Reddit reviews ARRIS DOCSIS 3.0 Residential Gateway with 802.11n/ 4 GigaPort Router/ 2-Voice Lines Certified with Comcast (TG862G-CT)

If you have Comcast voice service, then you cannot use MOST of the after-market modems out there. You must get an eMTA: https://customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support/phone/requirements-for-digital-voice-modems/

There's far fewer of these than the regular kind. From what I can tell, the only real after-market option for eMTAs is just buying the exact same model that Comcast rents to you.

And it's not cheap: https://smile.amazon.com/Residential-Gateway-802-11n-GigaPort-TG862G-CT/dp/B00NR1EHP8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481066886&sr=8-1&keywords=emta

EDIT: To acknowledge /u/CBRjack and his incredibly helpful info about separating voice and data with two modems. Going to be trying this very soon.

This is the approved list of modems from Comcast.

http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com

You can then sort by speed and the ability to purchase retail.

The Arris TG862G is one example of a modern that would fit your needs and can be purchased from Amazon

Not entirely true: ARRIS DOCSIS 3.0 Residential Gateway with 802.11n/ 4 GigaPort Router/ 2-Voice Lines for Comcast (TG862G-CT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NR1EHP8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_gZ.Eub0KZT4S2

Yup, just go to http://mynewmodem.comcast.net. Pick one out, order it via the Amazon link, or go down to your favorite retailer of fine electronic devices and pick it up in person. Make sure you purchase a DOCSIS 3.0 modem. The Moto SB6141 and Zoom 5341j are popular choices.

When you sign up for services, you can specify that you own a modem. I recommend signing up for new services online because it has better prices than the phone/counter reps have access to.

Since existing service is being disconnected, you likely won't even need a tech. You'll still have to pay $9.95 for a "self-install kit" which contains some paperwork and coaxial cable and splitters.

Plug in your new modem, you'll get sucked into the activation portal, enter your account number, and away you go.

Caveat for voice service (sorry, this is complicated)

If you are subscribing to voice service, some markets will let you use your own eMTA and some will not. The counter person at your local office is the best person to ask to determine this. If you are allowed to bring your own eMTA, you can use the few Arris voice modems that are sold on Amazon (I think the TM722G and TM822G).

Regardless of whether your market lets you buy your own eMTA, you can purchase the retail version of the gateway and put it in bridge mode.

Something like this should work just fine for you. It's probably the same as what you have now, or maybe even an upgrade if you have the 722.

https://www.amazon.com/Residential-Gateway-802-11n-GigaPort-TG862G-CT/dp/B00NR1EHP8?ie=UTF8&me=&redirect=true&ref_=olp_product_details

It took a little searching to find, but there are voice-service capable modems, too. They are a bit more expensive.

Examples: http://amzn.com/B00721TUNS http://amzn.com/B00NR1EHP8

I have never used either of these.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NR1EHP8/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=

Arris TG862G Retail with eMTA support. This model is also leased to customers, so you must inform the agent when activating it's a retail model to avoid the system applying a lease charge.

Not possible.

The only real option for a retail EMTA (with more than 4 channels) is the Arris TG862G.. and this, unfortunately is only 8 D/S channels, which only gets you up to the 150mbps plan.. Anything faster you will likely have to wait until the DOCSIS 3.1 is fully rolled out - I assume there will be at least one approved 3.1 EMTA available sometime in the distant future..

This one is on our 'recommended' list at http://mynewmodem.comcast.net/: http://astore.amazon.com/myde0bd-20/detail/B00NR1EHP8

This one should work on Amazon

FYI I think this is my modem/router (or VERY close)

https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Residential-GigaPort-Certified-TG862G-CT/dp/B00NR1EHP8/ref=br_lf_m_pckg3obvyuob442_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=pc

Looking up the TG862 on Arris' website gives me this. That's clearly not what you have.

What you have is the Arris TG862G-TC, and I'm finding conflicting information on whether it supports dual band or not, probably not from what I can tell.

You can apparently tell by reconfiguring the wireless in the web interface, it should say something about 5 GHz.

