Signing up with Comcast, need advice

[Joe C]

I'm having a hard time finding any negative reviews on the Surfboard SB6141 modem. Last year when I had Comcast I was having connection problems so I got my own modem and I opened up the Comcast modem that was causing the drop outs. I found that the Comcast modem had blown capacitors, of course I couldn't tell Comcast that because we aren't supposed to be opening up their modems, but the Comcast surfboard modems are questionable. BTW: my SB6141 is white and Comcast modems are black.
Mike...other than your personal opinion do you know of any web sites that state the issues with the SB6141 modems?

 

[carnageX]

I'm having a hard time finding any negative reviews on the Surfboard SB6141 modem. Last year when I had Comcast I was having connection problems so I got my own modem and I opened up the Comcast modem that was causing the drop outs. I found that the Comcast modem had blown capacitors, of course I couldn't tell Comcast that because we aren't supposed to be opening up their modems, but the Comcast surfboard modems are questionable. BTW: my SB6141 is white and Comcast modems are black.
Mike...other than your personal opinion do you know of any web sites that state the issues with the SB6141 modems?

I haven't heard of any issues with people getting their own Surfboard modems either. I had one on my last ISP and never had any issues with it.

Now I'm using a Cisco DPC3010 since I found it for cheap.

 

[PP Mguire]

I used the 6580 for a year straight without issue. Still works.

 

[acerinpa]

I use Comcast as it is my only decent internet speed connection. Yes, no doubt they have issues with their modems. But, I just pay lease $7 month and as soon as they start acting up - i complain and get a new one. They just changed out my year old Motorola ( yes they replaced the one before that about a year ago as well - a year seems to be the max life of their modems) with a new Cisco, and I am now pretty much maxing out the speed test. So, if I had paid for my own Motorola surfboard for $80-$100, I would have been at about the same money out after a year - but now i have a new better modem for free. So, I guess it is a roll of the dice which is better = Buy vs Lease.

 

[Joe C]

If your paying $7.00 a month to lease a modem, then you have coughed up $84.00 every year just for using that modem. You can buy a new modem every year for about the same cost.

imho-----most modems do last for more than one year


.

 

[acerinpa]

Yes, that is my point- each year they have provided me with a new one as theirs fails- so I am spending about $300 for 3 years - each year getting a brand new modem. If I purchased a modem for $85 and it lasted for 3 years - then I would be much better off that way. But if it failed early and I had to shop , buy ,etc. one every year then I would not be better off. Not to mention the technology improving quickly - so new modems work much better than a 3 year old modem. So, for $7 a month i have no worries. I could be worse off or better off- hard to tell.

 

[carnageX]

Or you could be like me and get the one that they use for $20 off of Amazon . That's what I've done with both modems I've bought - found out what they use, find it on Amazon for way cheaper.

 

[PP Mguire]

Yes, that is my point- each year they have provided me with a new one as theirs fails- so I am spending about $300 for 3 years - each year getting a brand new modem. If I purchased a modem for $85 and it lasted for 3 years - then I would be much better off that way. But if it failed early and I had to shop , buy ,etc. one every year then I would not be better off. Not to mention the technology improving quickly - so new modems work much better than a 3 year old modem. So, for $7 a month i have no worries. I could be worse off or better off- hard to tell.

Stock modems won't catch up to the likes of something like the 6580 for a few years yet. IIRC TWC and Comcast are still using DOCSIS 2.0 modems and the 6141 and 6580 are both DOCSIS 3.0 and IIRC both support 8 channels up and down. The 6580 also has a fairly decent Wireless N integrated, gigabit ports, and a pretty decent firmware out of the box with a ton more capabilities compared. Although I understand things can greatly change in 2 years (Like ATT have) but the newest modem I came across while doing DirecTV installs was only capable of up to 30Mb down speeds and cut out under heavy use (according to the owner). Still even ATT's newest modem still utilizes ****ty wireless G chipsets and so do TWC (which are also only DOCSIS2) so I can't imagine Comcast offering anything much better.