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Internet cable modem

  • Thread starter PlantAKiss
  • Start date

PlantAKiss

Moderator Schmoderator Fluorescent fluorite, Engl
Well I have no internet access at home right now since my keyboard died. I think I'm getting a new computer and so I'm checking into all the costs for the cable internet.

I just talked to Comcast and found out that "renting" the internet cable modem is an additional $3 per month. Geez! So...they said I could buy one. Well I looked on eBay and there seem to be a ton of different brands and probably features too. I don't need anything fancy. Just whatever will reliably work.

It will be a MAC :-D of course, so the modem must be Mac compatible.

If anyone has any suggestions as I know nothing about these things. Brand? Features? Cost? ???
 
Wouldn't your ISP just give you one? We've had two (maybe three) ISP's in the past and we've NEVER had to pay for ours.

The one in front of my says Netopia for what it's worth.
 
I'm just going by what Comcast said. I use AOL. Comcast person said it was $3 a month for the modem on top of the 42.95 per month. I haven't called AOL yet to see what the deal is on the costs. It shouldn't cost me as much since I won't be using their phone access.
 
Well, it's entirely possible that my ISP is just "renting" us the modem and tacking on an extra 3 bucks a month. I don't pay the bills anyway :)

Your REAL problem is AOL! AOL is horrible!
 
I've always bought them at Best Buy or some place like that; i never wanted to rent one for some reason. I bought a Linksys the last time and it worked fine for my service; however I would probably check with Comcast before I purchased something that was non-returnable. Also, i'm pretty sure all cable modems work independently of computer operating system... someone correct me if i'm wrong. Hope that helps.

Neal
 
I would ask Comcast for a list of compatible modems and then price them out from there.

A good resource is www.dslreports.com

For example in the FAQ for Comcast there is the question "Which modem should I get?"

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/comcast/2.1_Modems#10327

and "Can I purchase my own cable modem and still use Comcast's service?"

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/comcast/2.1_Modems#8497

The forums there are generally friendly too.

Edit: List of Comcast approved modems:

http://media2.comcast.net/anon.comcastonline2/support/help/misc/cmclist.htm
 
Wow...thanks Not a Number. :)

Yes, I know AOL is horrible. But I've had it since I first got on the internet and it was THE service. I never wanted to change my email address. That is a major pain. Its only been fairly recently that AOL went "free" for email and stuff.

I have seen some used modems on eBay fairly cheap. $10-$20.

Someone recommended to me to rent the modem as it was cheap and I could upgrade it for free when needed. ???

What ISP is good?

I'm just ??? I don't know anything about this stuff.

--------
BTW...while I'm asking...has anyone installed one of these modems yourself?
 
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I would think any that end in a ethernet cable would work on a mac...(cause macs don't have USB right? ???) but that's just a guess. (that's the larger phone cord looking plug) And you're right with the cost, comcast does make you rent one or buy one. They don't provide it for free... I think it is DSL (qwest/aol) that provides the DSL modem... Cable is quite a bit faster in my experience over DSL although dsl is cheaper. Although DSL is cheaper, I don't use it cause it HONESTLY fells like dial up to me, maybe that's just because I'm used to cable though. I've always used Motorola Sufboard modems. (currently SB5100)

-Andrew
 
Not a Number's advice/links are great; use them. Also keep in mind that if you buy your own you are responsible for any technical problems you have with it. Yes, it's easy enough to get a new one if it dies, but do you have the know-how to diagnose it and know if it’s dead? What if the settings need changed or get set incorrectly; do you know how to check and fix them? Leasing a modem from them should get you support with it as well.

Also consider the costs. If you only plan to be in the area, or stay with Comcast, for 12 months, then it only cost you $36 for the modem. If you decide after two months to try a different provider or technology, it only cost you $6. That also saves you the time spent specing out good ones, time spent trying to find and buy one, money spent on shipping, risks with buying a used product, etc.

I would also advise you check into speeds with local users as well. Cable modem speeds are inherently volatile. If a lot of people in your neighborhood are online, for instance, you may notice a serious drop in bandwidth. Also, while they usually offer speeds of 8 Mbit down, they will usually restrict you to 128 kbit up...that's extremely slow. Most people use down way more than up, but if you upload pictures for printing, play games, etc, the up speed is going to be important and 128 is a snail's pace.

SDSL will get you anywhere from 256 kbit both ways to 1.5 kbit both ways. The former is probably what Adnedarn had experience with. The latter will probably feel as fast as a cable modem coming down, and it will be much faster up, more reliable, and more secure to boot. Saying DSL is fast or slow is kind of like saying a car is fast or slow. A 'car' could be a 80 horse power Prius or a 600 horse power Ferrari. The same goes with DSL; make sure you know what speed you're getting before you buy (good advice for any kind of internet connection)

Verizon is also pushing their FIOS service around here, which offers either 2 Mbit both ways or 5 Mbit both ways. It's a ton faster than cable or DSL and cheaper in our area. I would personally look into this if you're going to spend that much (right now I just pay $19 for the super basic 384kbit ADSL).

