3 ms·

Is it possible to use your own router/modem for Comcast? Between my last two apartments and my current one I've had Spectrum, Optimum, and RCN as ISPs in the pa

by saghm 2y ago

Is it possible to use your own router/modem for Comcast? Between my last two apartments and my current one I've had Spectrum, Optimum, and RCN as ISPs in the past decade or so, and with all three of them I was able to use my own router and modem (doing a quick google ahead of setup to make sure that I found instances of people online saying the hardware I had worked for them). It definitely _shouldn't_ be something people have to do in order to be able to have unrestricted internet, but sadly it's far from the only thing that sucks about ISPs. In my current apartment, I have no other option for ISP other than Spectrum, and they seem to get outages far more often than they should (and don't "notify" me until around 20 minutes after I check their website for outages in my area and it says there aren't any).

pxc 2y ago
You can always plug your own router into the LAN port of a shitty ISP's combo modem/router device, too, even if they won't give a connection to any other device than their own and they defeat all your spoofing attempts. I haven't used a proprietary router in my entire adult life, except as a WAN connection for my 'real' router with some shitty ISPs.
- SoftTalker 2y ago
  Yes, you can use your own modem, but they give you incentives to use theirs. You can also put their combo modem/router into bridge mode and use your own router. But that's a bit more of a reach for the average person, vs. just changing the DNS addresses in a config page (which is already more than 95% of people will do).
- 0xffff2 2y ago
  > even if they won't give a connection to any other device than their own AFAIK they are legally required to maintain a list of compatible devices and accept any modem that is on that list.
  - pxc 2y ago
    My cellular ISP doesn't seem to be bound by that, even though every cable ISP I've been with has. :( If there's some US law I can cite at them like a magic invocation to make their dumb combo device go away in favor of my own cellular modem, though, I'd like to.
staplers 2y ago
They make it difficult but I've done it for over a decade. They incentivize by offering no data cap if you use their bs router. However, once you learn how much data is collected/sold about you from the router level you won't want to go back.
- SoftTalker 2y ago
  > They incentivize by offering no data cap if you use their bs router. Yes, this is why I switched over to their modem-router, I was starting to hit their caps every month and it was costing me a lot of money. I really don't care if they monitize that my live-in mother-in-law streams game shows all day.
- salad-tycoon 2y ago
  1.2 tb is a lot according to them. >However, once you learn how much data is collected/sold about you from the router level you won't want to go back. I need to be scared straight. Go on.

by saghm 2y ago

pxc 2y ago

You can always plug your own router into the LAN port of a shitty ISP's combo modem/router device, too, even if they won't give a connection to any other device than their own and they defeat all your spoofing attempts. I haven't used a proprietary router in my entire adult life, except as a WAN connection for my 'real' router with some shitty ISPs.

SoftTalker 2y ago
Yes, you can use your own modem, but they give you incentives to use theirs. You can also put their combo modem/router into bridge mode and use your own router. But that's a bit more of a reach for the average person, vs. just changing the DNS addresses in a config page (which is already more than 95% of people will do).
0xffff2 2y ago
> even if they won't give a connection to any other device than their own AFAIK they are legally required to maintain a list of compatible devices and accept any modem that is on that list.
- pxc 2y ago
  My cellular ISP doesn't seem to be bound by that, even though every cable ISP I've been with has. :( If there's some US law I can cite at them like a magic invocation to make their dumb combo device go away in favor of my own cellular modem, though, I'd like to.

staplers 2y ago

They make it difficult but I've done it for over a decade. They incentivize by offering no data cap if you use their bs router. However, once you learn how much data is collected/sold about you from the router level you won't want to go back.

SoftTalker 2y ago
> They incentivize by offering no data cap if you use their bs router. Yes, this is why I switched over to their modem-router, I was starting to hit their caps every month and it was costing me a lot of money. I really don't care if they monitize that my live-in mother-in-law streams game shows all day.
salad-tycoon 2y ago
1.2 tb is a lot according to them. >However, once you learn how much data is collected/sold about you from the router level you won't want to go back. I need to be scared straight. Go on.