When they wired fiber cables throughout our cities, we all felt it was an exciting era to belong. As consumers, this was a dream come true.
At first, it all looked halleluiah. Call your cable company like Comcast, install the internet, and stream anything at your comfort.
But who will ever think after subscription there will be extra fees disguised as modem rental fees?
This threw most of us off the track.
It did not make sense to buy a product and pay the same company for a better experience.
If you do not like the idea too, stick till the end…
…for this article, we compare two popular modems, Arris Svg2482ac vs Netgear C7100v. You will find out amongst the two which one of them will be a winner to avert the horrible experience.
But First…
Features To Look For When Buying A Triple Play Modem
The following are the 5 things to watch for when buying your triple-play internet modem.
1. The Speed Of The Modem
When it comes to the modem speed, you should first learn how to differentiate between the AC and the AX standards. It is also important to interpret the meaning of the number following these two letters.
In this case, the Netgear device is AC1900, and the Arris modem is AC1750. Meaning, they are both AC standards often represented by 802.11ac. The number is the maximum speed the device can propagate at. We refer to it as the speed of the modem.
What the above means, the higher the AC number, the faster the speed of data allocation.
With the two devices, you can tell Netgear has a higher speed than Arris.
The AXs, in contrast, are the latest devices with improved technology that handles data allocating based on the needs of the connected devices. The modems with this technology are a bit more efficient and advanced. Generally, they are based on the 802.11ax standard.
2. Whether the Modem offers the 3-in-1 package as it preaches
Many devices claim they offer the all-in-one package. However, they preach wine and deliver water. The efficiency of these devices is frequently in doubt.
This is common with lower-end modems, often cheap.
In most cases, these devices have a latency issue. They are slow and regularly lose data packets more frequently.
Therefore, when selecting your device, do your homework. Make sure the device you are going to buy fulfills the promise it is advocating. It will not make sense to ditch your internet service provider (ISP) modem for a crappy experience just because you want to own it.
3. Ease of configuration
When it comes to configuring your device, the manufacturer should put user experience at heart. Device configuration should be a 1-2-3 job, not a whole day job.
With modern devices, a self-guided configuration should suffice. Probably a manual to read along with a lot of pictorial representation. An accompanying DVD showing how-to tutorials cannot hurt at all.
And with the way technology is going, web interphase to configure your device should come in handy. This can be extended by developing an intuitive mobile app to manage all your configuration.
Besides all the above, the device should be less intimidating and comfy.
However, if you ever feel intimidated by the whole idea of installing your own internet modem, don’t feel pressured. You can always look for help from your ISP or call your device vendor. Though, it will attract some fees.
4. Fair Technical Support
One of the painful experiences regularly expressed by those who have used the rental modems is sometimes inaccessibility of customer support, especially on time. More than expected, clients have suffered at the hands of these companies hoping for the best in the future. This should not be the case.
Accessing customer service should be your priority, especially during firmware upgrades or maybe, when shifting to a product like Xfinity.
Though many companies will work extra hard to bail you out of any trouble, it is paramount to steer a way out of those companies with loads of complaints.
5. Check ISP Modem Compatibility
You should not invest in a modem that is not compatible with your ISP. You will shelf it for no reason. Besides, it is a bad investment.
As a result, always check with your ISP on which modems are compatible with their internet services.
Arris Svg2482ac vs. Netgear C7100v Similarities
In this section, we highlight notable similarities between these two devices.
3-in-1 Functionality
Both modems have an inbuilt WiFi router, a modem to convert digital and analog signals, and have ports to connect to telephone devices. They both include two telephone lines and 4 ethernet ports. From our experience, these devices deliver pretty what they promise. Only a few notable differences, as we will note later.
Compatibility Check
If you are a bit worried about whether the products are compatible with your popular internet service providers, don’t fret. Both Arris Svg2482ac and Netgear C7100v support Comcast Xfinity. However, before buying for a different cable company, always check if they are supported.
