Making the jump from AT&T DSL to Comcast. Which modem to get?

[DJ-phYre]

For two weeks around 5-6 PM, my internet slows to a crawl. Speedtest reports 0.5 up / 0.5 down.

I've called customer service but they didn't see an issue. A quick google search found that others are having the same problem in other areas. It may be a result of my downloading. I hardly ever download > 100GB in a month, but I do usually download large amounts at a single time.

Anyways, I am going to try out Comcast's performance package, which is the 6 meg w/ powerboost. What modem should I get? DC 3.0 isn't in my area, but I also read that the Moto SB6120 may improve speeds even in 2.0. Purchasing one would also "future proof" me for when they do roll out DC 3.0.

Any ideas?

 

[her209]

If you're switching because of the slowdown during peak hours, then you're going to be disappointed with Comcast as well.

 

[drebo]

Lease whatever modem Comcast recommends. If you don't, you'll spend 20 minutes every time you call trying to convince them that the modem is NOT the problem.

 

[DJ-phYre]

If you're switching because of the slowdown during peak hours, then you're going to be disappointed with Comcast as well.

I literally average about 0.93 meg on Speedtest. It can't be that bad.


I have 30 days, if I am not satisfied I will just stay with AT&T to keep everything bundled.

 

[notposting]

I just got the SB6120, we have Performance (though it's something like 16/2 here) and it works fine. Modem rental was up to $5/month and possibly going to $7. Pain in the butt to get it online (most see no problems but I had an endless reboot issue based on the firmware it automatically downloads--it then HAS to be activated via telephone).

 

[Dark Shroud]

I have a SB6120 and it does a pefect job of being a cable modem.

If you don't have a router or have an older one without Gigabit lan I would suggest the SBG6580. Even if you don't use the wireless the combo Firewall, DHCP server, & Gigabit lan will be helpful.

When I went from AT&T to Comcast I had to dig out my old Linksys router just for the DHCP server & firewall.

 

[DJ-phYre]

I have a SB6120 and it does a pefect job of being a cable modem.

If you don't have a router or have an older one without Gigabit lan I would suggest the SBG6580. Even if you don't use the wireless the combo Firewall, DHCP server, & Gigabit lan will be helpful.

When I went from AT&T to Comcast I had to dig out my old Linksys router just for the DHCP server & firewall.

Not really interested in wireless in my modem (at least not at a premium). I have a router running DD-WRT and DHCP is handled by my Amahi HDA (Linux Home Server).

I'm probably just going to buy a SB6120.

 

[DJ-phYre]

Picked up an SB6120 at BB this morning. Newegg was sold out and they are still $150 at Amazon (why?!).

I am going out of town until Wednesday night and the installer is coming Thursday after work, so I thought I better go ahead and go pick one up.

 

[thescreensavers]

My switch to ATT>comcast was great.

I had the 3 down from ATT well back when it was Bellsouth. I would get 2.5 solidly. No problem. But With youtube and such it began to feel slow.

We switched in like 06 to Comcasts 6 down package since it was the same price and double the speed.

We at first had every hour constant disconnects and had to power cycle the modem. Which was a Motorola Surfboard, I had it and bought my self a linksys cable modem and my connection has been solid since. You just need to call and give them the MAC address of the new modem and once it propagates with in an hour it will start to work.

Download is kinda slow its usually higher but Its all good.

 

[Kenmitch]

My switch to ATT>comcast was great.

I had the 3 down from ATT well back when it was Bellsouth. I would get 2.5 solidly. No problem. But With youtube and such it began to feel slow.

We switched in like 06 to Comcasts 6 down package since it was the same price and double the speed.

We at first had every hour constant disconnects and had to power cycle the modem. Which was a Motorola Surfboard, I had it and bought my self a linksys cable modem and my connection has been solid since. You just need to call and give them the MAC address of the new modem and once it propagates with in an hour it will start to work.

Download is kinda slow its usually higher but Its all good.

Not bad....I used to get similar results back when I had cable. When I had dsl my results dropped to about 60% of the cable results.

Then I moved and was able to get FIOS

Too bad the internet is so slow....Well not all of it just alot of sites seem like they either have sucky servers or limit my bandwidth

 

[Brainonska511]

Picked up an SB6120 at BB this morning. Newegg was sold out and they are still $150 at Amazon (why?!).

I am going out of town until Wednesday night and the installer is coming Thursday after work, so I thought I better go ahead and go pick one up.

Maybe because it's being phased out. Motorola SB6121 ($95)

 

[weovpac]

I recently bought a SB6120 from newegg and has worked fine ever since. Like it was said, all it took was a call to comcast to provision the new modem. I was up and running within ~5 minutes

 

[DJ-phYre]

Maybe because it's being phased out. Motorola SB6121 ($95)

SB6121 was not on the list of approved modems or I would have bought it. I assume it uses similar technology, but I wanted to avoid that "It's you modem, not our service" support call.

 

[Aharami]

I have an older Docsis 1.0 modem (Linksys BEFCMU10). I get 12-14 Mbps during the day, but my speeds are agonizingly slow at night. Case in point, this is speed I just saw right now.

Everytime I call comcast, they say it's my modem. And when their tech comes out, it's during the day when I have good service. So I'm having a hard time making my case to them. But I wonder - is it my modem? If so, how can I get good service at some time and bad at the other. If the hardware is bad, it's going to be bad all the time.

Im just sick of comcast

 

[TonyB]

another vote for the SB6210.

 

[thescreensavers]

I have an older Docsis 1.0 modem (Linksys BEFCMU10). I get 12-14 Mbps during the day, but my speeds are agonizingly slow at night. Case in point, this is speed I just saw right now.

Thats the same modem I have, but its Docsis 2.0, is yours a really old one?

 

[Aharami]

Thats the same modem I have, but its Docsis 2.0, is yours a really old one?

Turned out it's not the modem (and I was wrong - it's a Docsis 2.0). I have a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 router, and a trendnet greenpoint 8 port switch. I tried various configurations - bypassing the router and switch, hooking up my comp to the router, hooking up my comp to the switch, etc. And it turns out that whenever I have all the ports of my switch hooked up, my speed slows to a crawl, regardless whether my comp is hooked up to the switch or the router. But if I leave a couple ports unused in the switch, i get decent speeds. I dont know enough about network technology to understand why, but I've since kept two ports free in the switch and I've been getting 12-14 Mbps

 

[tydas]

In case you have not already, check out this FAQ, I had issues and this FAQ helped me fix them...

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/cabletech

 

[DJ-phYre]

So far so good:

This is going from < 1 Mbps during peak hours. I think AT&T infrastructure just can't handle the load anymore...

 

[Emulex]

wow my d2 modem at work got 42 down and about 7up