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Buying Spectrum Branded Router From 3rd Party

TheNeighborGuyTheNeighborGuy Posts: 4 Spectator
edited October 2022 in Home Networking Sep 05, 2022

Hi, I'm a new Spectrum customer having switched from many years as a local TELCO DSL customer. Spectrum install was just last Friday.

Around the Internet, I see Spectrum branded Wi-Fi routers such as the Spectrum RAC2V2S / SAC2V2S, the Spectrum installer placed in my home last Friday. The 3rd party ones I see are pretty darn cheap and would pay for themselves in about 6-9mos considering the $5 a month Spectrum Wi-Fi Router charge.

The thing is though, I'm pretty sure the routers have "Property of Spectrum" somewhere on the back. Just thinking out loud ... is it even legal for 3rd parties to sell them? I sure do see a bunch of them for sale on a large auction site.

And if I did get one ... would I be able to register it with Spectrum as part of my service configuration ... get Spectrum Router firmware updates as they are available and sent out to Spectrum branded routers ... or should I just slowly back away?

As an aside, I have a brand new Google Nest Wi-Fi router that works but doesn't perform as well as the Spectrum RAC2V2S / SAC2V2S and the Spectrum Wi-Fi Router is the one I want to use. After much testing the last couple of days, the brand new Google Nest Wi-Fi router now lives in a box, in a closet LOL. That said, the initial Spectrum Router stopped working Saturday (no lights at all on front) after the install on Friday and Spectrum CS directed me to a local Spectrum Store to exchange it. The one I now have operates flawlessly so far and appears to be in visually better condition than the first one.

Sorry to babble on. Bottom line is, why would getting a Spectrum branded Wi-Fi router be a good or bad idea? ... assuming the router is in good working condition. Thanks :)

Best Answer

  • HT_GreenfieldHT_Greenfield Posts: 278 Contributor
    Sep 05, 2022 Answer ✓

    I don't know but it might be a trivial matter for Spectrum to somehow block fenced or stolen or lost Spectrum routers from their network via the router's MAC address. You know how long it takes the price of a router to pay for itself compared to five beans a month? It's about as long as it takes the comm standard to become obsolete. If you've no idea how long you're going to be with Spectrum, then you've no idea how many routers you'll go through, state of the art every time. You just saw how easily & unexpectedly these things can crap out & how quickly & easily Spectrum will replace them. It's the five beans a month that pays that pays for itself, in the long run, in my opinion.

Replies

  • TheNeighborGuyTheNeighborGuy Posts: 4 Spectator
    edited September 2022 Sep 05, 2022

    ... oh and when I had DSL, the TELCO (a national one) also charged $5 a month for Modem/Router equipment. But they also offered an equipment purchase option for $100 (Modem/Router all in one), which I took them up on because I was a long time customer and the equipment purchase paid for itself many times over, in $5 a month savings. I wish Spectrum also offered an equipment purchase option.

This discussion has been closed.