Device Connectivity Speed
When it comes to the modem speed, the two gadgets seem to be on the higher tier. They offer some of the competitive internet coverage speeds, supporting 5 and 2.4. GHz bands, suitable for HD streaming.
Design And Aesthetics
Both devices offer a closely related design approach. The manufacturers have decided to go for vertical orientation, with the differences being the colors.
Meaning, if you are into dark modes, you will find Netgear a more appealing choice. However, if you are more into light themes, the Arris modem will be your option.
However, there is more into how they function than their appearances. The section below dives deep into the comparison discussion.
Arris Svg2482ac Vs Netgear C7100v Comparison
In this section, we will look at the disparities between these two gadgets. Let us dive into the tête-à-tête.
1. Device Speed Differences
As we noted earlier, one of the distinct differences between these two devices is the speed. The Netgear C7100v wins with a top of 1900 compared to a max of 1750 offered by Arris Svg2482ac.
2. Cable Provider Internet Plan Support
Besides the allocation speed, you should also check on the maximum internet speed plan the modem supports.
For the case of these two devices, Netgear supports up to 400Mbps while Arris supports a maximum of 600Mbs. Both devices support 24 x 8 DOCSIS 3.0 bonded channels.
However, if opting for the Xfinity Gigabyte plan, you will have to consider the latest modems like NetGear C7800 or ARRIS surfboard SBG8300, or ARRIS T25. All three support DOCSIS 3.1 with 32 downstream X 8 upstream, 10 times faster than the counterpart in this guide.
However, you should know, your download or upload speeds are dependent on the ISP. The stable the internet you receive from your ISP, the better the bandwidth. You can’t expect to have a performant device to improve mediocre internet service.
3. Chipsets Differences
With Netgear C7100v, the manufacturer installed a reputable Broadcom chipset. This is accompanied by a powerful processor cloaking at 1.6GHz to up the game of the WIFI, WAN-to-LAN, and wired connections.
In contrast, the counterpart Arris went with Puma 6 chipset despite countless latency complaints.
4. Usable USB Ports
It is a shame that Arris Svg2482ac includes two USB hubs which we realized are totally useless for you as a user. These, unlike the two mounted on C7100v, are used by technicians during maintenance and upgrades. If your needs include using USB devices or networking printers, C7100v should be your gadget.
5. Ease of Configuration
Earlier, we noted, the device configuration should be straightforward. However, that is not the case with Svg2482ac. The interface is cranky and difficult to use, especially when comparing it to the Nighthawk GUI.
6. Technical Support
This might be one of those features we all want. We don’t want to wait for someone to show up after 24 hours of experiencing a technical hitch, only to touch a few buttons for a fix. The C7100v is leaner than the Svg2482ac. Its GUI is intuitive and hustles, making it a go-to priority for an average user to debug soft technical hitches.
7. Security Features
When it comes to controlling the gates, the who access what and with what configurations, the Netgear C7100v wins. It offers four options including, WPA/WPA2 enterprise, WPA-PSK(TKIP)+WPA2-PSK(AES), WPA2-PSK(AES), and open connection. The Arris Svg2482ac offers 3 security settings including, the WPA/WPA2-PSK(TKIP/AES), WPA2-PSK(AES), and the open connection.
What’s important to note here is, the C7100v offers robust security settings that can be used at an enterprise level like in Universities and bigger institution networks.
Which Triple-play Modem Should You Buy?
In this guide, the C7100v wins.
There is so much evidence the device offers superior features compared to its counterpart. However, this does not mean it is 100%. You will still encounter something quaky about it. For instance, we found out that the backup battery does not power both the internet and the phone. It instead powers the phone function only. To fix this, you will need an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to power the whole equipment sufficiently.
Nevertheless, despite Arris Svg2482ac having a lesser preference in this guide, it has garnered a share of respect too. Besides, when it comes to pricing, the gadget is cheaper for nearly $60 bucks. That’s something to consider, especially when on a budget.
In the end, if not for failure to support the latest Xfinity Gigabyte plan, either of the two devices will serve you way better than your rental internet modem.