Best Modem/Router combo (or Other?) for the Cable Cutter

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Getting ready to finally do it. Been meaning to for a long time, just been too busy with work, etc.

I know this material or similar was covered here a few months back, but wanted to get some feedback from some of you guys.

I have Cox internet, some grandfathered premie service. I will likely upgrade, although I haven't decided yet if I will do gigablast.

@davidallen , et al, any guidance on the optimum set up ? Thanks in advance.

 

[Ostatedchi]

I have Cable One internet service in B'ville. Double check with Cox if this is a supported cable modem but I just bought a NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem CM1200; and, for home wireless NETGEAR Orbi Ultra-Performance Whole Home Mesh WiFi System - WiFi router and two satellite extender with speeds up to 3Gbps over 7,500 sq. feet, AC3000 (RBK53).

I'll be upgrading to Gig internet. It might be a bit of overkill.

 

[SquinkY5786]

Guy at work really loves google mesh WiFi. I don’t know a lot about it but probably worth checking out

 

[OSUIvan]

What ever you buy get a mesh wifi system if you have a large house or if you have any wifi issues. It makes such a difference!

I personally have the Orbi mesh system and it was very easy to set up, what I like most about it is that it has a wifi band dedicated to talking to all the Orbi systems so it's not using bandwith on the band that you use.

 

[shortbus]

Orbi and boot your rental from your ISP.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Orbi and boot your rental from your ISP.

Que? "Boot my rental"?

 

[OSUIvan]

Que? "Boot my rental"?

A lot of people lease their modem and "wifi" from their ISP. For example, Cox has a mesh system that they lease.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

A lot of people lease their modem and "wifi" from their ISP. For example, Cox has a mesh system that they lease.

Ok. That’s what I kind of thought he meant. And that is definitely my plan.

 

[Ostatedchi]

Ok. That’s what I kind of thought he meant. And that is definitely my plan.

I just returned my leased modem/wifi router back to Cable One yesterday.
I got my cable modem and Orbi home system set up this past weekend. Simple.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

I just returned my leased modem/wifi router back to Cable One yesterday.
I got my cable modem and Orbi home system set up this past weekend. Simple.

Purchased through Amazon?

 

[Ostatedchi]

Purchased through Amazon?

Yes. Both modem and home wireless mesh.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Ok. That’s the route I’m going to go.

 

[EvilPOKES]

Yes, the Netgear Mesh is suppose to be amazing. I have a Nighthawk router from them and love it. Easy to configure and when I needed to do some customization, the UI was easy.

Hoping to add the mesh at some point. House is only ~2k sqft, but needing better coverage outdoors when the weather improves will be a must.

 

[purkey]

I've got cox and I was told that I had the fastest and blah blah blah modem and router. I called yesterday to inquire about their mesh system and it turns out I don't have the latest and greatest. I'm paying the same amount I'm going to pay for this combo modem/router they have now. I even had the morons come out to see about running another cable to hook up another modem months ago and the guy told me the best and cheapest way was to buy one of those extensions that you plug in to the wall and use the electrical cords in the house to spread the system signal out. A Netgear Powerline wifi. That is bs as well. I have trouble with range in my house.
Anyway, the guy on the phone yesterday said I didn't have what I thought I had...I have the fastest but not the panoramic wifi strength. I guess it depends on who the hell you talk to. They are coming out monday to install the combo router/modem which should increase range. If I need the mesh system it will be an additional $179 but if that's what it takes then I'd do it. Just trying to get set up to where I can drop direct tv and stream everything. I just need the wifi signal to reach the whole house before I do that. They are charging me $75 to come out and put in the new equipment. I know, a long story about nothing. Just a warning that make sure you are talking to the right people at cox. how you do that I have no idea. Now watch them come out Monday and say I've already got all this!

 

[EvilPOKES]

You could always just use their modem and supply the mesh system yourself. Gives you the freedom to choose what you want and control over the setup and usage.

 

[purkey]

You could always just use their modem and supply the mesh system yourself. Gives you the freedom to choose what you want and control over the setup and usage.

Well, not sure if I’ll need the mesh if their equipment does what they say it will.

 

[EvilPOKES]

I've always been of the thought, I'll buy what I want and it's their responsibility to make sure their shit hardware is compatible. But, you do you.

 

[TPOKE]

I have the Netgear Nighthawk XS6 with a cox modem, which i checked and was their best. Would I still be better buying a Netgear modem?

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Yes. Both modem and home wireless mesh.

So, just to clarify fir the non tech guy — the Orbi hone wireless mesh functions as yout WiFi/router?

 

[Ostatedchi]

So, just to clarify fir the non tech guy — the Orbi hone wireless mesh functions as yout WiFi/router?

Correct. And the Netgear Nighthawk is my cable modem.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Ordered. I went with the RBK50.

 

[Ostatedchi]

Ordered. I went with the RBK50.

Solid choice

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

All done. Working like a charm. No regrets.

 

[OSUIvan]

All done. Working like a charm. No regrets.

Thanks for updating us, always good to hear when a suggestion works out for the person.

 

[davidallen]

Getting ready to finally do it. Been meaning to for a long time, just been too busy with work, etc.

I know this material or similar was covered here a few months back, but wanted to get some feedback from some of you guys.

