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    #31
    Good news Planetview!

    Here while I use wireless I have no automation (no multimedia, no CCTV, no security) dependencies on it.

    Historically you could always do better than renting or purchasing anything from your ISP.

    That said if you have no choices of providers but one then typically many times you are SOL.

    Even though ISP's had agreed legally (they were sued) to a la carte services they have not really done this and continue to package their connectivity.
    Last edited by Pete; July 27, 2017, 08:22 AM.
    - Pete

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      #32
      Something else to consider if you are buying a modem and returning your current device.

      First, I am surprised crapcast is saying that is the latest unit, the wireless on it is a decade old and AC is common place now. The modem they gave me is much newer. I would call again and see if you get a different story from a different tech. They should be providing equipment that can get close to your network speeds and N won't do it.

      Second, if you buy a modem, it will strictly be a modem and not have routing capabilities (there are models out there that do all in one, but those will be closer to the 200 dollar range). Your current device with comcast is an all in one. If you buy a modem, you will also need to buy a router. So you can get a good wireless router and call it a day, or a separate router and WAP, but that adds complication that it sounds like you don't want.

      What I did for my parent in laws house because they don't even know what the work network means, is had them upgrade their equipment with comcast to get the faster speeds. Easier for them, and easier for me. They had the same exact issue you are facing right now, and it solved their problem. They were running on an old WRT54G router. That thing was a tank in its time, but also 20 years old.

      This link is an all in one that is very similar (probably just an updated version) of the one that comcast is currently using in my area

      https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...6b28456d01fc6f

      Comment


        #33
        Another parameter to add to your purchase equation is firmware update process difficulty. Unpatched security holes in router firmware are probably the most serious intrusion vulnerabilities for home routers. Ideally, routers should update firmware as easily as your smartphone. Most don't come close. If you find one that makes the process less painful than others, that would move it way up on my list of candidates.

        (I currently use the TP-Link Archer C7 v2. It works well, and I'd recommend it based on its performance, but updating firmware is a real pain.)
        Mike____________________________________________________________ __________________
        HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.548, NUC i3

        HW: Stargate | NX8e | CAV6.6 | Squeezebox | PCS | WGL 800RF | RFXCOM | Vantage Pro | Green-Eye | Edgeport/8 | Way2Call | Ecobee3 | EtherRain | Ubiquiti

        Comment


          #34
          @Mike,

          You can update your TP-Link Archer with OpenWRT. OpenWRT is constantly being upgraded.

          The OpenWRT gui doesn't have fancy animated icons though, sort of plain looking with just mostly function. (IE my first Verizon FIOS router looked like a cartoon animation). Well similar to the HU on a new BMW 7 series - very similar cartoon videos play for status of automobile.

          Many if not most of the combo boxes are using identical chip sets with identical CPUs and memory.

          Here all of the family mostly has Comcast such that I purchased all of them modems.

          They do not really have much on their networks so I went with custom OS combo boxes (with either DDWRT or OpenWRT).

          If relatives want to switch from copper to voip I have suggested the Ooma box which is one purchase and taxes per month.

          Today's ISP's package price of the included VOIP in the multifunctional CC router is around $50 a month. (the sell is that they say its better than anything else out there). Base combo ISP package these days with television, phone and internet with no frills now is around $200 per month and will easily go to over $300 per month adding any extras. (neighbor was close to $400 a month for over a year).

          I went to an Ooma purchase initially with no charges per month unlimited calling for less than $100 for the Telo purchase.
          Last edited by Pete; July 27, 2017, 08:58 AM.
          - Pete

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            #35
            +1 for ubiquity gear.

            i have an edge router x with spf and a unifi ap pro and they have been great.

            https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-x-sfp/
            https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-pro/
            HS3 Pro on Windows 8 64bit
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            Comment


              #36
              Originally posted by Pete View Post
              You can update your TP-Link Archer with OpenWRT. OpenWRT is constantly being upgraded.
              Pete,
              Does that change the firmware update process? My ideal would be a process that is automatic, like my phone, but would be happy with links from the router management page that:
              - checks for updates
              - downloads the correct update file for my specific device
              - installs the update file, preserving all my selected router settings
              Mike____________________________________________________________ __________________
              HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.548, NUC i3

              HW: Stargate | NX8e | CAV6.6 | Squeezebox | PCS | WGL 800RF | RFXCOM | Vantage Pro | Green-Eye | Edgeport/8 | Way2Call | Ecobee3 | EtherRain | Ubiquiti

              Comment


                #37
                Thanks for all of the info and suggestions everyone, it has been very helpful.

