Recommendation needed for wifi please...

[busy mom]

We currently own our router, but pay our ISP monthly for our modem.

With all of the Black Friday sales, we are considering purchasing our own equipment, and would love recommendations on the best approach.

We typically have 3-4 laptops connecting to the wifi, plus our smart phones, and 3 TV's...if that helps.

Suggestions appreciated, thank you!

 

[havaneselover]

Who is your ISP? I just shelled out $300 for the new Fios router. I was renting an older one for $5/month. But with everyone home and using internet it seemed like a decent investment.

 

[busy mom]

We use Spectrum...

 

[_19disnA]

We also have Spectrum. My only concern would be buying a 3rd party router/modem, having 'issues' with your wifi and then Spectrum saying 'not our problem'. Have had issues with other types of technology in the past involving 2 different companies and it is virtually impossible to resolve whose problem it is. Each company says it is the other company's problem and they refuse to talk with each other, so the consumer is stuck in the middle.

While it might be a few dollars cheaper to own the equipment, at least the current configuration works and is the responsibility of one company. Not sure it would be worth the potential hassle to buy a $300 device that saves you $60/year for a 5 yr payback.

 

[SteveH]

I'd been with Spectrum for years, really no complaints. But I've always had my own wireless router, I let them give me (for free) the modem, then I plug that straight into my router. I've used the Netgear Nighthawk system until a lightening strike nearby took it out (as well as my modem, which spectrum gave me a new one no questions asked) then I switched to a Linksys Velop mesh router. If you are not a techy type, I would recommend the Velop. You can also check out the Orbi as well as the Amazon eero, all three are similar to the Velop as far as setup goes.

 

[havaneselover]

We also have Spectrum. My only concern would be buying a 3rd party router/modem, having 'issues' with your wifi and then Spectrum saying 'not our problem'. Have had issues with other types of technology in the past involving 2 different companies and it is virtually impossible to resolve whose problem it is. Each company says it is the other company's problem and they refuse to talk with each other, so the consumer is stuck in the middle.

While it might be a few dollars cheaper to own the equipment, at least the current configuration works and is the responsibility of one company. Not sure it would be worth the potential hassle to buy a $300 device that saves you $60/year for a 5 yr payback.

The $300 wifi router rents for $15/month. The current one I've rented for > 7 years for $5/month has cost me well over $300.

 

[Best Aunt]

Check the website of your ISP. It might have a list of equipment which is compatible with the different levels of service it provides.

When I checked a few years back, I was annoyed to discover that mine was renting me equipment which did not support the level of service for which I was paying. (In other words, charging me for fast service but also charging me for old slow equipment.)

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have Spectrum and stopped renting their equipment about a year or so ago. There is a list of suggested modems on their website. I got one of those - I think it was about $50 on Amazon. We have 3 smart TVs, several laptops. 2 phones and 2 ipads and have not had any problems.