

How to Swap Out a Time Warner Modem With Your Own Faster One - samirmenon
http://techblog.troyweb.com/index.php/2012/12/swap-out-time-warner-cable-modem-with-your-own/

======
windexh8er
This article is ripe with inaccurate data. Having worked on the first deployed
DOCSIS 3 network in the US I know a few things about HFC networks.

First, any modem that is on the approved list of modems the ISP lists (either
via public website or by calling) will be fully supported by latest and
greatest firmware. The way it works is that there is generally a private
overlay network that has access from the provisioning system to upload the
firmware the ISP wants to have deployed. However this is often less likely
than you think and any DOCSIS 3 capable modem you buy today will generally
work out of the box. The difference between 2 and 3 is most generically up and
down steam channel bonding. This is basically taking a QAM and running it over
RF space on the cable. There is a finite about, just like over the air
(although rather wide and compressed QAM, 64 QAM vs 256 QAM puts more data
within the same time frame sent).

Back to provisioning... If you buy a Motorola Surfboard that is on the ISP
approved list the provisioning system will send the same updates to your modem
that would be to a leased modem.

I could go on, but TL;DR: this article is not a good reference to understand
how HFC networks operate - or how to make your Internet faster.

That, and damn TWC is slow on D3. I helped roll it out in 2010. They must be
running Arris CMTS.

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newman314
FWIW, this applies to Comcast too.

Protip: buy a used modem say SB6120/SB6121 off of craigslist for about $30-40
and never have to pay that silly $7 fee that Comcast has been sticking to
customers forever.

~~~
rbritton
Any idea if this works on a Comcast business account? I have one of those and
a spare modem lying around, but I haven't tried it.

~~~
newman314
Sorry, no idea. Please report back if you do try this.

~~~
newman314
All you should need to provide is the MAC address of the modem.

If you do buy a modem off of Craigslist, you need to make sure that the person
takes the MAC address off of their Comcast account. Else, Comcast will not
permit you to add the modem to your account, "for security purposes". For what
security purpose this serves, I have no idea.

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jffry
At $50/yr to lease a modem from Time Warner, and replacement modems at
$50-$100, then leasing a modem from TWC would only be cheaper if Time Warner
upgrades their network more than once every 1-2 years (which I'm betting they
don't)

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bnycum
Same situation with Comcast, except they started charging for theirs years
ago. It started at $3, but was $8 / month by the time I bought my own modem 2
years ago. Best Buy will constantly run a sale on the Motorola SB6121 for
around $50. Was a simple decision, plus I dumped that DOCSIS 2 modem for a 3
and gained some speed.

~~~
matsur
Comcast fleeces you on the rental fee. However, if you cancel your modem
rental but refuse to return their device, they charge you just $53 for it.
Easily the lowest friction way into rolling from renting into owning your own
modem.

~~~
zenocon
Did you do that, and were you able to get it re-activated... or did they not
disconnect, but just charged you the $53 ?

~~~
matsur
I was able to reactivate with the same device.

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jusben1369
I think the motto of this story, at least here on HN, is thanks for a)
highlighting this rate hike which many may not have noticed and b)
highlighting that TWC is ok with you buying your own and prepared to easily
let you add your MAC address with a single call.

~~~
doorhammer
I agree. Depending on the context (another commenter related prices being
higher previously), it's not always the optimal choice, but having all the
info to make the best choice is good news.

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aeturnum
I took a look a DOCSIS 3.0 modems available on Amazon when I last got a cable
subscription. At the time they were really expensive, so I decided to go with
renting one from my provider. That was a long time ago, and they are now
available for cheap, but people should always consider how they expect costs
to go down in the future. In hindsight, going with the company's modem was the
right choice.

------
wmf
OTOH, rented modems get bursting and owned modems don't, so you may see lower
speeds. In general, getting the speed you pay for is an orthogonal issue from
renting vs. buying the modem. If you're on a high-end plan (as it appears the
author is) TWC should have given you a 3.0 modem already. If not, it should be
free to swap modems.

~~~
johne20
Where did you read/hear that? And is that a TWC specific issue or does it
apply to Comcast as well?

~~~
wmf
I've only paid attention to TWC since I use them. It's been semi-officially
confirmed on DSLReports and I noticed it myself.

------
ericcumbee
I think the smaller cable companies have been charging a rental fee for a
while now. There was a cable modem in my apartment when I moved in. The cable
company set it up no questions asked. 2 weeks later they call me saying that
it belonged to them and that I either had to agree to rent their modem or have
my service turned off in 24 hours. I ended up replacing it with my own modem.
There was no trouble getting the one I bought from amazon setup, just called
to register the mac.

Interestingly enough that old modem is still sitting in my closet and they
have not shown much interest in coming to pick it up.

------
toadi
Lucky they at least give you the choice. In Belgium we are obliged to use the
modem from the provider. We don't need to pay for it (but I assume it's paid
inside the monthly subscription I pay).

Befoe this was not a problem. I connected my own router behind it and
everything was still ok. But now they provide their own router/wifi combo in
the modem (and free hotspot). I can disable the wifi and hotspot but not the
router functionality. Which means I have to NAT behind it. This gives other
problems like vpn into my own network and such.

~~~
keithpeter
UK ADSL over copper: Most ISPs provide a modem/router when you first join,
there is no ongoing monthly cost however. Some provide the box 'free' others
show a one off charge.

I use my own modem/router, I simply declined the free box when subscribing (7
or 8 years ago now). No special set up, just standard ADSL stuff. Firmware is
special to UK though.

------
jeffmcjunkin
It looks like Newegg has a great deal on an 802.11ac wireless router (which
DD-WRT seems to support, and likely other firmwares) and a free DOCSIS 3.0
modem (Motorola SURFboard SB6121):
[http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122...](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122581).
Granted, the modem itself is _considerably_ cheaper on its own, but having a
good wireless router is a luxury most members here can afford.

(Not an affiliate link, just a PSA)

~~~
jasomill
FYI, this modem, unlike the otherwise similar SB6141, doesn't support
8-channel bonding, so it might not be supported by some ISPs' highest service
tiers.

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zenocon
So glad to hear this can also be done with Comcast. The better half pays the
bills and I wasn't paying attention. I had no idea they were raping me for
$8/mo for a cable modem. Turns out I have an Arris TM822 -- which doesn't look
too bad, and is DOCSIS 3 capable. Another comment in here mentioned that the
easiest thing to do is call and tell them you no longer want to rent the
equipment, and then when you don't return it, they'll charge you $53 to own
it. Sounds like a plan.

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agersant
I had no idea TWC was charging me ($4.99 a month here!) for that subpar modem.
I've just ordered one, thanks for the eye-opening article.

------
chadyj
Also see: How to Beat Time Warner's Bullsh*t Modem Rental Fee
[http://gizmodo.com/5948616/how-to-beat-time-warners-
bullsht-...](http://gizmodo.com/5948616/how-to-beat-time-warners-bullsht-
modem-rental-fee)

