Jump to content

Geniuses Wanted: Suggestions for 3rd party modem/router


jackdashack

Recommended Posts

I was hoping when I called for geniuses that all of you would come running!  :2funny:  I have talked to certain ones here in the past that were very knowledgeable. (right about now your saying to self, I don't remember talking to him) Anyway, CA3LE and others helped back then. I am on Comcast and they have been giving me that Black Tower of Doom, the Stupinity all in one telephony, modem and router. Have been through 4 and may need a 5th depending on the next few days results with a change. I have been approportioned the 50mbps on the ethernet. Of course most of you know now that they are giving out ridiculously poor routers. I think this is by design as they know that 10's of 100's of these could be present in one housing complex and they'd be "walking" all over each other. So they make the radio's very poor.

 

From talking here in the past I'd decided to go 3rd party devices. Now as far as I know there is no device that has all 3 operations. However there are modems that have telephony. So you buy the router and bridge them. I was given several suggestions for the modem/telephone

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SBV6220-Surfboard-Digital-SBV-6220/dp/B0045TB51A/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_7

 

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Touchstone-Cable-Modem-DOCSIS/dp/B008GG78FU/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_1_2

 

No real suggestions on which device to be a good dual band router. So I am looking for suggestions here. If you followed the first link you'll see they are out of stock. I think a lot of folks are getting the same idea and I'm concerned that when brother gets up here from FL in a month or more (he's my techie) I may have trouble finding good equipment in this area. We are not a city. We about mid-state DE and while we have a number of good stores, no guarantee that the local Best Buy will have it, then it's a 45 or 60 mile trip to the next Best Buy.

 

So I'd like to get my equipment on scene here for when brother arrives and not have to go shop. So I'm looking for anyone that has the same service and replaced the same Arris DOCCIS 3.0  modem/router/telephony black Xfinity tower I will be replacing. 

 

All help will be greatly appreciated and I will check the Genius box next to your name for your reputation here.  :) I wouldn't lie!  Jack  ":-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i've never replaced a modem like that but any cable modem you can get that does not have the router built in will be just fine... i don't believe the arris modem you linked has the telephony built in, the motorola one does though

 

as for routers i'm really liking d-link and netgear at the moment i am far from impressed with the linksys stuff that has been coming out recently and i haven't had much success with belkin in years if your wanting me to help you look up some models of routers i'd be happy to in the morning just let me know how many devices your looking to connect what kind of range you might want and your budget

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i've never replaced a modem like that but any cable modem you can get that does not have the router built in will be just fine...  just let me know how many devices your looking to connect what kind of range you might want and your budget

Thanks.  Unless I order by mail the only place I have to purchase locally would be Best Buy, Radio Shack, HHGREGG, or Comp USA. I usually like to see what I'm buying but that's not necessary for the best solution if it needs to be. Budget? Hmmmm ... not a tycoon but wouldn't want to put $100 out and be disappointed. Rather look at $200 + maybe ... if the cost is justified and not just for some bragging justification.  Range? My property, I guess using it as a starter is 100 across and 200 deep. But the house is small and that's all I guess I'm really concerned with.  I forget exactly but the house must be about 80 ft wide and only about 30 ft deep with a finished basement and FL room on the back. Was that more info than you needed. lol  Mainly, I'd say most of the devices are going to be within 15 to 25 feet away at any one time.  I have a Windows 8  pc with an /n adapter. An XP pc with a /g adapter. A netbook with a /g adapter and a Xoom Tablet with a /g adapter. A Roku device. But they are all usually backwards compatible aren't they?  Somewhere I read a dual band would be best to get the best results, if several devices are on at one time that one might be /g and one might be /n to give them both their best shot?

 

Thanks. Hope this was helpful.   :wave: Jack  ":-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure if it helps...I'm in Canada and just bought a Thomson (Technicolor) DCW775. I's Docsis 3.0 and 4 port GB and wireless n router (dual band but not simultaneous).

 

http://www.technicolor.com/en/hi/digital-home/mediaaccess/cable/u-s/dcw775

 

I'll see how it behaves as I already own a Linksys E4200v1 running Tomato which I plan to continue to use as my primary router...but so far the THomson seems decent.

One thing I think is missing (big time) is QoS...but then again, bandwidth is plentiful with channel bonding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Golly thanks! Now if only I understood all that.

 

I think I got a handle on 4 port = 4 Ethernet ports?

Wireless n = is about the lastest technology of adapters if there isn't something already in the works upgrade

Dual band got that ... not simultaneous got that ... but which is preferable?

 

E4 ~~ running Tomato? = man, I'm lost in the bean patch

Qos = some kinda operating system but what "Q" is I dunno.

 

I'm not in an ASAP situation but hopefull CA3LE has some good pitches. And back a month or so ago there was another admin that had a good head for this stuff. I have to depend on the knowledgeable! LOL  ":-D  I did post some answeres above about budget and range. Thanks, Jack ":-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think he currently has A promo deal where he has to have it to get the pricing. Sorry I haven't replied sooner this week has been probably the busiest of my life I haven't even had time to get on the computer to look up routers but I promise I will try my best to look it up tomorrow before I go to work

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think about chucking the ISP provided VoIP. Unless of course they've wired it into the existing infrastructure as they tend to do. You can just as easy grab vonage who sends a free VoIP device with any package.

 

Leaving this out , your options open up considerably.

