Ditching Time Warner's Modem for Something Else
April 14, 2016 11:46 AM Subscribe
I've been lazy and just paying the monthly lease on the modem/router for Time Warner internet service in Brooklyn, NY. It's an Arris DG1670. I feel like I could both save money (eventually) and get better service by getting my own gear, but what? For use with a variety of mostly Mac devices, if that matters. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
I just recently got this Zoom 5341J modem that will pay for itself in less than 6 months. So far (a couple of weeks) it has worked flawlessly with a mix of Apple, Windows, and Other (Roku, PS3) hardware.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:55 AM on April 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 11:55 AM on April 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Arris SURFboard SB6141 modem + Apple Airport Extreme wireless router.
My exact setup here at home (though, with Comcast) Pretty flawless and simple to set-up and run. There's never a reason to lease a modem from a cable company, unless you're also getting their voice service. Then, you're locked into using their ridiculous gateway box.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:58 AM on April 14, 2016
My exact setup here at home (though, with Comcast) Pretty flawless and simple to set-up and run. There's never a reason to lease a modem from a cable company, unless you're also getting their voice service. Then, you're locked into using their ridiculous gateway box.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:58 AM on April 14, 2016
I strongly encourage keeping the router/wireless separate from the cable modem. Not only do the separate components work better (in my experience), but they tend to be on different upgrade cycles.
posted by primethyme at 12:09 PM on April 14, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by primethyme at 12:09 PM on April 14, 2016 [3 favorites]
Make sure you have a surge protector upstream, so you don't lose your investment. When I rented my box I didn't care. My first one got melted by a line surge. It was theirs and replaced for free, but I learned my lesson all the same.
I have a Time Capsule on mine at home. It does my wireless.
Ironically, your ISP may have a page on which modems they allow or support (mine did), so I just bought one off their list. Cost me $100, but I bought the top of the line. I could have gotten in for as little as $40, and they have dropped in price since then.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:32 PM on April 14, 2016
I have a Time Capsule on mine at home. It does my wireless.
Ironically, your ISP may have a page on which modems they allow or support (mine did), so I just bought one off their list. Cost me $100, but I bought the top of the line. I could have gotten in for as little as $40, and they have dropped in price since then.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:32 PM on April 14, 2016
Which plan are you on? A DG1670 is 16x4, while a Arris SURFboard SB6141 is 8x4. The SB6141 should be fine for most NY TWC offerings at present (except Woodside, Staten Island and a couple of other places), but the new charter that TWC signed the other month requires them to offer 300mbps everywhere in NYS by 2019.
If you're planning on bumping to 300mbps, and don't plan on buying a new modem in the next three years, get the Wirecutter's upgrade pick, the Arris SURFboard SB6183, which is on TWC's list of approved modems for the 300mbps plan.
posted by zamboni at 12:38 PM on April 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you're planning on bumping to 300mbps, and don't plan on buying a new modem in the next three years, get the Wirecutter's upgrade pick, the Arris SURFboard SB6183, which is on TWC's list of approved modems for the 300mbps plan.
posted by zamboni at 12:38 PM on April 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Word of warning on the Arris SURFboard 6141, they were recently reported as being vulnerable to a cross-site request forgery attacks that can remotely reboot the modem without warning.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:42 PM on April 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:42 PM on April 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Seconding zamboni and bluecore - I have the SB6183 and APX at home with Oceanic TWC. I don't get the advertised speeds but that's probably more of a local wiring problem than the hardware.
posted by a halcyon day at 1:08 PM on April 14, 2016
posted by a halcyon day at 1:08 PM on April 14, 2016
There's never a reason to lease a modem from a cable company, unless you're also getting their voice service. Then, you're locked into using their ridiculous gateway box.
Even if you do have voice service with TWC, they will let you buy your own modem, connect it w/ a splitter, and keep their modem for phone service while no longer charging you for it. Of course, you're better off only using them for the internet, but sometimes you gotta compromise with relatives.
posted by mattamatic at 1:10 PM on April 14, 2016
Even if you do have voice service with TWC, they will let you buy your own modem, connect it w/ a splitter, and keep their modem for phone service while no longer charging you for it. Of course, you're better off only using them for the internet, but sometimes you gotta compromise with relatives.
posted by mattamatic at 1:10 PM on April 14, 2016
I should mention that you should always get an approved modem, or at least one that you know they lease. Cable modems get firmware updates over the wire, and companies can't/won't update modems that aren't on their list.
posted by zamboni at 1:16 PM on April 14, 2016
posted by zamboni at 1:16 PM on April 14, 2016
I have Comcast but recently got a Netgear CM500 which I see is certified for TWC as well. No problem with it so far.
posted by kindall at 1:31 PM on April 14, 2016
posted by kindall at 1:31 PM on April 14, 2016
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posted by bluecore at 11:53 AM on April 14, 2016 [1 favorite]