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Do I really need DOCSIS 3.1 modem? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I’m not sure where else best to post this, so please direct me if there is somewhere more appropriate.

I’m looking at getting cable again and still have a DOCSIS 3.0 modem. It looks like the biggest limiting factor is the speed but there are other mentions of “improved latecy and power comsumption.” If I’m not get a speed that exceeds 1Gbps, is the latency that much better for $160? I game a little online but hadnt noticed an issue in the past.

For that matter, is an AC wireless router is fine? The AX or Wifi 6 looked neat, but I’m just not sure the benfits are worth the cost. Any input is appreciated.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Do you do much uploading or want to host anything for friends to stream from you?

A DOCSIS 3.0 modem tops out at 100Mbps upload, while a DOCSIS 3.1 tops out at 2Gbps upload. I know Comcast/Xfinity sucks, but they've definitely rolled out 2Ghz download and 2Ghz upload symmetrical connection in some areas.

I agree that 1Ghz seems plenty, but I regularly feel more limited by upload speeds, personally. If upload doesn't matter so much to you, then that's the only thing that stood out to me as a difference.

With WiFi the bigger question is if where you live is so big that you need extenders of some type. Even with more modern "mesh" systems, you still often need hardwired Access Points.

If the only WiFi you use is your router, because you're in a small house/apartment, then you don't really need anything fancy and an AC wireless router will do you fine. If you need a large area covered and don't want dead zones, you'll need proper mapping and setting up of Access Points whether you are using a more modern mesh network or not.