When HN users recommended it
1 HN user recommended this in 2014, in one comment.
20072026
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
1 HN user recommended this in 2014, in one comment.
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
This is not strictly true. I own my own cable modem (bought it on Amazon before signing up with Comcast - http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SURFboard-Gateway-SBG6580-Wir...) and I specifically picked this one because it was on Comcast's list of recommended modems and reviews suggested that it worked without headaches on Comcast's network.
HOWEVER, after installing the device, I eventually started to notice that the firmware was being updated remotely, without my intervention. At one point the Motorola administrative web UI was replaced completely with a new Arris UI (this was a few months ago when Comcast was experimenting with their IPv6 rollout). This lasted for about a month before the firmware was reverted back to an older Motorola image (and now I no longer have IPv6 at home -- I guess there were issues).
So yes, you can install your own router. But at least in some (most?) instances, your cable provider may have direct access to the firmware on your router, which essentially means that they can pull shit like this whenever they want, without your knowledge or intervention.
TLDR: Comcast can update the firmware on my cable modem without my knowledge or intervention. Because it's an all-in-one device, that basically means they can do whatever the fuck they want.