# Purchasing A Modem As Opposed To Renting **URL:** \ **Category:** Technology\ **Created:** [July 30, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049 "2025-07-30T14:45:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![19and41](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9dc877/32.png) [@19and41](https://community.clark.com/u/19and41)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/1 "2025-07-30T14:45:10Z")
I purchased a Motorola MB340 modem 3 years ago, and it has saved me $6/month.It wasn’t a cheap unit and it has kept pace with all my internet plans and allows me to stream wirelessly. ---
**Author:** ![Lavarock](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/lavarock/32/119_2.png) [@Lavarock](https://community.clark.com/u/Lavarock)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/2 "2025-07-30T17:14:46Z")
I have been supplying my own modems and routers for quite a while. The cost to buy was usually about a years worth of rental or so, maybe a bit more. Here there wasn’t really a competetor so it was cable, telco or satellite. All 3 use different equipment. Recently when Spectrum increased their speed I was ready to buy another modem but found that Spectrum offered a free modem with the change. ---
**Author:** ![butler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@butler](https://community.clark.com/u/butler)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2025, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/3 "2025-07-30T17:24:48Z")
Im with @Lavarock on owning the equipment. For my internet provider, the breakeven was about 10 months and I have owned the modem now for 3 years. ---
**Author:** ![Bogarts\_Falcon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/bogarts_falcon/32/2587_2.png) [@Bogarts\_Falcon](https://community.clark.com/u/Bogarts_Falcon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 10:26am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/4 "2025-07-31T10:26:19Z")
I too own my own equipment instead of renting. I figured my break even point was always less than one year. ---
**Author:** ![glasspilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@glasspilot](https://community.clark.com/u/glasspilot)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 11:13am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/5 "2025-07-31T11:13:42Z")
> [@Lavarock](#): > > Recently when Spectrum increased their speed I was ready to buy another modem but found that Spectrum offered a free modem with the change. Here in N.E. NC our cable monster is Spectrum. For as long as I can remember they have supplied the modem for free. I hate to say “free” because I’m paying $90/month for just internet. I do buy my own router. Every 5 or 10 years I’ll think about a new router to take advantage of the new tech. ---
**Author:** ![kcflyer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/kcflyer/32/3346_2.png) [@kcflyer](https://community.clark.com/u/kcflyer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 12:06pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/6 "2025-07-31T12:06:27Z")
> [@glasspilot](#): > > Here in N.E. NC our cable monster is Spectrum. For as long as I can remember they have supplied the modem for free. I hate to say “free” because I’m paying $90/month for just internet. Google fiber provides the modem for free. Internet is $55 ---
**Author:** ![butler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@butler](https://community.clark.com/u/butler)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/7 "2025-07-31T13:28:01Z")
> [@kcflyer](#): > > Google fiber provides the modem for free. Internet is $55 I would love to get Google Fiber but its not available where I live. My brother has had it for more than 10 years because his area was one of their first couple of test markets. I think you guys were the first very market as I recall ? ---
**Author:** ![c200ns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/fbc32d/32.png) [@c200ns](https://community.clark.com/u/c200ns)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/8 "2025-07-31T15:58:45Z")
When Spectrum increased their speed about a year or two ago for us it made my WIFI Router/Modem useless which I owned for 10 years so I just took the advice from Spectrum and used their Modem which they provide for free and bought a cheap wifi router and everything has worked great ever since. ---
**Author:** ![kcflyer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/kcflyer/32/3346_2.png) [@kcflyer](https://community.clark.com/u/kcflyer)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2025, 11:43am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/9 "2025-08-01T11:43:25Z")
> [@butler](#): > > I think you guys were the first very market as I recall ? I believe that we were…although my area was in a later phase, I’ve had it close to 10 years. Mine is still $55 - no other fees. This is for 1 GB internet, which has been fine for me. And their customer service has been great. I had my house painted and the painters knocked the fiber connection from my house. I called them and then went to the hardware store - I was only gone for about 20 minutes and when I got home, the GF truck was in my driveway and they guy was working on the connection in the back yard. When they replaced my modem, I found that my installl was different from what the upgrade instructions indicated. Called, and again, within the hour a guy was at my door - my connection was in the basement, not the wall outlet. In all that time I have been without internet due to a problem with their network for maybe one hour. In 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![jrj90620](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jrj90620](https://community.clark.com/u/jrj90620)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/10 "2025-08-11T16:24:15Z")
Used modems are about a dime a dozen,at local swap meet,here in So California.Don’t know why anyone would rent one. ---
**Author:** ![glasspilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@glasspilot](https://community.clark.com/u/glasspilot)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/11 "2025-08-11T16:41:38Z")
If it was a Docis 3.1 and it worked it might be worth a try. But used electronics at a swap meet? Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![jrj90620](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jrj90620](https://community.clark.com/u/jrj90620)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/12 "2025-08-11T18:39:44Z")
Docis 3.1 is a given.For $5,what’s the risk.I’ve purchased thousands of items at swap meets.Lot of great deals and enjoyable exercise too. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Priester](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/david_priester/32/4792_2.png) [@David\_Priester](https://community.clark.com/u/David_Priester)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/13 "2026-09-24T20:52:11Z")
Modem, but not a router; they charge for that. I p ---
**Author:** ![glasspilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@glasspilot](https://community.clark.com/u/glasspilot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 10:43am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/purchasing-a-modem-as-opposed-to-renting/8049/14 "2026-09-25T10:43:04Z")
Yes, we’ve been talking about modems only here.