The dslreports site that NaN linked to has speed tests; use them to test a neighbor's cable during peak hours if you can. Use that site to also learn about internet connections so you can make an informed choice.

Good luck.
 
  • #10
Nicholas- what settings on the modem?? Routers have tons of setting and can be difficult but with a modem you plug it in.. the lights turn on (from power down to activity) then you plug in your router. Then you plug in your Ethernet cable and configure your OS to get online. It seems Windows has gotten really easy since there was zero configuration for me to connect, and only minor adjustments for my router.. But I don't know about how easy mac is to configure. The new mac os i would guess is pretty automatic.

The DSL I was on was not the basic one...

Here are the rated comcast speeds... I've never personally experienced speed drop on the weekend... could be the popularity (or lack of) the service here... I'm on the 8Mbps 768Kbps plan... hence my pleasure of the speed :) (side not, I'm testing caplock's game and I download the just under 4 gb file in approx 40-55 mins)

Download speed Upload speed
6Mbps 384Kbps
8Mbps 768Kbps

If you currently subscribe only to Comcast Digital Voice, the following Comcast High-Speed Internet Service options are available to you:

Download speed Upload speed
4Mbps 384Kbps
6Mbps 384Kbps
8Mbps 768Kbps
If you currently do not subscribe to any Comcast Cable TV or Comcast Digital Voice services, you will have the following options for Comcast High-Speed Internet Service available to you:

Download speed Upload speed
4Mbps 384Kbps
6Mbps 384Kbps
8Mbps 768Kbps
 
  • #11
Nicholas- what settings on the modem??
It's been a while since I worked with a cable modem. But I know my DSL modem has an integrated firewall, along with a few other services. When I do any kind of special configuration, like port forwarding (required for almost every online game), I need to make the changes in both my router and my DSL modem. I don't know if cable modems are the same way, but figured I should throw that out there.
 
  • #12
Ahh- I've never had to or heard of any type of setting in there.... On my external routers/firewalls I've never had to configure for game access either.. I set my router settings during install, get out, done... never have to go back. So it sounds like there are some differences between the two.

-Andrew
 
  • #13
Verizon is also pushing their FIOS service

What is that? I don't care what I use...I want FAST and CHEAP. :D

I have no experience with DSL so I don't know anything about it but I've heard everyone say its slower than cable. However...all this y'all are talking about sound a lot more complicated than Comcast made it sound. Lady on the phone said you just hook the cable to your computer. I don't know what it hooks to on the other end. I have no cable line to the room my computer is in.
 
  • #14
Fiber optics.
 
  • #15
I just figured that out. Ok...so I checked that and FiOS is not available for me. But Verizon offers high speed internet. Anyone familiar with Verizon...vs. stupid Comcast? I hate Comcast. Verizon seems cheaper...but I have no idea how they compare.

--------

Oh...is Verizon's "high speed internet" DSL??
 
  • #16
DSLReports has ratings on the ISPs. Search by your zip code and see which ISPs are available and look at the ratings and user comments.

Verizon service should be DSL until they are allowed into the cable TV business.
 
  • #17
Macs are more or less automatic for configuring networking devices. USB modems may not work, though; in my experience most USB cable modems require special drivers produced by the manufacturer, and usually Macs aren't supported. However, it's hard for me to imagine that anyone nowadays would manufacture a cable modem without an ethernet jack on it, so you should be fine.
As for setting things up, it will be very easy. When you first take your Mac out of the box, it runs a setup program and asks you a few questions to determine how to configure things, including internet access. But even if you aren't working with a brand-new machine, when you first plug the modem in and turn it on, your Mac should be able to recognize it and do most of the relevant configuration all by itself. (To be sure of this, get a modem that works with DHCP - this is a networking protocol that is designed to set itself up without user input. DHCP is well over a decade old now, so it should be supported on pretty much any hardware you find.) The only thing you might have to do for yourself is turn on certain security functions, such as the firewall (which is built into OS X,) or install antivirus software (which is not built-in and needs to be purchased separately.) If you need any help once you've made your decision, feel free to contact me... I'm very familiar with Macs, and I setup computers so often it feels like I should be getting a paycheck for it. :)
Best luck!
~Joe
 
  • #18
Thank you. :) I'm just trying to figure out if I got the Comcast cable...WHAT does it connect to?? I know the computer on one end but what does it connect to on the other end??
 
  • #19
The cable modem will connect to your nearest coax (cable) hookup. Its the thing you usually have to screw into the back of a TV:

istockphoto_941462_coax_cable.jpg


thats the cable that will go from the cable modem to your cable connection
 
  • #20
Yeah...see...that's what I dont understand. Supposedly, *I* can get a kit and set it up myself. But how can I do that when there in no cable in the room with my puter?? My cable is in a room downstairs and also an old cable in a bedroom all the way across the house. So...wouldn't that kind of assume one can self-install IF you have cable in the room??

This is very complicated. :-/
 
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