With Comcast, for a standard internet and basic ca...

2008-04-08T03:38:00.000-04:00

With Comcast, for a standard internet and basic cable package (you pay less for both together than internet alone... go figure), they give you an RCA modem (here in Seattle, anyway). When I first got Comcast in my apartment years ago, I got the free modem but I noticed that the broadband connection was SLOOOOW. Not only that, but the internet cut out all the time. I was really upset about it and angry that I had such "horrible" internet, when my boyfriend at the time suggested to me that I get a different modem.

I had no idea that modems were different! I just thought you plugged the cable into the DSL modem and then plugged into your computer... I thought they were merely a converter, not something fancy. Well, anyway, so I did some research and found that if you bought a whole Comcast package of phone, full cable, AND internet, then they leased you a Linksys modem for free. Hmmmmm RCA vs Linksys. Then I did some more research and found that RCA modems are commonly known to have faulty insides and be crappy overall, and Linksys modems are some of the best out there. So I went to Best Buy and bought a Linksys.

Comcast somehow noticed and shut off my internet until I told them I was now using my own modem, and what of it? It's a free country! After whining for a bit, they made me read off a serial number and gave me back my internet and it's never been better. After two moves, I still have my modem.

This is all to say that I have my own modem too! And although I was never paying lease fees and whatnot, there were other reasons to get one as well. The time and frustration saved by getting a good modem were well worth the initial $100. :)

Comments on Frugal Fabulous: Money-Saving Modem

With Comcast, for a standard internet and basic ca...