I have Cox internet, some grandfathered premie service. I will likely upgrade, although I haven't decided yet if I will do gigablast.

@davidallen , et al, any guidance on the optimum set up ? Thanks in advance.

Hate my Eero these days. Would avoid.

I hear good things about the Nest product, no first hand experience.

Surprisingly (to me at least) is the good things I hear about XFi from Comcast.

Yes, the Netgear Mesh is suppose to be amazing. I have a Nighthawk router from them and love it. Easy to configure and when I needed to do some customization, the UI was easy.

Hoping to add the mesh at some point. House is only ~2k sqft, but needing better coverage outdoors when the weather improves will be a must.

Netgear pretty solid.

 

[davidallen]

Ordered. I went with the RBK50.

Sweet!

 

[purkey]

a tidbit of info for some maybe...ethernet ports on any computer...desktop or laptop, are limited. I'm paying for some high speed cox internet (up to 300 Mbps) but found out my destop ethernet port is limited to 100 Mbps and the wireless is around 50. A new ethernet port costs around $20 but there may be other issues like needing a new network interface card as well. May just take it to a computer shop and let them do it. No wonder those porn sites were buffering occasionally.!

 

[OSUIvan]

a tidbit of info for some maybe...ethernet ports on any computer...desktop or laptop, are limited. I'm paying for some high speed cox internet (up to 300 Mbps) but found out my destop ethernet port is limited to 100 Mbps and the wireless is around 50. A new ethernet port costs around $20 but there may be other issues like needing a new network interface card as well. May just take it to a computer shop and let them do it. No wonder those porn sites were buffering occasionally.!

This is true, and 100 meg is probably more than enough, why pay for more? Well if you have a lot of people trying to use the internet it is worth it. If it's just you or you and a SO, then 300 is probably going to be over kill even if you have a gig NIC.

 

[purkey]

my problem is keeping the speed up for the wifi. I added range extenders that don't really work so I'm going to have to go buy some that do. Probably those cox pod extenders.

 

[OSUIvan]

my problem is keeping the speed up for the wifi. I added range extenders that don't really work so I'm going to have to go buy some that do. Probably those cox pod extenders.

Extenders are not going to fix your problem, because now you have a 2nd, 3rd or 4th (depending on how many you buy) network that you have to manually connect to. That's the beauty of the mesh systems is that it's one network that talks with all the AP's to see which one works best for you and that's what you connect to.

 

[purkey]

and that may be better, but they are saying that these pods work the same way...on the same network. They come 3 in a pak for $129 and all work on the same wifi network.

 

[cableok]

and that may be better, but they are saying that these pods work the same way...on the same network. They come 3 in a pak for $129 and all work on the same wifi network.

Yes the Cox pods are mesh.

The Cox Panoramic WiFi router is the same as the Comcast Xfi that you have probably seen advertised a lot recently.

 

[purkey]

Yes the Cox pods are mesh.

The Cox Panoramic WiFi router is the same as the Comcast Xfi that you have probably seen advertised a lot recently.

yep, that's the cox router I have...actually they've combined the router and modem together.

 

[PDT816]

If you are already coax ready, MoCA > mesh wifi and it's not even close

 

[purkey]

If you are already coax ready, MoCA > mesh wifi and it's not even close

that's a new term...I've got coax all over the house, some of it is run outside, but it's all over the house. Did a quick search and it says not compatible with satellite tv homes! It looks like you've got to run a coax cable in to it so not sure where that would come from...there's a coax port on the back of the extender. Would you have to get a splitter and run the coax to both the cox modem/router and the MoCA extender?

 

[cableok]

If you are already coax ready, MoCA > mesh wifi and it's not even close

They do two different things. I would argue that for most customers that mesh Wifi better supports what they need. It is designed to create a WiFi mesh canopy for entire coverage.
MoCA is great for something like a guest house or garage. An area that you want coverage but don’t need continual coverage throughout the pro poetry. MoCA is also good for connecting via a gaming system.

 

[PDT816]

that's a new term...I've got coax all over the house, some of it is run outside, but it's all over the house. Did a quick search and it says not compatible with satellite tv homes! It looks like you've got to run a coax cable in to it so not sure where that would come from...there's a coax port on the back of the extender. Would you have to get a splitter and run the coax to both the cox modem/router and the MoCA extender?

MoCA expanded their operating frequencies several years ago with 2.0 and there's no reason it won't work with satellite installations. It's built in to the Hopper DVR for example.

Cox's Arris routers and other brands have MoCA already baked in last time I checked. All you have to do is turn it on and get adapters for any devices on the other end that aren't MoCA enabled

 

[davidallen]

Dumped Eero for Nest WiFi. Much better, very happy.

 

[BorisSutherland]

If you want a good combination between modem and router first you need to sync speed with the device to be on the same page. By that I mean that if the provider's speed is 100 mbits/sec you don’t need a premium router that will use its smallest potential. THe budget that you have and have easy access to the settings with 192.168.42.1 browser access. I would recommend Netgear routers, under 100$ you can buy a good one that can be used for stream without having micro lags, everything else will be perfectly workable.

 

[OSUIvan]

FYI Orbi seems to have gotten bad firmware update over the summer which has caused some issues where I and many others are having to reboot the router quite often. Been waiting on a fix for WAY to long.