: Do I actually need to get a new modem?
: Do I actually need to get a new modem?
I received an email from ComCrap(Xfinity) saying my Docsis 3.0 modem needs replacing. It won't work in March 2023. I had bad network slowness recently, so a tech came out to check my equipment and cables. He said they still sell Docsis 3.0 modems and didn't say it's going away soon. Docsis 3.1 modems are too expensive. I would rather not have to buy one, but if I do, are there any decent ones for under $100? They all seem to be around $200!!!! Help me out of this cheap situation...
There are actually several kinds of docsis3 modems. You'll see numbers like 8x4, 16x4, or 32x8. Some older ones might be getting taken off the shelf. If you want to use a bigger plan, you may need to upgrade your modem instead. These old techs can sometimes handle gigabit plans, but most people have to switch to docsis3.1 if they sign up for that speed. It's hard to know exactly what the cable company wants because different areas might be set up differently. What they support or ask for isn't always the same everywhere in the city, since they use different equipment and some haven't been upgraded yet.
It sounds like an old model doesn't handle the new fast speeds well, so I had to upgrade mine. I needed to go up to 500mbps. There are three different models out there that cost less than two hundred dollars, but none are under one hundred. The cheapest one I found was a Motorola one for $139.99. Here is the link: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Motorola...
I am an Xfinity customer. I "rent" their modem and use my own router. The benefit is that this way they can't blame me for any issues. At one time, I had admin access to the modem so I could at least check things like turning off the hot spot feature that nearby customers could use to go online. I checked the logs but wasn't sure if it was actually disabled. The modem no longer accepts the user ID and password created when it first installed. A factory reset might fix this, but I am not willing right now to take such risks. Don't buy one. I don't like the monthly rental cost, but the burden falls on Xfinity when things go wrong. Still, I should read over the EUA or contract carefully because the terms are against me.
If you are paying for a service with 1GB or more and want to get that speed? Yes, if you do not need it then I will need to know how many channels your D3 modem can connect to and what speed you pay for. You can just Google Comcast approved modems and see if they meet the needs of your package. If not, either reduce the speed in your package or find a new modem.
You said modem so I assume you have an actual modem, not a gateway that combines a modem and router. In that case, you will want to find one with 2.5 GB ethernet on the back, not just single or dual ports because if you plan on subscribing to speeds higher than that, becauses a router with two 1 Gbps ports costs $20 and is not worth it right now.
Keep in mind wifi is okay at 500 Mbps but most people do not really get any advantage when the speed of your other end is limited. If you can download 1Gbps but I only send 100Mbps, guess what? Your downloading speed will be 100Mbps because that is how fast I can send data from me. A place like MS can send that fast, but their pay for is divided by the number of customers on average.
Go to your Xfinity account online. Can you turn off things on the modem, like making it a hotspot? Can you use a computer browser to connect to the modem using its default IP address (probably 10.0.0.1) with a username and password that you made up? If you are in a place where you want to control your modem then you might lose some of that power if you buy a new one again. I use a rented Xfinity modem (the hotspot is turned off, the router/gateway is turned off). I also have my own router. The Modem can still connect our landline phones (base station plus 3 other remote stations). It's an older but needed piece here. = = = = FYI: Try Microsoft's free Wifi Analyzer on a wireless computer in your network. Check the link https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/...BLGGH33N0N. Look at all those other wireless networks around you and see how crowded they are.
Old internet provider did the same thing to me. They probably have settings for different things, but phone people didn't know how to fix them. I had my service on DOCSIS 3.0. They upgraded my speeds and my connection dropped even though my modem was still in their list of supported ones. Tinhat me thinks it's a scam to get more people on their rented modems. You can never get honest answers from ISP on this stuff so don't waste your time there. I'd suggest just buying the 3.1 and it should work for years. It seems they are stopping using the old stuff.