The talk side is part of the promo deal. Chuck it and rates go up on the TV and internet. I'm not sure what's mean by "wired in" but it's wired in as far as I have to use this Arris modem to plug the phone line in, any phone line, it back feeds into the phone system. Thanks!  ":-D

I think he currently has A promo deal where he has to have it to get the pricing. Sorry I haven't replied sooner this week has been probably the busiest of my life I haven't even had time to get on the computer to look up routers but I promise I will try my best to look it up tomorrow before I go to work

You are right TriRan, as I mentioned above it is a promo deal. Thanks and I can certainly understand busy and appreciate your checking in here. I'm doing this now so I won't be in a mad rush for info in about a month or so.  ":-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it the wireless side you seem to be having the most issues with? I think you should stick with your ISP's provided voip modem and just disable the wireless side of that modem/router and then spend your money on a good wireless router, such as the brands TriRan suggested above. Then just plug that new router into the voip/modem and go that route. I think that the ISP want's their equipment installed when it comes to the voice side so they can keep a better handle on it.

Anyone else like that idea?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr nd0: Thanks for that. Well I guess I was waiting for specific devices to buy. I don't trust my own judgement looking up what I need. Concerned I'll look down the wrong column or not notice a specification I need to or some such.

 

I would rather replace it all because the Arris provided device is costing $7-$9 a month. I forget but in that range. I think many have done what I am wanting to do with no trouble, if they know what they are doing.  So I am deferring here to get the right equipment. I see where TriRan is "as for routers i'm really liking d-link and netgear at the moment" and I take that. I just don't know what models to get. I have mentioned my budget and range hopes above. The cost? I'd rather spend $200 or more for both and be happy, than $100 and find there's little advantage. The range is never going to be more than 25 feet in the house. There may be 2 to 3 devices on, but I can only use 1 at a time. I have devices with /g and /n adapters, so I would like a  good dual band and I guess it's best they run simultaneous ... I think I caught above it could be either or?  So ... these are busy guys but I'm on it hopefully in enough time. Don't think the techie brother is coming up from FL until June, but like to have the devices on board when he gets here. Thanks to all again!  ":-D  jack

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright i had a little time today so i looked up some router models well within your price range

 

Routers: 

Netgear N900 -$129
Netgear N600 -$99
Asus RT-N56U -$99
D-Link N750 -$89
D-Link DIR-850L -$129

 

Any of those routers would be a fine choice, many of which you will find in your local best buy

 

as for the modem

 

your options are limited but i did find the Arris TM822G brand new for $130 with free shipping

 

it would be quite a bit cheaper then its motorola counterpart which hovers around $180 just for the modem/telephone 

 

if you decided on the Arris and got say the Netgear N900 both have free shipping and would put your total investment around $250 you would be rid of that pesky leasing charge and have a much more powerful homenetwork

 

the Arris TM822G is approved for comcast Xfinity aswell

 

and to answer your questions earlier

 

Golly thanks! Now if only I understood all that.

 

I think I got a handle on 4 port = 4 Ethernet ports?

Wireless n = is about the lastest technology of adapters if there isn't something already in the works upgrade

Dual band got that ... not simultaneous got that ... but which is preferable?

 

E4 ~~ running Tomato? = man, I'm lost in the bean patch

Qos = some kinda operating system but what "Q" is I dunno.

 

 

Wireless N - correct!

Dual Band - can be simultaneous 2.4GHz is preferable because 5GHz is almost line of sight the higher the freqency the more interference there is going through objects such as walls

 

E4 - i believe hes referring to the linksys E4000 series router and tomato is a type of open source firmware that can be installed

 

QoS - Quality of Service think of it like load balancing it's supposed to on a connection by connection basis ( every connection your computer makes to the outside world which is typically hundreds even thousands ) classify and prioritize. what that does is say your streaming a HD movie and someone else on your wifi starts a simple file download from a website, it's supposed to keep your streaming at a higher priority so your packets are always transferred first as to eliminate buffering,

 

what i've found with QoS is most routers do not have the resources to do this properly so you might actually lose thoroughoutput by the router being overwhelmed with tasks. i usually do not use this feature

 

and firmware is like an kind of like an operating system think of it as windows is for your computer a firmware is the base operating system for the router or just about any electronic device even your TV has firmware or cellphone

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright i had a little time today so i looked up some router models well within your price range

 

Routers: 

Netgear N900 -$129

Netgear N600 -$99

Asus RT-N56U -$99

D-Link N750 -$89

D-Link DIR-850L -$129

 

Any of those routers would be a fine choice, many of which you will find in your local best buy

 

as for the modem

 

your options are limited but i did find the Arris TM822G brand new for $130 with free shipping

 

it would be quite a bit cheaper then its motorola counterpart which hovers around $180 just for the modem/telephone 

 

if you decided on the Arris and got say the Netgear N900 both have free shipping and would put your total investment around $250 you would be rid of that pesky leasing charge and have a much more powerful homenetwork

 

the Arris TM822G is approved for comcast Xfinity aswell

wow! NOW what more could I ask. And that's great stuff. I think that's about what I need and do appreciate the time you took. This is a great forum. And the active guys are so helpful. This takes the stress of knowing little out of it and I can't say enough how much this information means.  Jack  ":-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow! NOW what more could I ask. And that's great stuff. I think that's about what I need and do appreciate the time you took. This is a great forum. And the active guys are so helpful. This takes the stress of knowing little out of it and I can't say enough how much this information means.  Jack  ":-D

 

your most welcome sir.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...