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I currently rent a modem from my ISP to get online. If I want to get my own modem (which I do), I have to call the ISP and give them all sorts of information about it like the model/brand/etc. They also have this on their website: "Whether the Modem is owned by you or by us, BHN may upgrade or change the firmware in the Modem at anytime."

emotion_eyebrow


In all my time using the internet and not having to rent a modem, never did an ISP require me to report with them what kind of modem I was using...

...so I don't know why they need to know now. ninja
Just a bunch of ******** the customer bullshit. They probably want to tell you you can't use whatever modem you have, and you have to buy one from them.
gee you know maybe they want to know what the 'numbers on the modem' are so they can provision the ******** device and deliver service to you.
They need the MAC address so that they can, as Pipebracket said, give you your service.

As for the other information, it's for them to make sure it's compatible and/or approved.

Aged Lunatic

MyNameIsKir
They need the MAC address so that they can, as Pipebracket said, give you your service.

As for the other information, it's for them to make sure it's compatible and/or approved.


Pipebracket
gee you know maybe they want to know what the 'numbers on the modem' are so they can provision the ******** device and deliver service to you.


These. And the fact it helps them know what you're getting in comparison to the speed you're allocating in your service. If you get a DOCSIS2 modem and a 50-100Mbit cable plan from them, they would/should generally tell you that it won't work well (as DOCSIS2 maxes out just below 40Mbit after overhead if I recall right).

The case that ISPs may have modem-specific firmware for whatever modem you got (that you saw on the website) is completely true as well, which they can push down the line to the modem directly if need be.
if you go to a store like best buy they can often tell you what works or you could chat online with them if there is no best buy in your area but any computer store could probably help you with modems however in the end your going to have to give as much info as you can to like your cable / satellite / isp company to have them figure out if what you have found is compatible

keep in mind that if you buy your own modem and anything goes wrong you will have to pay for your own maintenance on it and the cable / satellite / other isp provider will not assist you in fixing it so keep that in mind

its often cheaper to spend 5 / 8 /10 dollars a month to rent from your isp than it is to buy your own device because if it breaks down they have to give you a new one or fix it at no charge

Aged Lunatic

S1L3NT X13
if you go to a store like best buy they can often tell you what works or you could chat online with them if there is no best buy in your area but any computer store could probably help you with modems however in the end your going to have to give as much info as you can to like your cable / satellite / isp company to have them figure out if what you have found is compatible

keep in mind that if you buy your own modem and anything goes wrong you will have to pay for your own maintenance on it and the cable / satellite / other isp provider will not assist you in fixing it so keep that in mind

its often cheaper to spend 5 / 8 /10 dollars a month to rent from your isp than it is to buy your own device because if it breaks down they have to give you a new one or fix it at no charge


No idea where you get they have to, at least here in the US they could charge you $100 for a replacement modem if they wanted to, there's nothing technically preventing them from doing it.

Most simply generally give free modem replacements every 1-2 years because they feel it's good "Customer Relations", realistically though renting modems from the ISP when you factor they are at least on average (here in the US again that is), $10~ a month, you're effectively paying $120 in the first year for a modem that otherwise is low-grade and usually $50 if you'd buy it yourself.

Buy a good $100~ modem and it'll probably last you several years minimum and still be cheaper than renting a modem for the first year alone.
Synapt
S1L3NT X13
if you go to a store like best buy they can often tell you what works or you could chat online with them if there is no best buy in your area but any computer store could probably help you with modems however in the end your going to have to give as much info as you can to like your cable / satellite / isp company to have them figure out if what you have found is compatible

keep in mind that if you buy your own modem and anything goes wrong you will have to pay for your own maintenance on it and the cable / satellite / other isp provider will not assist you in fixing it so keep that in mind

its often cheaper to spend 5 / 8 /10 dollars a month to rent from your isp than it is to buy your own device because if it breaks down they have to give you a new one or fix it at no charge


No idea where you get they have to, at least here in the US they could charge you $100 for a replacement modem if they wanted to, there's nothing technically preventing them from doing it.

Most simply generally give free modem replacements every 1-2 years because they feel it's good "Customer Relations", realistically though renting modems from the ISP when you factor they are at least on average (here in the US again that is), $10~ a month, you're effectively paying $120 in the first year for a modem that otherwise is low-grade and usually $50 if you'd buy it yourself.

