COMCAST Info

[PugnacAutMortem]

Jer, thank you for all of the information in this thread. I literally was looking at buying a modem and router as I found this thread and your info saved me from buying items that I absolutely didn't need.

[Jer]

Jer, thank you for all of the information in this thread. I literally was looking at buying a modem and router as I found this thread and your info saved me from buying items that I absolutely didn't need.

Awesome! Glad my incoherent tech babbling late at night was of benefit to someone. lulz

[WillysWagon]

Good info all around guys !!
I just switched to Comcast and hooked up my own cable modem and wifi router.
Will be reading this thread again tonight as I want to make sure I've got things covered.

I know just enough to get myself in trouble !!

[trlcavscout]

At least 16 down channels? Why the hell does anyone need that? A single down channel on DOCSIS 3.0 is capable of 43MBps. The minimum for DOCSIS 3.0 modems is 4 bonded channels up and 4 bonded channels down. 4 bonded channels down are capable of 171.52Mbit/s (152 after overhead) & 4 bonded channels up are capable of 122.88 (108 overhead) so why would anyone need more than that for the foreseeable future? Suggesting 16 as a minimum seems like an especially odd baseline since 16 bonded downstream channels is capable of in excess of 600Mbit/s and ain't nobody getting anywhere near that around these parts anytime soon. Even if someone offered Gig service (keep dreaming) here you would have a modem that isn't capable of the speeds you'd be paying for so you didn't really even future-proof yourself. I've seen 4/4ch modems for around $50 on sale or refub'd. 16 channel down modems are quite a bit more expensive so IMO you're paying for tech you can't use and odds are good you won't be able to use it before the modem craps out. DOCSIS 3.0 (of any variety) can do 152Mbit/s down which will exceed easily any plans available to us around here.

How many people here even have plans that will do that? Most people might have 50MBps and in some rare instances where the network allows some may see just over 100MBps (and assuming people justify the additional price tag). Just over 100Mbit/s is what I have and any DOCSIS 3.0 modem can handle that nearly x2. Don't overpay for bonded channels because those modems are the newer/more expensive and you likely have an option to utilize that many channels before the modem craps out. No need to pay extra. Buy cheap right now and when the almighty ISPs decide to allow us higher speeds (Google Fiber isn't breathing down on them in this area so don't hold your breath anytime soon) worry about upgrading once those modems are cheap and you decide you need the speed. We waited decades for speeds we have now so I wouldn't plan on it skyrocketing anything soon however.

Don't confuse a modem's # of bonded channels with how many simultaneous connections one can have on their network because that's all router stuff, not modem stuff. The modem just brings connection. The channels are about how much of that connection it can bring to the network at once. The router will determine how many clients get to talk to the outside world and how quickly (via Qos roles).

I also wouldn't suggest that the average home owner rush out and buy an AC router for reasons that would require paragraphs more explanation here. Do some digging and pay special attention to all the negatives. IMO they far outweigh the positives and not the least of which is price compared to non-AC router options. Just getting something with multiple radios & both 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz will be more than plenty for most homes since they likely don't even have 5Ghz devices yet unless they recently bought a new smartphone or laptop/tablet. Using two AC AP's in a home setting is just asking for performance/interference trouble. I'm sure you're more adept at handling that than the average user but again, it's risk v reward for most personal networks. In short, I'm sure you know you could get those speeds with a lot less hardware.

When it comes to modems, just buy the cheapest that will get your your speeds right now because it's likely you'll have that speed for a long... long... long time. If by some miracle your ISP offers faster speeds down the roads go buy a lottery ticket and then get a modem capable of that speed because it will likely be so many years down the road that that same modem now can be had for $50.

I'm sure you know a lot of what I said but this was more for the casual reader wondering what modem/router to get to limit the BS they deal with from Comcast.

Buy what you want and can afford bottom line. I install and service wireless for a living so I see all the nightmares and upset customers who bought equipment that would not perform the way they expected it to because it said on the box that it would. I just recommend that people do their research and figure out their needs before spending money, because one person living alone in a single family home in one part of town can get by with stuff that a family of four could not in a new development or apartment complex in another part of town. And if your paying for 150-250 meg service your requirements are different then if your paying for 25 meg service.

[Gman]

Three steps towards minimizing your dependence on dealing with Comcast customer service:

1. Buy your own modem (Motorola DOCSIS 3.0 is all you need to know. Buy the cheapest one you can find)
2. Buy your own wireless router
3. Learn to optimize your router including security

This is what I've done ever since I've had Comcast broadband. The only addition I'd make to this is to make sure your cable modem is on Comcast's compatibility list; http://mydeviceinfo.comcast.net/

[Gunner]

If you have tmobile for cell service, go get a wireless router from them. It's free. We have it plugged into our Comcast router. Tmobile gives them out for wifi calling features.

Sent from my S6 Edge +