I'd still suggest buying a better router (at least) and modem. If you replace the modem, you won't be able to use Comcast's phone service (and you shouldn't anyway).

A modem I got from comcast called ARRIS DOCSIS 3.0 TG862G-CT.

ARRIS DOCSIS 3.0 Residential Gateway with 802.11n/ 4 GigaPort Router/ 2-Voice Lines for Comcast (TG862G-CT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NR1EHP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_tRWzwbEE88CWE

Just received it a few months ago never had any network issues.

I never get these messages and I own my modem. I'm not a Comcast fan by any means and I am their customer only due to lack of a reasonable alternative for internet in my area.

My modem is almost a year old.
ARRIS DOCSIS 3.0 Residential Gateway with 802.11n

I have the default Comcast router/modem combo.

I'm not sure if it reboots by itself. I'm hesitant to put the blame on the router because my other devices work fine, and this problem only started happening recently.

https://www.amazon.com/Residential-Gateway-802-11n-GigaPort-TG862G-CT/dp/B00NR1EHP8

You can put it into bridge mode & use your own router only downside is price.

Thanks for the advice-- speaking to the coaxial, we only have them on our first floor, with one near the staircase. Really the idea is that the two spots that need the WiFi most is the living room and then close to the upper floor living space. By moving the router/modem to the coaxial by the stairs, we'll likely see a flip in what we're experiencing (upper floor probably will have better WiFi, with living room now weak..so vice versa).

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I did attempt to setup the modem/router inthe coaxial in the room by the staircase, but it comes up with this lovely error message, which we had in the living room too until the tech came and fixed the cables outside. So it seems that the wiring doesn't work for it.

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As of last night I did notice an old looking ethernet port built into one of the walls in my room, but not sure if it will work with how this house's wring has been. Going to attempt that tonight and see if it'll run. (Will plugging in an extender to a wall outlet provide similar speeds to the downstairs?)

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May need to purchase our own equipment...currently renting the Xfinity modem/router they gave us it would seem.

EDIT:

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This is what we have from Xfinity supplying our internet. Assuming this isn't a rental, and just part of the package, and that additional routers would be considered the rentals?

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So what's going on here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NR1EHP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GWDFzb4C0YM73

I'm legitimately curious.

No it's not an actual mainframe, which wouldn't work well in my apartment and yes the modem from Comcast has an integrated router/switch so there are four ethernet ports in it. One of these is passed connected to a physical interface on the server that connects to a virtual switch that is connected to the Sophos VM.

Any DOCSIS 3 modem will be compatible.

The tricky part will be if you want Digital Voice. Comcast doesn't use the same protocol as common inexpensive modems do. You need a much more expensive modem (that's the only DOCSIS 3 telephony modem marked as "retail" on Comcast's compatibility list and is an all-in-one router + modem, but something like this may also work as a standalone modem).

As long as you're not in an area where they've implemented caps, and you can deal with 911 issues, you're probably better off going with a separate VoIP provider instead of paying for Comcast's Digital Voice. It might be a little more per month comparing just the phone fees, but there's that "hidden" $10 monthly fee for the necessary modem that you could stop paying.

Here is the desktop version of your link

Yes, you can purchase your own modem/router but there are only a few models in existence that offer the voice service.

Here is one -> https://www.amazon.com/Residential-Gateway-802-11n-GigaPort-TG862G-CT/dp/B00NR1EHP8

Also if you go here -> https://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com and put in your zip code (and select an internet speed), then select "Voice/Telephone Enabled" it should show a list of compatible modems as well.

The 2 it returned in my area were this -> https://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/device/arris-tg862g-421 (equivalent to the first link I posted)
and this -> https://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/device/arris-tm722g-405

https://www.amazon.com/Residential-Gateway-802-11n-GigaPort-TG862G-CT/dp/B00NR1EHP8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1466635773&sr=8-3&keywords=TG862G

This is what you should get.

From my other comment avoid anything not sold directly from Amazon.

I'm not sure if you are aware but you can purchase your own modem that Xfinity provides for internet and phone.

Xfinity XB3