Should you buy or rent your router? Learn from my mistake of $ 873

These equipment fee may not look too much when subscribing for the first time in the Internet service, but quickly forward a few years looking in hundreds of lost dollar.

Most Internet service providers earn between $ 10 and $ 15 a month of equipment – you should be able to see the fees on the broad feeding poster in the Internet service provider – while you can generally get a modem and a router of less than 200 dollars. The purchase of your Internet equipment usually pays for itself in the first year, but it often comes with some additional headaches.

I was writing about the Internet for six years, and for all six, I bore a shameful secret: I hired a Xfinity router for most of that time. Although I have always advised readers to buy their own equipment, my tenant models and a router work well, although I knew in my mind that it was a waste of money.

Then I took a look at my old bills and added a number that prompted me to reconsider: $ 873. This is the amount you spent on XFinity equipment fees over those six years.

Through the money that I spent on XFinity rented, I could purchase the most advanced router ever, then I bought another as a backup. I could double the speed of the Internet I was getting. I could book a trip to Oslo. I was finally ready to enter the ownership and modem ownership world.

Satisfied with my groan with my Xfinity equipment, having your own equipment is always the best option. You will often get better performance – my download speeds have increased by more than 2000 % – and as I say, it usually pays the price for himself during the first year or two.

The average internet bill in the United States is $ 63 per month – before adding taxes and additional fees. Some of them are inevitable, but equipment rental fees are not included in this category.

You may be completely satisfied with paying a little rest for not having to buy and prepare your equipment. But if you are looking to save money in the long run, and you are comfortable buying and managing your own equipment, it is best to get rid of your router and your mode. (You may also be able to take advantage of any low -income discounts available in your state.)

Here’s what I learned about making a rented equipment to my country, and here’s how you can make a similar change as possible.

How to choose the appropriate modem and device

The best of the Internet is the Internet that you never noticed, and I can’t remember the last time my call came out or I saw a temporary storage in my home. All of this with a 2017 device described by Xfinity as “an ancient wireless gate with limited speeds and functions.”

This shows the relationship of the Internet user related to the type of equipment you need. I live in an apartment of 750 square feet, and my online needs are limited to video calls and TV flow. If you live in a larger house with multiple floors, it is likely that the router itself will not cut it. Likewise, activities like online games depend on the second divided reactions. If this immediate response is important to you, it may be worth investing in a gaming router that reduces delay.

Wi-Fi routers run the series of beginners models such as TP-Link Ac1200 for $ 30 To superior volatile network systems such as Netgear Orbi 970 series 1500 dollars. To test each Wi-Fi router, CNET performs three speed tests in five different rooms in our test facility, registration registration results to download the download speed, download speed and cumin. This process is repeated six times, as the differences in the network performance are at different times of the day.

After consulting our choices for the best wireless guidance devices, I decided to go with our budget selection: TP-Link Archer Ax21The colleague and router router, Ray Crest, wrote, “Nothing is fictional, but it was offered near the flawless performance of small to medium homes in our tests, which is a Sdo for preparation.” Get only 200 megabytes per second through my Xfinity plan, so the speed of 700 MB per second from TP-Link is more than enough juice and costs only $ 85 when I bought it. (Several government agencies have opened TP-Link investigations for relationships with Chinese electronic attacks.)

Do you need to buy a modem?

Depending on the type of internet that you have, you may need to buy a cable modem as well as your router. Some Internet service providers, such as Special, include the modem for free but additional router.

The main thing to search for in the modem is the compatibility. Your internet provider will have a page on his website to list all the models that you work with, and you should not stay away from this. You may also have an option between Docsis 3.0 and 3.1; The latest standard provides faster speeds, but Docsis 3.1 modem is usually more expensive. Other things to consider are the limits of the velocity of the modem – make sure they are equal or higher than your internet plan – and the number of Ethernet ports.

Xfinity does not provide a free modem, so I had to buy one in addition to the Wi-Fi router. I chose Hitron Coda Mode Docsis 3.1 model, which is one of the cheapest models compatible with Xfinity that I can find for $ 100 while I bought it. It supports download speeds of up to 867 MB per second, but this is still much more than my XFinity plan.

