[GRLUG] modems etc

[Don Ellis]

I haven't been to Micro Center yet to ask a floor rep, but looked on
the Web site, finding these responses:

    http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?Ntt=docsis&N=

I don't particularly want a router tied into the modem for $10 extra
(router fails, so you lose your modem), so I'm just looking at the
modem-only items (Zoom & Linksys, $30 difference). Using the compare
feature, I noticed a lot of N/A entries for the Linksys, and some seem
inconsistent (ex: Linksys has N/A for Network Data Transfer Rate,
while Zoom shows 10,100,1000). Interesting that the Linksys indicates
twice the downlink rate, while the Zoom shows twice the uplink rate.

How many on this list have experience with both these modems (or
either), and just how significant are the differences? (especially,
are the differences worth $30 in the Linksys's favor?)

[I figure that, before I ask the sales person if Charter will work
with a user-provided DOCSIS 3, I should know what they have and which
one I would want.]

--Don Ellis



On Sat, Apr 13, 2013 at 6:51 PM, Joseph VanDerStelt
<joseph.vanderstelt at gmail.com> wrote:
> Charter Rep Here!
>
> With Charters "new" 30/4Mbps internet package we now require the customer to
> have a Charter provided DOCSIS 3.0 modem. However, we no longer charge a
> modem lease fee. The standard rate for the 30Mbps service is 54.99 alone, or
> 49.99 when bundled with phone or TV. As far as I know the self provisioning
> will not allow for non-Charter provided modems to be provisioned but I
> cannot promise that is true. I have seen customer accounts where the MAC ID
> for the modem we provided was not responding and at deeper look there was a
> different device/MAC ID provisioned and their internet seemed to be
> functioning fine. If you do purchase a modem (and assuming your on the new
> internet package, as the legacy package will allow customer owned modems)
> let me know if you are able to get it provisioned.
>
>
> On 4/13/2013 6:12 PM, Don Ellis wrote:
>>
>> I had heard some time ago that our cable provider (Charter) would
>> require a new DOCSIS3 to be procured through the Cable Company, but I
>> didn't believe it, and would be willing to try buying one and
>> returning it to MicroCenter with a complaint if it turned out to be
>> true. I prefer to own my own equipment these days, contrary to their
>> promise that leasing is better than owning. Haven't had enough
>> failures or other troubles to justify continuing long-term payments on
>> top of the base rates.
>>
>> I have not yet upgraded [most of] my APs - just the main one that I
>> use as a router, which is a relatively new D-Link. The WRT54G I use at
>> the other end of the house doesn't seem to be a bottleneck. For the
>> most part I use hard connections for security reasons. At that end, I
>> seem to not be getting GigaBIt speeds on several links, which I plan
>> to diagnose and see if I can correct.
>>
>> --Don Ellis

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