Buy a good $100~ modem and it'll probably last you several years minimum and still be cheaper than renting a modem for the first year alone.


well i wont say which state i am in but the state i am in requires ALL isp companies to do this, i figured it was standard practice across the usa but i guess its not
if you use a company like comcast or time warner like i have in the past or currently use this can often be the case
however i guess they can charge if they wanted too but it can be considered bad customer service not to do this

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S1L3NT X13

if you use a company like comcast or time warner like i have in the past or currently use this can often be the case
I have Time Warner sweatdrop ...but they renamed it so people don't associate it with Time Warner...? ninja

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S1L3NT X13
if you go to a store like best buy they can often tell you what works or you could chat online with them if there is no best buy in your area but any computer store could probably help you with modems however in the end your going to have to give as much info as you can to like your cable / satellite / isp company to have them figure out if what you have found is compatible

keep in mind that if you buy your own modem and anything goes wrong you will have to pay for your own maintenance on it and the cable / satellite / other isp provider will not assist you in fixing it so keep that in mind

its often cheaper to spend 5 / 8 /10 dollars a month to rent from your isp than it is to buy your own device because if it breaks down they have to give you a new one or fix it at no charge
That is not true. There are people who have modems that are 10+ years old that still work. I happen to know 3 people that bought their modem for $80 and it still works to this day and the ISP around there tell them that they prefer not to replace the modem because the newer ones aren't as good quality. That's around $600 on the low end to $1200 on the high end for renting a modem for those 10 years that people have had theirs for.

As the saying goes... You get what you pay for. If you spend very little money to buy your own modem don't expect it to last long.

Around here ISP have been known to give you a discount for "renting" a modem from them. They have ranged from $5 to $10 off your bill per month by "renting" from them.
Resistance_2012
S1L3NT X13
if you go to a store like best buy they can often tell you what works or you could chat online with them if there is no best buy in your area but any computer store could probably help you with modems however in the end your going to have to give as much info as you can to like your cable / satellite / isp company to have them figure out if what you have found is compatible

keep in mind that if you buy your own modem and anything goes wrong you will have to pay for your own maintenance on it and the cable / satellite / other isp provider will not assist you in fixing it so keep that in mind

its often cheaper to spend 5 / 8 /10 dollars a month to rent from your isp than it is to buy your own device because if it breaks down they have to give you a new one or fix it at no charge
That is not true. There are people who have modems that are 10+ years old that still work. I happen to know 3 people that bought their modem for $80 and it still works to this day and the ISP around there tell them that they prefer not to replace the modem because the newer ones aren't as good quality. That's around $600 on the low end to $1200 on the high end for renting a modem for those 10 years that people have had theirs for.

As the saying goes... You get what you pay for. If you spend very little money to buy your own modem don't expect it to last long.

Around here ISP have been known to give you a discount for "renting" a modem from them. They have ranged from $5 to $10 off your bill per month by "renting" from them.


ok you go try to buy a random modem for internet then go to comcast or time warner and tell them you want to use the random modem or try to use a directv or dish modem on a cable system and see how well that works out it wont
when they tell you that it wont work on there system just remember i told you so
i tried that once myself and then like the op i realized i would have to give as much info as i could in the future if i wanted to buy one
but your intitled to your opinion and your intitled to believe any old modem will work on any system so good luck with that in the future when you buy your own modem

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S1L3NT X13
ok you go try to buy a random modem for internet then go to comcast or time warner and tell them you want to use the random modem or try to use a directv or dish modem on a cable system and see how well that works out it wont
when they tell you that it wont work on there system just remember i told you so
i tried that once myself and then like the op i realized i would have to give as much info as i could in the future if i wanted to buy one
but your intitled to your opinion and your intitled to believe any old modem will work on any system so good luck with that in the future when you buy your own modem
I would but around here there is only a cable service provider (Internet, tv and phone) and a phone line service provider (internet, tv and phone). The stores around here only carry stuff that those 2 service providers use. Not to mention alot or what ever Service Providers will have a section in stores that sell their modems, cable box ect and if that's the case there should be 0 reason to buy a new router to use with your current internet and such and them not supporting it.

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