How to prepare your new modem and device

I equip the equipment is the easy part. The plight of creating third -party equipment is what keeps many customers on the hook for years. This process is largely the same as you start the fresh service with a new provider or switching old equipment. Here’s all you will need to do.

1. Activate your new modem with your ISP

The modem is part of the equipment that brings the Internet to your home through a pivotal cable connected to your internet provider. Before he can work, ISPS needs to link your specified mode to your account. If you are replacing old equipment, they will also turn off this while activating the new modem. ISPS does this by registering a Mac number (access to media access), which can be found at the bottom of the modem.

You can usually do this through your internet provider app, in a direct chat or by calling customer service number.

2. Connect the Coax cable to your mode

After registering the Mac address of the new modem in your internet service provider, you will be asked to connect your modem to the cable outlet in your wall and connect it to the power socket. You may have to wait for up to 5 minutes, and the modem lamps will tell you when receiving the Internet signal. Once the indicator lamps are turned on, you are ready to prepare a wireless router.

3. Prepare your Wi-Fi router

Each Wi-Fi router has its own setting process, so you will want to follow the instructions provided. In the case of TP-Link Archer Ax21, this means separating the energy to the modem, and connecting the modem to the wave port via A. Ethernet cableRun on the modem and then connect the router in the power port. From there, I prepared my new network through the TP-Link app.

This is the short version. There is a lot to consider when preparing a wireless router, including choosing the optimal site, preparing parental controls and protecting your privacy. To cover, though, you are ready to start a new internet connection test.

Speed ​​comparison: What is the fastest preparation?

I wanted to see how the modem and the new new device would compare with my old devices, so I conducted speed tests before and after I was connected: one of my office next to the router and one of the farthest angle of my apartment (unfortunately, the bathroom).

My old mode and the 164/5 megabytes router were re -backed two offices and 143/5 megabytes per bath – not bad for the Internet plan that announces the speed of 200/10 Mbps. But the speeds with my new devices were suspended from the eye: 237/118 mg per second in both my office and Hammi. I only saved money by buying my own devices – I actually get a large batch of speed as well.

I have no idea about the reason for capturing my new devices 10 times my old download speeds. I subscribe to the Xfinity’s Connect plan, which is supposed to get 10 megabytes loading speeds only. In 2022, Xfinity announced that it would increase loading speeds on my plan to 100 megabytes per second-but only for customers who pay for full XFi equipment per month. Apparently, I reap these same benefits with my new mode and my router. The best gamble is that the upgrade from Docsis 3.0 to Modem 3.1 is the main cause of jumping at load speeds.

How to save yourself some headaches

In the end, my mode and router were prepared correctly, but I made a lot of mistakes along the way. This is what I will do differently:

• Buy your modem and router on the first day. The move is pain, and no one wants to make their tasks for a longer period, but this is one task as it comes to the fruits of the additional effort (approximately a thousand dollars in my case). The technician may have to go out to your home to prepare the Internet regardless of that, so it makes sense to be the modem and your router is ready to go if there are any problems.
• Use your internet service supply menu from compatible modem devices. Guidance devices are not associated with specific providers, but if you have to buy your modem, you will need to make sure it works with your ISP. Do not cut the corners here. I searched in Amazon for a modem he said he was compatible with Xfinity and ended up returning him for a week – and several hours of phone calls – later. Your provider must have a page as it lists all the modem devices you work with – do not get away from this.
• Pay for the speed you need only. Internet equipment is expensive, and there is no reason to pay it for a certified modem for 2000 Mbps per second when you get only 200 MB per second with your plan. The same applies to routers – you do not need to pay the highest dollar for a gaming device with an exceptional transition time if you are only broadcasting the TV and passing the Internet.

The bottom line

It is not fun preparing a new modem and guidance device, but is it worth it? definitely. My internet speeds have not only improved significantly, but I pay much less. I save $ 15 per month on the equipment, and somewhere along the line, XFinity agent shocked my plan for the next year. My monthly bill ranges from $ 78.54 to $ 50. This is much more than I expected to provide, and my new devices will pay the price for themselves during the first six months. My only regret is that I did not jump sooner.