cable modems

Oddly, I had the exact opposite experience compared to another reviewer. I too have Vonage VoIP (Voice over IP) service, connected to a Motorola vt1000v (cable modem->vt1000v->Linksys router->LAN). I tried to place the vt1000v on the other side of the router, as well. Either way, I had the following consistently reproducible problem. When I talked on the phone and began using my computer to access the Internet, I would lose the connection. Strangely, I would not lose it completely: I could hear the person on the other end, but they couldn't hear me. Meanwhile, the internet connection at the computer was down until I hung up the phone, at which point the connection came back.

I switched the SB5100 with a Linksys BEFCMU10 cable modem, and the problem disappeared immediately! I had just switched to the Motorola that same day, and I thought that the problem was either with my ISP or I just had never noticed it before (I don't usually surf and talk at the same time). But now I'm convinced it was the modem. Incidentally, the Vonage tech support rep suggested that I upgrade the firmware of the Motorola cable modem due to "known issues." It turned out that I had the very latest firmware already. Note the irony, by the way, that a Linksys modem worked better with a Motorola ATA (the VoIP device) than a Motorola modem.

It's too bad I had this problem, because I think the voice quality using the SB5100 (when it worked) was actually better than with the Linksys, and everything else about the SB5100 worked fine, too. So, if you're not interested in VoIP, I suppose I would recommend this modem.

I got this cable modem for my folks a short while ago rather than have them continue to pay a monthly rental fee to Comcast. I chose the Motorola 5100 based on the reputation of Motorola, the price (although it wasn't as good as this Amazon price), and the technology.

Installation was easy with a quick start guide as well as a full manual (on cd). For the price, you can't beat it. It has the latest technology- DOCSIS 2.0 but is backward compatible with the older standards DOCSIS 1.0 and 1.1 used by mostly all cable internet providers. (Please be sure to check with your cable internet provider first before buying any modem to make sure they support the DOCSIS standard and modem you are considering buying.)

The Motorola has both USB and Ethernet connections so you can directly hook up 2 computers without having to buy extra networking hardware. Another nice feature is the STANDBY button at the top which you can use to temporarily cut off the internet. Also, it is relatively compact (roughly 6"H x 2"W x 6"D), so it won't take over your valuable desk space.

Performance-wise, I can't say I noticed much of a difference from their old modem but cable bandwith can be variable depending on the number of users in the neighborhood. At least it wasn't any slower.

Based on all this, I figured why buy a modem with older technology for more $$ that probably can't be upgraded when you can have the latest and greatest now for cheaper- a rare combination.

I've been using this modem for a little over a year now, and I've never ran into any problems whatsoever. I used to pay money to rent a Toshiba cable modem from Cox, and buying this modem not only saved me a lot of cash but enabled me to enjoy a problem-free net surfing experience with high speed downloads/uploads. A must-buy if you prefer not to rent a cable modem.