[SOLVED] How do i compare two modem/routers?

[HowardDrawswell]

I have the Comcast provided modem router, it costs over $120 a year at $10 a month. I think they even raised it to $11 making it $132 a year. That’s Criminal, so now that I have a leftover Frontier NVG 468MQ by ARRIS with its little separate modem, what I wanna do is try them side-by-side and do speed tests and reliability tests throughout the day by logging into either one of their networks.

No you don’t want to hook up one and use it for a couple of days - or 11 years in the case of the Comcast, and then fiddle around under the desk where there’s but 9” of coax coming out of the wall and a box to raise the modem to reach it, just to try the other because if you test your speed throughout the day at different times - where I live at least - you will get vastly different speeds that range from 5 to 60Mbs download, and similarly variable uploads in the 1 to 6 Mb/s range. So the idea would be to test them side-by-side at “the same times” at various points throughout the day, but only a minute or so apart.
Also it takes several speed tests in a row to get the idea of what your speed is. When I get say “60 MB down” I may also have done a series of tests in a row that gave one or more less than 20, So I have to test the water several times in a row and kind of average in my head, or take a poll of what’s the most popular speed. I’m using Ookla speed test.net

So, can I put these side-by-side with a splitter? Will they interfere with each other? Could they send information to each other and burn each other out?

 

[bill001g]

In theory you could use a splitter and run them both and they would have no impact on each other. More or less this is how they connect your house and your neighbors house with a splitter out in the street.

The big problem is the ISP will not let you have both active on your account at the same time. Partially this is because you could actually just give it to your neighbor and he wouldn't have to pay for internet.

In addition I don't think the arris box will work on comcast network. Comcast uses a cable modem and frontier uses a completely different system to deliver FIOS.

Now if you just want to test the WIFI part you could run the frontier box as a AP connected to the comcast router. You could use different SSID and swap back and forth between the 2 wifi signals.

The modem and router part are not going to be much different no matter what devices you use. Almost all modern routers can pass 1gbit wan/lan. Gets more complex with a cable modem involved to test but buying a different box is not likely to change non wifi performance.

 

[gggplaya]

I have the Comcast provided modem router, it costs over $120 a year at $10 a month. I think they even raised it to $11 making it $132 a year. That’s Criminal, so now that I have a leftover Frontier NVG 468MQ by ARRIS with its little separate modem, what I wanna do is try them side-by-side and do speed tests and reliability tests throughout the day by logging into either one of their networks.

At least in my area, Modem rental fee went up to $14/mo which is $168 per year. If you opt for the "xFI" system, it's $25/mo or $300 a year. You may want to check your bill.

I would get yourself a modem that fits your plan, I bought a TPlink cable modem for like $40 that worked really well at the speeds you have. Then buy yourself a good WIFi router from Asus or something. Don't cheap out.

ISP routers suck. They do have good wifi performance, but the software is very limited internally.

 

[HowardDrawswell]

Thanks for the chips. It seems it’s true the frontier one is not compatible. It’s interesting the GGG playa put in To go cheap on the modem but don’t go cheap on the router. Who would’ve known that?