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Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

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daytime dave
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Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by daytime dave » Tue May 01, 2018 7:25 am

My fiance and I use the same tax person. He told her to buy our own modem to save money. Since the cable / internet bill is one of mine, I got to take care of it. An internet search led to a lot of choices. I boiled it down to a modem that should be blazing fast for at least three years and has the latest technology that should be good for the next three years. I ordered it for the tune of $100.00. I'll say right now, I didn't research it like I might have.

When we got home from camp, the modem had arrived. Hooked it up and noticed that we had phone service through the old modem. When I called Spectrum (Time Warner was bought by them), the woman said only leased Spectrum modems can get the home phone. She set it up so that I could use my modem and get the phone over their modem. I still am paying the 10.00 monthly charge. Oh, the modem I got needed a router. I went and got the best router of the same brand as the modem, Netgear. That was 200.00. If we decide to drop the internet phone, then we will start to save the 10.00 a month fee. At the end of three years, the projected lifespan of a modem and router, I'll be ahead 60.00. That's assuming we drop the phone next month.

We have had three or four routers in as many years. They kept dropping off junk. The last one actually delivered the speeds they advertised during off peak times. My new equipment gives a bit better speed and much better wireless coverage all over the home. The router also has an add on that you can plug in a weather proof satellite for outdoor wifi. That may just be interesting. I haven't checked how far the new signal travels.

So, you could save money if you got a less expensive modem with an internal router. I get much better range and strength of signal now with a separate router. I figure we will ditch the home phone, a true 21st century concept.

I just posted this so others may do more research and actually save money.
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JEBar
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by JEBar » Tue May 01, 2018 8:08 am

interesting concept and saving $$$$ is a good thing
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Mags
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by Mags » Tue May 01, 2018 12:47 pm

Dave,

Can you switch to a service provider that provides fiber optic service? In my case, the fiber point of service box on the side of the house splits out the phone line separately. I could have up to 3 wired phones lines. I have no modem. The router I have connects to the fiber point of service box by coax or RJ45 cable. I saved on the monthly fee by using my own router.

I tried to convince my son to do this (his place in the city has both cable and fiber service available, different providers), but he chose a cable provider to get his service through. I did some shopping for him and I could not find a suitable all-in-one modem/WiFi router. Like you he had to buy the modem and router separate. He is already in the 21st century and didn't have the need for the land line phone.
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by dave77 » Tue May 01, 2018 1:46 pm

I'm on fiber with just a router, I don't have the best cell phone reception at home but both T-Mobile and now Verizon have calling over Wi-Fi so I was able to drop my land line phone, saved $40 a month. Hoping to do the same with my Dish TV soon. Just waiting for a decent network DVR service. Hulu live tv has cloud DVR service but reviews say it's still pretty buggy.
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by Mags » Tue May 01, 2018 5:12 pm

Been using 'WhatsApp' for calling over WiFi, but I think it only works between WhatsApp users. I don't know for sure. Kids had us install when they went to Normandy, France. A way for them to call home without international cell phone charges.

We dumped TV service couple years ago. When we watch, we watch mostly from Netflix, Acorn, ABC, NBC and OPB over the web. ABC and NBC no subscription required, but ABC shows are delayed one week without a subscription. With Netflix can download and view shows offline. We have a TV with built in WiFi, but I can also connect my laptop to the TV. Makes navigation of the web easier than trying to do that from the TV remote.

Lately been trying to see what I can get over the air with an in door HD antenna someone gave me. Mixed results. Going to try outdoor antenna next.
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by dave77 » Tue May 01, 2018 6:47 pm

Does your OTA antenna have the built in amplifier. My neighbor just got that type and with the antenna near a window he gets very good reception.

Back before Dish we both had non-digital outdoor antennas and had lousy reception, we're both in a small canyon and have no line of sight with any reflectors.
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by Mags » Tue May 01, 2018 8:04 pm

Yes it does have built in amplifier. Supposed to be omni-directional too. But had to rotate it left or right 20' to get some of the stations. I could get all of the local ones depending on antenna rotation and really clearly. Some channels where hard to maintain. Tiniest of bumps on the antenna and some channels were gone. The rec room is in the basement and the house has a metal roof so I wasn't even expecting reception to be as good as I was able to get with the indoor antenna. Don't have enough coax or access to run it concealed through the house to a window or to outdoors. I do have an abandoned DirecTV antenna down the hill and there is buried cable to and through the house to the rec room. The cable comes into the house continuous, no connectors. So I would have to cut an dress in my own coax connectors. Haven't got around to it yet.
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daytime dave
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by daytime dave » Thu May 03, 2018 7:14 am

We could get Verizon service, which is fiber optic. It would be my choice, but my fiance does not want to change services. We are getting better speed and performance on the new equipment. I put the phone through the cable company modem and we are keeping a call log for a month. So far, the only call was from fiance's alum association. Dropping that phone may save more money than we first thought.........
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by dave77 » Thu May 03, 2018 12:15 pm

I was getting nothing but spam calls on my landline so don't miss it at all, anyone I really need to hear from has my cell #.

I'm starting to get more spam calls on my cell, if the # calling is not on my contact list I don't answer and if they don't leave a voicemail the number gets blocked.
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Re: Save money, buy your own modem....Sure

Post by Mags » Thu May 03, 2018 12:38 pm

Part of the reason we keep a landline is so most of the spam calls go there. Those online order places, that require a phone number when placing orders, leak your phone number regardless of their privacy policies. Rather have them go to the landline # than our cell. There would also be a lot of online bill places we would have to change over to another phone number. Finally, we get a lot of winter storm power outages and the local power company uses landline caller-id as part of their fault isolation.
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