Review on ARRIS SURFboard SB6141 Cable Modem - Enhanced DOCSIS 3.0 Speeds - Retail Packaging, White by James Baker

Your cable Internet modem is a small desktop device that allows you to access the Internet using a cable company signal. Your modem's unique MAC ID (found on the box and on the modem itself) must be registered and activated by the cable company for the modem to function properly. Time Warner Cable, Comcast Cable, and Cox Cable cost $7 to $10 per month (and counting) to lease or rent a cable Internet modem from them. (In this review, I use the terms "rent" and "rent" interchangeably). A quick calculation suggests you pay between $84 and $120 a year to use their modems. All three companies let you buy your own modem and pay no monthly fee. You can easily buy a quality modem for less than $85. In any case, the payback is less than 1 year. Even if you had to replace your modem with the latest and greatest every two years, you'd still be way ahead of the competition. My original modem hadn't been updated or replaced by my cable company in at least three years, and they still wanted me to pay for the rent. Buying and installing your own modem is a very simple process. The easiest way to determine which modem you need is to check the model number (located on the front, back, or bottom of the modem) and simply purchase the same modem as your current model. --- as you know it will work --- although you will most likely get better performance with a newer model. If your current model doesn't appear in the site listings provided by the cable, you have an old modem that needs to be replaced anyway. This is the DOCSIS 3.0 model. The DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem is backward compatible, so you can buy one even if you already have a DOCSIS 2.0 modem. Suffice it to say that a dual-band DOCSIS 3.0 modem is up to 8 times faster. Buy the white SB6141 if you already have a router. If not, buy the black SBG6580. TIPS: 1. There are many modems that look like legitimate modems. Make sure you get the EXACT model number listed in the "Approved Listings" on your ISP's website. This modem is approved by all three. known as "dual-band") are simply faster modems than DOCSIS 2 (aka "single-band") due to their ability to double the download speed bandwidth. Most people will notice an improvement with a DOCSIS 3 modem. Note that cable companies often increase the Internet speed of their entire system from time to time. The speeds you have today are faster than the speeds they offered ten years ago with the same data plan. DOCSIS-2 modems are cheaper for a reason. Don't fall into this trap unless you never want faster internet speeds.4. The Internet is moving from shorter Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (also known as IPv4) to longer Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (also known as IPv6) due to a lack of short addresses. To ensure the further development of the Internet, a new numbering system called IP Version 6 (IPv6) will be implemented, and at some point IPv4 modems will no longer be able to connect to the new addresses. IPv6-enabled modems allow you to access any Internet address now and after IPv4 is no longer supported. 5. Yes, you can also replace your gateway modem (a modem with a built-in Wi-Fi router) and stop paying your rent. This modem is white. The LEDs on this modem are so bright that they can be used as a night light. If this is a problem for you, just stick a piece of opaque tape to the front panel. If you already have a router, choose one of these two. (Warning: A black SB6141 is also available. Don't buy it! While it's usually a few bucks cheaper, it's an older OEM model, out of warranty, which may not be the latest firmware and may was redesigned.)