It'd be in addition to buying a modem.
That router (which I don't own, I just saw good reviews by thousands of people in Amazon) only routes the signal from the modem to all the devices connected to it.
As per the modem, I do own this NETGEAR CM400 and it works perfectly fine for me. It paid for itself in 9 months at the time. Otherwise, I believe you have to pay Optimum for "renting" one.
Ok. Here's the modem I'd recommend and if you're on campus on a Wednesday night (7-11p) during semester come find me in the TUC, ask for Christian.
I would suggest googling your models and seeing what the specs are, and comparing those to what's available today. My bet is that it's time to upgarde. I'm not a super tech-y person, but buying a new router (having bought my old one only 3 years earlier) made a HUGE difference for me.
As for your modem, make sure yours is DOCSIS 3.0 or better. In most situations, you want 8x4 channels or better, too.
This is the modem I have: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-download-Certified-Cablevision-CM400-1AZNAS/dp/B0111MRLES/ref=pd_sim_147_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A76TFGV21W579DWMC6BK&dpID=416Y7zgKuBL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail
Just based on age, I'm thinking yeah, probably time to upgrade. I can't seem to find solid data, but as my memory serves me, the average household broadband connection at that time was 5 or 10 mbps. Hell, when I got my first Charter package in 2012, the best I could buy was 30mbps (vs. 100 or 120 when I left in August 17 though I couldn't get that speed at my house). And I would think that the mid-market technology available at the time would have been created for that kind of output vs what we have today.
This is a really cheap($44) modem that works find with their 100Mbps. I then also have a Netgear wireless AC router.
NETGEAR CM400 (8x4) DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem. Max download speeds of 340Mbps. Certified for Xfinity from Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, Cablevision & more (CM400-1AZNAS) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111MRLES/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BTNGzbKP912N2
Your ISP should have a "supported modems" list. If not you can roll the dice and just get a Docsis 3.0 modem like: NETGEAR DOCSIS 3.0 340Mbps Cable Modem for XFINITY, Time Warner, Spectrum Cable, Cox, Charter, Cablevision (CM400-1AZNAS) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111MRLES/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2z-nzbWX75MZ8
Of course if your ISP has Docsis 3.1 you will be missing out.
So could I get a router like so and just connect the coax in my room to it and then use the ethernet jack? Or do I need to just the main one in the living room?
This is to avoid wiring the cat5 through the wall
Netgear would probably be your next best bet for reliability. I personally have only used Arris Modems as they're pretty much the gold standard but this Netgear had good reviews and cheap.
There's a decent netgear cable modem I bought from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0111MRLES/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For the rates, I just resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be overcharged for internet, and that I would go to a complex with WOW next time.
By law they’re required to let you use your own hardware if you have it. Easy to find on amazon, got my modem for 50 (NETGEAR CM400 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111MRLES?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf)
Why does ARRIS SURFboard SB6141 cost $20 more than the NETGEAR CM400? I can't see the difference but the Surfboard is the best seller on Amazon by a huge margin.
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI
Buy your own modem : Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111MRLES/ref=dp_cerb_1
this is a docis 3.0 modem. its rated for 100 mbps and its around $40 so i would think it would work. just be aware that its not really future proofed (if you are to upgrade to something higher in the future.)
this is a really cheap router i found off of amazon with mostly good reviews. i dont know how well it works, but if you want, you can test your luck. its also wireless n, so it isn't that bad.
I bought this for Comcast in January: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0111MRLES/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Buy it. Like you said you've spent over $240 already which would of only cost you $150 up front. And even if your friend is right and you don't have the service anymore, you can still use that router. Also, I would look into purchasing separate modem/router instead of the combo. You can get better hardware and performance for about the same price. That way if one does happen to break, you are only replacing 1/2 the price instead of the full thing. Check out these two links. Total about $145.
NETGEAR CM400 (8x4) DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Max download speeds of 340Mbps. Certified for Xfinity from Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, Cablevision & more (CM400-1AZNAS) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111MRLES/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nU2-zb4K4785C
Sorry for the late reply, here is the Modem. I can't remember the one they gave me, I do know I had to return at least 2 of them over the course of 2/3 years (tech support requested that I return them). The thing to do is to go HERE and pick one that is more than your max speed that you are paying for (please note that the modem I linked before is actually rated 3.4x what they have on their site, which I think is a screw up on their chart). Basically, as long your modem's Mbps is higher than the speed your paying for, you're good. It's also a good idea to have some extra to grow into. I would shy away from the wifi modems. I prefer to handle all wifi access via a router (a Wi-Fi modem is just another security hole and you should always have a router just for troubleshooting and it's an extra security layer). Also, here is the ROUTER I paired with the aforementioned modem. They've worked pretty much flawlessly for over a year and it costs about $80-$90 for both. You can certainly find more robust systems, but this is a really good value in my opinion.
Maybe you can try this.
This will handle a 50mbit hookup just fine: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-340Mbps-Spectrum-Cablevision-CM400-1AZNAS/dp/B0111MRLES/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_147_lp_t_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AFX8YDJ68JE7ZAK7T356
Well, from looking at it you probably spend around $120 on the netgear you have now, and for the price you can get a basic DOCSIS 3.0 modem like this, and this Asus AC router for about the same price, maybe even less depending on how you order it. This is the same setup that I put together for my mom and sister a few months ago, and they are both pretty heavy netflixers and downloaders, and they have not experienced any problems.
I've had one of these with time Warner for a year without any hiccups: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-340Mbps-XFINITY-Cablevision-CM400-1AZNAS/dp/B0111MRLES. I would hook up one of these as a router as well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DWFPDNO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486478904&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=asus+n300&dpPl=1&dpID=31vLTXPU-2L. If you're OK with switching between the devices using a single wire then disregard the router entirely, but you'll be limited to wired devices only.
Easy peasey:
This will be absolutely rock stable and will max your speeds easily. Will require you to do a tad bit of setup but it's very easy. If you need an explanation on why this is better than something you could buy at BestBuy let me know.
Why does ARRIS SURFboard SB6141 cost $20 more than the NETGEAR CM400? I can't see the difference but the Surfboard is the best seller on Amazon by a huge margin.
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI
Notice the used prices...
While modems are hard to come by in the trash, routers are really easy to find. People get rid of their cheap N-routers all the time. A cheap N-router will still beat the hell out of your G-router.
Hi! I have Comcast and I recently made the decision to use my own equipment. I have heard over and over again that you're better off buying a serperate modem and router, so that's waht I did.
I got THIS Netgear CM400 modem*. It has DOCSIS 3.0 which means up to 340Mbps. That's pretty much all you need to know when it comes to modems. No need for anything better unless you think you might get gigabit in the future.
I got THIS router. I specifically bought this because of its 802.11ac support, which means I get to use the 5ghz band, which means that my congested appartment building wifi is no longer a problem. Also has other great features like USB ports allowing it to be a mini-file/media server.
I did entirely too much research on this (in additional to general networking studying, I'm Network+ certified) and I am happy with my purchases. You can save yourself a few hours of research and buy these two.
Quick edit: The reason I bought those 2 devices is because they were the BEST VALUE. There's cheaper and more expensive routers out there, but this one was the cheapest 802.11ac, gigabit ethernet, usb port router that wasn't a POS.