Reddit mentions of ARRIS SURFboard (8x4) DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem, approved for Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity & more (SB6141 Black)

I use this guy. It's worked very well for me. I have the 150 down plan and get around 120 down in actuality. It's only $60

ARRIS SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem - Retail Packaging - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YUU5628/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9volzbRT650F2

It's the way to go, most ISPs charge $10 - $15 a month to rent. You can buy a modem for $50 (don't forget to check the modem speed if you've got gigabit)

Modem List

Lesson learned. Best Buy/Geek Squad = idiots.

Modem

Router

Wireless Access Point

If you have a small-medium house you only need 1 access point. You can get any router you want, go cheaper if you want. If you're mainly going to be on WiFi I highly suggest the Ubiquiti AC-lite.

Two things.

1. Your router might be the problem, mine takes the "180 mbits/sec" I get and drops it to 80 mbits/sec.
   
2. If you haven't already, get yourself a decent Modem, like the Surfboard SB6141: https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-Certified-Cablevision/dp/B00YUU5628/
   
   Lastly, you can always extend your router's range by getting a repeater. You can turn almost all TP-link routers into range extenders (with nifty benefits) and they're quite inexpensive.
   
   How much speed is defined by your current internet plan?

Do you use any service from them besides internet? I'd suggest replacing their gateway shit that they charge upwards of $10/mo with your own modem. I've used a Surfboard 6141 for a few years now without issue, but there might be better modems on the market now. I have 150/20 and the Surfboard has had no issues though.

As long as you only use internet, or internet and cable tv, most Docsis 3.0 modems should work fine. If you have phone service or home security, they might require that you use their gateway.

You can save an awful lot of money by not paying for your ISP to set up your Wifi. Buy your own Wifi router, configure it yourself, and only pay for Cox's internet.

Get your own Modem if you can, too.

For the modem, you might want to get something like this if you're paying for less than 300Mbp/s (and there is ZERO point in paying for more if you're only connecting wirelessly) or this if you're paying for gigabit and have hardwired ethernet devices.

For the router, if you're living in an apartment or small house where you only need one Wifi access point, something like this should work great, since it has an easy setup app available. If you're in a bigger space (e.g. multi-story or 3+ bedroom house), you might consider this or this, since both are designed for easy setup.

If you go with the 300Mbps plan from Cox, at $80 a month, even with the big space and $300 Mesh Wifi routers, you'd be saving money after six months. It's even faster if you only need a smaller space or are willing to drop to a slower internet speed (I seriously doubt you'll notice anything faster than 100Mbps, which is $60/mo, and if it's just 1-2 and you don't watch Netflix at 4k, even 30Mbps at $40/mo is likely sufficient). Likely, you'll still have to call Cox and complain to them every 12 months or so to get the "promotional" pricing... threaten to quit every time they try to raise your prices and the like.

Setting it all up will involve telling Cox you're putting in the new equipment, and returning the old equipment. I suggest doing this all in-store. If you call, they're likely to insist on a "professional installation" which gets crazy expensive, especially since they don't really need to go to your place to do anything... they just need to flip a switch on their backend (in the Cox offices) to accept the MAC address of your new modem instead of the old one... and if you already own your own modem, they don't even need to do that much (since you wouldn't need to switch it out).

Setting up your own Wifi isn't complicated. Plenty of tutorials all over Google if you need them. Cox charging to install wifi and modems is a scam based entirely on people not realizing how easy it can be.

Source: Being a Senior-Level Computer Networking Professional.

(Now, a Lady like me could do it cheaper / better than what I suggest here, but it would require a bit more expertise)

Look for an Arris Surfboard - those run really well with Comcast.

If your contracted speed is less than 300Mbps, then this cheap one is all you need

For me it has been great, minus modem issues.

If you are on 75mbps or below, do not buy the TC4350 (or do and read up how to diagnose said issues), it has chipset issues from Intel and is the only modem they sell.

If you plan on going faster you have no choice until they approve additional modems on their service with shaw lines.

