Here’s the $1,000 question: Should you buy your own router or rent it from an ISP?
Most ISPs charge $10 to $15 per month for equipment, and you can usually buy a modem and router for less than $200. Purchasing your own networking equipment usually pays for itself in the first year, but often comes with a few extra headaches.
I’ve been writing about the Internet for six years, and I’ve kept a shameful secret from all six of them: I’ve been unlimited All the time. I know – it’s like a painter renting brushes every month. But the equipment I rented worked fine, even though I knew I had paid a premium for the convenience of the setup provided by my ISP.
I’ve been paying an extra $10 to $15 for the privilege of using Xfinity modem and router gateway devices. (Xfinity seems to increase the price of its devices by a buck or two every year.) This is mostly fine by me—my internet bill is reasonable, and I can afford to pay a little extra for convenience. But after sorting through my old bills, I came up with a number that made me reconsider: $873. This is how much I’ve spent on Xfinity gear over the years.
With the money I spent renting the Xfinity equipment, I could buy the most advanced router CNET has ever tested, and then buy another one as a backup. I could have doubled the internet speed I was getting. I could have booked a flight to Oslo.
Although I was happy with the service I received, it is almost always a better option to have your own equipment. You usually get better performance – my upload speeds increased by over 2,000% – and the cost usually pays for itself within the first year or two.
You’ll probably be more than happy to pay a little extra so you don’t have to buy and set up your own equipment. But if you want to save money in the long run and are willing to buy and manage your own equipment, it may be more cost-effective to buy your own router and data.
Here’s what I learned when switching from rented equipment to my own, and how to make a similar change as easy as possible.
How to choose the right modem and router
The best internet is the one you never noticed, I can’t remember the last time my connection dropped or I saw buffer wheels around my house. This all happened on a 2017 device that Xfinity describes as an “old wireless gateway with limited speed and functionality.”
This means that the type of Internet user you are has little to do with what kind of device you need. I live in a 750 square foot apartment and my internet needs are mainly limited to video calling and TV streaming. If you live in a larger home with multiple floors, the same router may not suffice. Likewise, activities such as online gaming depend on split-second reactions. If this kind of instantaneous responsiveness is important to you, it might be worth investing in a gaming router that minimizes latency.
Wi-Fi routers cover the full range with entry-level models like the TP-Link AC1200 $30 Ultra-advanced mesh systems like the Netgear Orbi 970 Series $1,700. To test each Wi-Fi router, CNET ran three speed tests in five different rooms at our testing facility, recording results for download speeds, upload speeds and latency. This process was repeated six times, taking into account changes in network performance at different times of the day.
After consulting our picks for the best wireless routers, I decided on our budget picks: TP-Link Archer AX21My colleague and router connoisseur Ry Crist writes: “It’s nothing fancy, but in our testing it delivered near-perfect performance for small to medium-sized homes, and it’s easy to set up.” I only got it with the Xfinity plan Get 200Mbps, so the 700Mbps that TP-Link achieves at close range is more than enough, and it only costs $75.
Do you need to buy a modem?
Depending on the type of network you have, you may need to purchase a cable modem in addition to your router. Some ISPs, such as Spectrum, provide modems for free but charge extra for routers.
The main factor to look for in a modem is compatibility. Your internet provider will have a page on their website listing all the models they work with, and you should not stray from this page. You can also choose between DOCSIS 3.0 and 3.1; the newer standards offer faster speeds, but DOCSIS 3.1 modems are generally more expensive. Other things to consider are the speed limits of your modem (make sure they are equal to or higher than your internet plan) and the number of Ethernet ports.
Xfinity doesn’t offer a free modem, so I had to buy one in addition to the Wi-Fi router.I chose Hitron CODA Modem –The DOCSIS 3.1 model, one of the cheapest Xfinity-compatible models I could find, costs $100. It only supports download speeds up to 867Mbps, but that’s still far faster than my Xfinity plan.
