android boxes and 1ch.app This is supposed to happen in Feb.

[Curt Harms]

Things are supposed to change in Canada, but we'll see. The government has said providers must offer a 'basic' $25.00 package, and allow you to pick and choose what else you want by individual channels and NO bundling. I still won't give up my Android boxes and 1ch.app This is supposed to happen in Feb.

I'll be interested to see how that turns out. I think every cable subscriber pays for many channels we have absolutely no interest in.