Is the modem you will want with a texas instruments chipset.
https://www.amazon.ca/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00YUU5628/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1551126538&sr=8-3&keywords=sb6141

Since you specifically mention streaming, I can't stress enough that you do NOT use the cable company's modem. They tend to be single channel crapola. Get a multi-channel modem off Amazon. I have comcast blast and use this one (8 DL channel/4 Up):

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00YUU5628?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

ARRIS modem

Netgear Nighthawk router

Xfinity - this is the speed test on my laptop in my bedroom

iPhone 5 - fully updated

Hearthstone - fully updated

I don't know what other info I can provide.

Yep, it's DOCSIS 3.0 certified (the newest standard) the reason why they said the Apple Airport wasn't compatible is you probably had an old Comcast modem (only DOCSIS 2.0) so they said you need to upgrade to a modem/router combo unit.

I used to work for Optimum and had this modem on their network: https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-Certified-Cablevision/product-reviews/B00YUU5628/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_paging_btm_2?filterByKeyword=speed&search-alias=community-reviews&pageNumber=2#reviews-filter-bar

Goes up to 150Mbps+ which is 10 times more then you really need.

Get an Motroola Surfboard modem.

This one is $50
https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Package/dp/B00YUU5628/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=Motorola+Surfboard&qid=1554995482&s=gateway&sr=8-16

This one is $70
https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6183-Docsis-Packaging/dp/B00MA5U1FW/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Motorola+Surfboard&qid=1554995482&s=gateway&sr=8-6

Cool, just need the modem, router and access point functionality. Best value is usually modem separate with a combo router/access point. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-Certified-Cablevision/dp/B00YUU5628/ for modem is fine, for router/access point depends how much area you need to cover for the WiFi and how fast. Multiple access points can be useful if covering a large area.

If you want a modem/router combo: AC1900 Nighthawk


If you want one modem and one router: Arris SURFboard SB6141 and NETGEAR N750

Anything docsis 3
This is what I use
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YUU5628/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_MC.LwbT7QEVGQ

Would you be able to recommend a decent Modem to go with it? I'm going to bite on this offer but it'd be useless without a modem to go with it.

I was thinking about getting this one as my modem.

Well about the routers, there's an edgerouter x which has a four ports, one of which is WAN, so a netgear GS308 8 port switch is used after it. The third piece is a patch panel I had, sorry I didn't use a proper icon and I know that stuff usually isn't on diagrams but I wanted to remember where those 1 ft paches were supposed to go. That panel is where the cables enter the wall. I'm not sure what you mean by expensive switch but it's the cheapest 8 port I could find that's well reviewed, it's $32 (not that I would mind if there's something cheaper and good, but I think there isn't). About the modem I really wanted something reliable and from what I've read that essentially means I need a surfboard. I picked it out like a month ago and the next step up was like $90, a hard sell to my parents in the interest of future proofing. But now I saw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YUU5628 which is $50 and 343 mbps so 8 guess that might be a better buy.

I like pmarinel's suggestion and I'm just going to piggy back on his response.

Since Xfinity is your provider, you can use an Arris Surfboard modem to give internet to your router to distribute to your house and through that you can save on not having to pay monthly rental fee's to Xfinity to use their modem.

I would find the coax cable that is most central to your apt (and also has one of the network ports in the wall near it), plug my surfboard modem into that coax, plug my surfboard modem into the WAN/Internet of my router, and then have one of the LAN ports of my router plugged into the wall network port leading to the box you have in the photo, and then plug ports 1, 2, 3, 4 of that black patch box into an unmanaged switch such as this that you can leave in there. Doing all of that would mean your WiFi network would be distributing throughout your apartment from a central location (even coverage), and all network ports in your house would be wired to that same network, and best of all you don't have to waste money paying for Xfinity's monthly equipment rental fees.

If you want suggestions for WiFi routers, let me know and send you a few recommendations. If you apartment is large and you're worried about WiFi from a single device not covering your home well enough, I heard Google Mesh networks are pretty good for that.

Does the hardware version matter in regards to OpenWRT?

C7'S seem to be resales/refurb which is fine, currently:


SB6141

C7

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Comes to $109.89 which isn't bad at all!

​

There's also the Archer A7 which comes new, not sure if this is equivalent:

A7

The HDMI extender will likely use one of the cat6 cables. It may have terminals for 1 cat6 (8 conductors) cable on a terminal strip, or it may have an 8p8c socket to receive an RJ-45 connector.