                Going to try the following and see if it works out before getting rid of my Comcast rented equipment:

                - 8 port unmanaged Ethernet switch for livingroom $19 (Amazon or Fry's)

                - Arris SB6141 Docsis 3 cable modem $49 (Best Buy)

                - TP-LINK Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router model Archer 1200 $64 (Fry's)

                I have an alternate wireless router in mind with better specs for around $150 if the one above is cruddy, got it from the top seller list someone provided here for Amazon and it got pretty high ratings.

                Comment


                  #38
                  You can update the firmware on the TP-Link using the TP-Link GUI.

                  Once updated to OpenWRT you can update firmware via the OpenWRT GUI or automagically if you want.

                  The OpenWRT firmware allows for firewall plugins. It is more like a computer OS then.

                  You can automate with OpenWRT too.

                  It is limited to the amount of RAM in the base box.

                  [ATTACH]62518[/ATTACH]

                  The OpenWRT OS is levels above any SOHO firmware. That is the nature of the beast.

                  Here is OpenWRT running on a TP-Link (old) combo router. The GUI is simple and the same for all of these boxes.
                  Lately here been purchasing these boards with exposed GPIO pins for tinkering experiments.

                  New ones have faster CPUs and more play memory. You can run snort, squid, geoblocking et al.

                  [ATTACH]62519[/ATTACH]
                  Last edited by Pete; July 27, 2017, 10:30 AM.
                  - Pete

                  Auto mator
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                    #39
                    Thanks. I'll definitely take a look at OpenWRT.
                    Mike____________________________________________________________ __________________
                    HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.548, NUC i3

                    HW: Stargate | NX8e | CAV6.6 | Squeezebox | PCS | WGL 800RF | RFXCOM | Vantage Pro | Green-Eye | Edgeport/8 | Way2Call | Ecobee3 | EtherRain | Ubiquiti

                    Comment


                      #40
                      I use netgear gigabit switches round the house. Solid and fast.
                      Wireless I have apple airport extremes downstairs and a ubiquiti ap upstairs.

                      Comment


                        #41
                        WiFi & Router Recommendation?

                        Originally posted by Planetview View Post
                        Oops, was looking at wrong page when I copied link. This is the one I am curious about getting some feedback for

                        https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06ZZ...RAKX2ZXWZZQJBX

                        Looking at the non refurbished one for $121, url seems to be the same when I try to copy even though pages are different...


                        Years ago linksys had great products. I think I had a wrt-54g wayyy longer than I should have just because the hacked system was amazballs. Linksys lost a lot of their luster after Cisco got them. They had weaker signal strength than their competition and started putting in roadblocks to loading your own custom firmware like DD-WRT and Tomato.
                        I haven't looked deeply at linksys since the E3000 model line. I had it for 2 years and Was not impressed. I hear that they have learned from their mistakes, and opened themselves back up to custom firmwares.

                        I would seriously recommend looking at the Netgear, Buffalo, and TP-Link.

                        In the end I would lean toward choosing based on:
                        1. Price. I would set your top end for picking up a Wireless home router to around the $300-$500 mark. I see diminishing returns in performance of a soho/home router (router + wifi) versus buying a cheap multi port mini pc, a cheap multi port switch, a little leg work on running network cable, and a Ubiquiti ceiling mounted wireless access point.

                        A. The mini pc (with 2 network cards) I run my firewall on cost $250 and was wayyy more than I needed I have seen some mini pc builds with 4 or more ports on lower end CPU builds for less than $150.
                        B. PFSense is the firewall system I use. It is technically free for home use (they do have a gold membership).
                        C. The Ubiquiti UAP-AC-Lite I picked up for $80 on a sale. They make a smartphone AP to control the AP
                        D. I picked up used linksys switch for $20 at a liquidation sale.