How to set up new modems and routers
Ordering the device is the easy part; the pain of setting up third-party devices has left many customers stuck for years. Whether you’re starting entirely new service with a new provider or replacing an old device, the process is essentially the same. Here’s everything you need to do.
1. Activate your new modem through your ISP
A modem is the device that brings the Internet into your home via a coaxial cable that connects to your Internet provider’s network. Before it can work, your ISP needs to tie your specific modem to your account. If you are replacing an old device, they will also shut it down when starting up the new modem. ISPs do this by recording your MAC (Media Access Control) number, which can be found on the bottom of your modem.
You can usually do this through your internet provider’s app, live chat, or by calling a customer service number.
2. Connect the coaxial cable to the modem
After your ISP registers the MAC address of the new modem, you will be prompted to connect the modem to a wall cable outlet and plug it into a power outlet. You may have to wait up to 5 minutes for the modem’s indicator light to tell you when a network signal is received. Once the light is on, you can set up your wireless router.
3. Configure your Wi-Fi router
Each Wi-Fi router has its own setup process, so you’ll need to follow the instructions provided. For the TP-Link Archer AX21, this means unplugging the modem and connecting the modem to the router’s WAN port via Ethernet. Ethernet cable, turn on the modem, and then plug the router into an electrical outlet. From there, I set up my new network through the TP-Link app.
Here’s the short version. There are many more factors to consider when setting up your wireless router, including choosing the best location, setting up parental controls, and protecting your privacy. However, for my purposes, I was ready to start testing my new network connection.
Speed comparison: Which setting is fastest?
I wanted to see how my new modem and router compared to my old equipment, so I ran speed tests before and after connecting: one on the table next to the router and one in the farthest corner of my apartment ( Unfortunately, the bathroom).
My old modem and router returned 164/5Mbps from my desk and 143/5Mbps from the bathroom – not bad for an internet plan that advertised 200/10Mbps speeds. But the speeds on my new device are jaw-dropping: 237/118Mbp at my desk and in the bathroom. Not only did I save money by buying my own device – I actually got a significant speed boost.
I don’t know why my new device uploads 10 times faster than my old one. I subscribe to Xfinity’s Connect More plan, which is supposed to have upload speeds of only 10Mbps. In 2022, Xfinity announced it would increase upload speeds to 100Mbps on its My plan, but only for customers who pay $25 per month for the xFi Complete device. Apparently, I get the same benefits with the new modem and router. My best guess is that upgrading from DOCSIS 3.0 to a 3.1 modem is the main reason for the jump in upload speeds.
How to avoid some headaches
I finally got the modem and router set up correctly, but I made a lot of mistakes along the way. Here’s what I would do differently:
- Buy a modem and router on day one. Moving is a pain, and no one wants to let their to-do list get longer, but it’s a task where the extra effort pays off (almost a thousand dollars in my case). A technician will likely have to come to your home to set up your internet anyway, so it makes sense to have a modem and router ready in case any issues arise.
- Use your Internet service provider’s list of compatible modems. Routers are not tied to a specific vendor, but if you must buy your own modem, you’ll want to make sure it’s compatible with your ISP. Don’t cut corners here. I searched Amazon for a modem that claimed to be Xfinity compatible, but ended up having to return it after a week and hours of phone calls. Your provider should have a page that lists all the modems it works with – don’t stray from this.
- Pay only for the speed you need. Network equipment is expensive, and there’s no reason to spend money on a 2,000Mbps-certified modem when your plan only gets you 200Mbps speeds. The same goes for routers – if you’re just watching streaming TV and browsing the internet, you don’t need to pay top dollar for a gaming router with excellent latency.
bottom line
Setting up a new modem and router is no fun, but is it worth it? Absolutely. Not only was my internet speed significantly improved, but I was also paying significantly less for it. I was saving $15 a month on equipment, and in the process, an Xfinity agent marked the price down on my plan for next year. My monthly bill went from $78.54 to $50. This far exceeded my expectations and my new equipment will pay for itself within the first six months. My only regret is that I didn’t make the leap sooner.
