what about getting my own internet connection router?

msongs · 30 Jan 2015

hello, by my math I have spent over $400 on modem rental with my internet, Oceanic Cable in Honolulu. I want to get my own modem. It seems easy enough to set it up according to directions at Oceanic site. Without the cost of the monthly rental I can upgrade speed by a factor of 4 for the same monthly amount. I have internet only, no tv plans. Oceanic charges an arm and a leg for this. They have a list of recommended modems. How can I best go about choosing the better modem? Their choices are here: timewarnercable.com/en/support/internet/topics/buy-your-modem.html

jimbo45 · 30 Jan 2015

Hi there

With PHONE it's easy but you won't get a very fast broadband (probably 2 mbs is about the best via a phone system) but any old router will work.

With Cable it's more complex as the cable signal has to be converted into a LAN protocol or WIFI or both depending on how you set it up. There's probably some proprietary firmware in the router which checks that you are the subscriber paying for the service and other sort of stuff.

My gut feel is that you won't be able to get a 3rd party one unless it's compatible with your cable company who ("In the Land of the Free" !!!) are probably running some sort of monopoly on supplying these boxes.

You're on your own on that one I'm afraid. You could try and negociate with the cable company to BUY rather than lease.

Cheers
jimbo

HAVOC · 30 Jan 2015

I'd say get the Motorola SB6121 (the modem I use). I had the Motorola SBG6580 and kept having issues with it. Whatever one you get, make sure it's a DOCSIS 3.0 modem and it supports IPv6.

Do you want a modem/router combo? What will your download speeds be?

TVeblen · 30 Jan 2015

You don't say which plan you plan on getting: 30Mb, 100Mb, or 300Mb. But all of the modems on that list are commercially available and will work fine. For Motorola they list the SB6141 for 100Mb service.

Rental modems are for little old ladies and hipsters who could not be bothered with installing their own equipment. The smart choice is to get your own and hook it up yourself.

You can have a standard configuration: a standalone cable modem and a standalone (wireless) router. The hookup is simple: coax cable goes in to the modem, Ethernet cable goes out to the router.

Some ISPs, particularly fiber optic companies, seem to insist on using combination modem/routers. Doesn't hurt to check. I do not have a fiber-optic ISP so I have not had an opportunity to play with whether a standard configuration would work there just as well.

One thing you do need to do upon getting and hooking up your new modem is to call the cable company to have them initialize it on their system. Standard procedure and painless.

msongs · 30 Jan 2015

I have just got 100mbps speed service. and the new(er) modem TW gave me a ubee interactive docsis 3.0 modem. they do not provide any kind of manual or use papers but I can read that on the net. I misspoke about a router, I do not need or have one. Just need the box to transfer the net to the computer. as for the speedtest it does show as 113mbps down and 5mbps up. some sites still seem to open slow. have yet to try video etc. still plan to buy one for myself however

what about getting my own internet connection router?

what about getting my own internet connection router?

thanks for the replies. here's some info...