Spectrum Modem no longer optimized?

You give up control. If you have a Docsis 3 modem and your plan is 55/4, then you don't need another modem. The one you have is just fine and getting a "free" one from Spectrum won't improve your internet service at all. Just out of curiosity, what modem do you have?

 

If it's free I cant see you giving up anything. I mean, what do you actually control with a modem? I have my own on Comcast and I've never configured anything on it. I'd get it and try it to see if it makes any difference at all. Not much to lose. If it works worse give it back.

 

Be careful, Spectrum likes to give out gateways, a modem/router combo for free and on their lower end tiers, the modem may be free but they will charge you for "managing" the wireless part of the router.
What you give up with their "free" equipment is a tad of your security/privacy and further the router/wireless portion of their equipment is rarely updated, i.e., few if any security updates and they often lock down many of the possible settings that advance users need or want to use.
Naturally, you do not mention the make and model # of your modem or router, but unless you are using one of the older 4x4 modems, you should be good for a few years. If your modem is one of those older 4x4 modems, many ISP's are discontinuing support for them and if you do choose to upgrade, I would suggest getting at least a 16x4 modem like the SB6183 or a Netgear CM500. Both of these can be found used or refurbished for $40 or less in the usual places and these should be good for a long time.

 

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When I switched from my legacy TWC plan to a Spectrum plan I had the same choice to make. On the old plan I saved $10/mo by using my own modem. On the new plan the modem is "free" (translated you don't save by furnishing your own modem). I took the Spectrum-furnished modem for two reasons:
1. With their modem, they have to support it -- they can't blame problems on your modem
2. My old modem, although DOCSIS 3 was probably not going to be so good with their 100 Mbps (minimum) download speed, i.e., they have to be responsible for upgrading the modem if required. This was over a year ago and I've had zero issues with their modem.

I have no regrets. I only paid $45 for my old modem and it saved $10/mo for several years. Note I don't need WiFi or phone support as I supply them with my own equipment.

 

Pick up a new or used SB6183 on Amazon. It's 16x4. Don't buy the SB6190.

 

At this point, get a D3.1 modem. Nothing's future proof, but a D3.1 modem will buy you a few more years, as it will last until FDX comes along.

 

I'm using a SB8200. My feed is D3.1 with 24x4 at my speed. No problems after six months.

 

What? Is it D3.1 or 24x4? I'm assuming that's 24x4 D3 plus D3.1? If you don't have gigabit, you're probably using D3.1 almost exclusively on the download. I believe Comcast's gigabit needs both at the same time to get into the 930mbps range.

 

That's correct. My cable feed is 860MHz. I only get the 24 downstream in 3.1. I should get four upstream, but only 3 at the moment. They are still building out the nodes. Not Gb, just 75/7.

Not Comcast. My SB6183 did have 16x4, but I like new stuff.

 

24 downstream is D3, not D3.1. Ooooh, you're on some local provider, right? So they don't have D3.1 at all?

 

I have a blue LED on my downstream but amber on upstream.

 

I'm about 85% sure that the "other" is OFDM, i.e. D3.1.

 

I'm 100% sure.

 

Gotcha. So they're getting ready for gigabit it looks like.

 

If the pattern follows previous years, in May 2019 my 75/7 will jump to 100/10 with the max (now 500/50) moving to 1Gb/100Mb. Since they should raise the lowest to 30/5, which is where I started five years ago, I'll drop down to 50/5 and save some money. It's only me.

 

Here in NW PA, we just got the "Gig upgrade". Options are now 100/10 (soon to be 200/10), 400/20, 940/35 ("Gig"). They've been moving quickly, so you might see the new options this year.

I'm currently on 400/20, but will downgrade and save the $25 when the base moves to 200/10. The extra speed is nice, but we really don't do anything that requires it... it's just "nice to have".

When I was on the Time Warner Cable pricing previously, I bought my own modem to save the monthly fee. However, since switching to Spectrum (no separate monthly fee), I use theirs. The selection and reliability of their modems is quite improved as they're all new(ish).

 

I use Service Electric and they are supposed to start TiVo VOX support "soon", which may be why they are doing a lot of infrastructure work. Perhaps you are right. I have a SB8200 and two spare SB6183. Their service is very good. My feed is very good. They know cable cards. Life is good.

 

Jeez, could you please refrain from gloating -- it makes the rest of us feel bad !

Got to wondering how this anomaly (Service Electric) could happen so browsed to their web pages. The page on "Company History" is very interesting and nostagic to someone born in 1940:
Service Electric Cable TV and Communications - Company History