[Novalug] Comcast upgrade?

Peter Larsen peter@peterlarsen.org
Thu Oct 30 14:18:54 EDT 2014


On 10/30/2014 01:21 PM, Beartooth via Novalug wrote:
>
>     Down here in VT country, broadband seems to mean Comcast, period.
> (Verizon tells us we're too far from the nearest whatsit for DSL.)
>
>     We got a robocall from Comcast about upgrading our cable modem,
> which we've had ten or eleven years. Does its age alone tell us we
> should replace it, or do I have to find some magic number somewhere?
> (Nothing on the outside of the modem looks like specs or a model number.)
>
>     I thought I could browse right to the proper Comcast site, but I
> was wrongggg......
>

If your modem is that old, you're definitely not on DOCSIS 3
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOCSIS). The standard sets how
communication is done on the coax cable between you and your provider.
And the newer standards supports more frequencies (or more concentrated)
allowing for higher speeds. In order for you to use the newer "ultra
high speed" offerings you'll need to be on DOCSIS 3.0 at least - I doubt
they require 3.1 yet but I wouldn't be surprised if some areas can take
advantage of this.

My recommendation is to purchase your modem yourself. It does not have
to be a Comcast modem in particular if you're paying $5-10 per months
for it. You'll have paid for a full one in a year or so. And as you
point out, they last for a very long time. I think I spend around $60
for my current one.

If you're not paying for the new 20-50Mbps packages there isn't a big
reason to upgrade.

-- 
Regards
  Peter Larsen




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