                        I bought my own modem sb6191, which was pretty pricey but I would have had to do that if I picked up a separate home router or built my own firewall.
                        The only other thing I did was run my network cabling for the location on the ceiling of my first floor to actually mount the AP. I am a geek so I have cat6 spool laying around in my house. I would postulate that you can get 50' pre-terminated network cable for around $5-10 on amazon.

                        I think I am in lump sum for something like $350 (not including the modem) a few hours of work, and again I have the best coverage I have ever had.

                        2. Custom firmware compatibility (DD-WRT and Tomato) as I have found that third party firmware is often better maintained than the soho home router manufacturer firmwares.
                        3. wifi footprint and bandwidth coverage.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                        Last edited by Kerat; July 27, 2017, 02:19 PM.

                        Comment


                          #42
                          I like the idea someone mentioned about building a separate system with more advanced products like Ubiquiti while still running my current system then I can switch over when it is stable.

                          Comcast said they would not authorize another modem without removing the current all-in-one gateway so I will need to have just a stand alone modem it seems for two systems unless I am misunderstanding something.

                          Comment


                            #43
                            Originally posted by Planetview View Post
                            I like the idea someone mentioned about building a separate system with more advanced products like Ubiquiti while still running my current system then I can switch over when it is stable.

                            Comcast said they would not authorize another modem without removing the current all-in-one gateway so I will need to have just a stand alone modem it seems for two systems unless I am misunderstanding something.
                            I had recommended this. You would only need one modem, but split into 2 routers from that modem. THis would create the 2 separate networks and give you a playground to learn in without affecting your household.

                            Comment


                              #44
                              I agree with Kerat relating to getting the best bang for the buck and purchasing separates.

                              Work wise I came from a purely Cisco environment.

                              For home use decided to just utilize whatever worked and was cheap. That said none of the low cost hubs, switches and managed switches that I have purchased over the last 20 years for home use have not failed once. (HP, Dell, Netgear, TP-Link, generic no names, et al)

                              IE: here relating to the Ubiquiti WAP. I have an area in the house with floor to second floor ceiling open area. The WAP is POE connected in the attic over the great room. The WAP covers 2nd floor, main floor and basement just fine. The tinker toy APs here are microrouters which I take apart mostly using the router pieces of these devices (well and now doing stuff like 1-wire temperature sensors). My Jogglers (15 HSTouch tablets were all Gb connected via POE - never did want to connect them wirelessly - but now testing a few on their own WAP and network). Kind of doing similiar today with the Samsung Hub and Amazon Echo's.

                              Relating to the firewall. I use PFSense. But there are a few low cost firewalls today that will do a good job...without all of the bells and whistles of PFSense but way better than the SOHO combo stuff being sold today like for example the MikroTik mini routers.

                              Here today have managed 24 port Gb switches and one managed 24 port POE midstream injector switch. You can purchase an unmanaged 24 port or less GB switch for pennies these days.

                              As a recap -

                              1 - Purchase your own modem - new many times for less than $50.
                              2 - Firewall - a reasonable well built small firewall from MikroTik is less than $50 (multiple physical LANs and VLANs are standard these days on a good firewall with multiple network ports).
                              3 - small Gb unmanaged switch is less than $30 today. A good and cheap managed Gb switch today is much less than just 3-4 years ago.
                              4 - a good POE WAP (wireless access point) is less than $100. There are other than Ubiquiti APs around today....with built in managed web pages....TP-Link has a wireless mesh device today.

                              With the small and cheap stuff above you can expand each piece to something better at a future date....if you purchase an all in one SOHO box you will be limited by firmware that is never updated or failure because....
                              - Pete

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                              X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

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                                #45
                                Originally posted by waynehead99 View Post
                                I had recommended this. You would only need one modem, but split into 2 routers from that modem. THis would create the 2 separate networks and give you a playground to learn in without affecting your household.
                                What would happen if i plugged in another wireless router into the all-in-one gateway I have now?

                                I am assuming that would not work but thought I should ask before buying a modem and wireless router to make things modular.

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