If it has an RJ-45 socket, terminate one of the cat6 cables using an RJ-45 connector on each end appropriate to the conductor type (stranded like speaker wire vs. solid like Romex). The conductor type will be written on the cable jacket, or will be visible if you strip a bit of insulator from one of the eight conductors inside. You'll need a crimping tool. Using the wrong type of RJ-45 connector (solid vs stranded) may lead to reliability issues.

The order of the solid/striped coloured conductors matters. You'll probably want to terminate the cable as a straight through ethernet cable (pick one of the two standards, T-568A or T-568B and stick with it), but check the extender's manual to see if it expects something odd, like a cross-over cable. If the extender did not come with a printed manual, Google the model number for a manual for configuration and other details.

One of the two parts of the extender might be labelled as needing to be connected to the HDMI source (your receiver in the closet), even though HDMI is supposed to be bi-directional. The extender ends will likely also need power.

In your closet, connect the receiver to the transmitting end of the extender using an HDMI cable of the required specifications. Behind your TV, connect the TV to the receiving end of the extender using another HDMI cable.

The other cat6 cable will be to deliver Internet access to your TV via ethernet to your wired home network. Terminate each end using an RJ-45 connector as above, as a straight through ethernet cable. Connect the TV end to the TV, and the other end to your broadband router, DSL/cable modem, or network switch. The broadband router might be located in a different area of your home (through some in-wall cat6). There may be a network switch in your closet which also distributes Internet access to your receiver, Xbox, etc. If your TV has Wi-Fi and your signal is strong, you may not need to use this second ethernet cable for smart TV functions, but a wired connection tends to be more reliable than a wireless connection.

Check how many open connections your modem and router allow. They all have a limit. For example that is an 8x4 which means it has 8 downloads and 4 uploads.

https://www.amazon.ca/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00YUU5628

$66.76 new, that’s a good price actually. Probably no difference functionally than the Technicolors.

Before the Technicolor I’m using now I used a Surfboard. They’re both very reliable.

This is my modem and I haven't had any issues in six years with it.

For my router I followed these instructions after putting a gigabit ethernet card in an old computer I had laying around. It also doubles as a backup, VPN, and file, and media server.

Then I set up a couple of these guys and a PoE switch to power them.

Know what speeds you're getting from your ISP and make sure the modem you want to buy supports or exceeds that speed. Usually getting a separate router and modem is the way to go, but if you want a single device, you'll be looking for a gateway. You'll get better wifi and save money getting your own devices.

You can also drop the land line and get an internet phone adapter which you can plug into your router and make calls for free over the internet. Only downside is that you'll need to pay something like 12 per year to upgrade your line if you want to be able to call 911.

You can easily shave $5 off your monthly bill from spectrum by buying your own modem. Most people don't realize it but they are renting the modem from their ISP. If you use the service for more than a year, you could have just bought your own modem because they cost less than $100 to buy. You can pick up something like this modem. I paid even less because i bought mine used off of craigslist.

This works if they don't have optimum voice (TV/internet only)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YUU5628/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_r-GfAbN74KZEN

If they have optimum voice, this is the exact model optimum rents you, the
Arris TM822, and used they got for about $40, new $140.

I just looked up, which SB6120?
https://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Package/dp/B00YUU5628/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sb6120&qid=1565206658&s=electronics&sr=1-1
or
https://smile.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6120-SURFboard-eXtreme-Broadband/dp/B001UI2FPE/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sb6120&qid=1565206658&s=electronics&sr=1-3

If it's the second one then SB6183 will be a significant upgrade as you're going from DOCSIS 2.0 to DOCSIS 3.0. DOCSIS is a standard for cable internet.

The first one, the difference is that you're going to have more bonded channels which will make it less likely for your internet speeds to be affected by other people on your block who are also using the internet since it's cable technology. An example would be, your speeds at 4 AM will be higher than speeds at 9 PM since more people on your block uses the internet during that time frame. With DOCSIS 3 and more channels, the slowdown from other users will be lessened.

Do me a favor and do a speedtest on www.speedtest.net with your current setup on Ethernet so we can get an idea if you even need to change routers in the first place. Or are you renting one from the ISP?