Upgrade Metrocast Modem notice

[Rusty]

Did anyone get this letter from Metrocast to upgrade their Modem?

[Slickcraft]

Yes I did; info on the difference in modems:

https://kb.netgear.com/24802/DOCSIS-2-vs-DOCSIS-3-differences

I had wanted to buy rather than rent a new modem. I looked at the list of compatible modems and checked on several. None included a phone line port, as we have a VIP plan we need the phone line port. I called tech support and was told that there are no commercially available modems compatible with the Metrocast phone system, I would have to continue to rent a modem. I was not pleased with that answer.

[Barney Bear]

Received this letter some time ago. Called MetroCast re our installation at our cottage on East Bear Island and was advised that no change required as our rented modem is okay. 🐻

[Rusty]

Yes I did; info on the difference in modems:

https://kb.netgear.com/24802/DOCSIS-2-vs-DOCSIS-3-differences

I had wanted to buy rather than rent a new modem. I looked at the list of compatible modems and checked on several. None included a phone line port, as we have a VIP plan we need the phone line port. I called tech support and was told that there are no commercially available modems compatible with the Metrocast phone system, I would have to continue to rent a modem. I was not pleased with that answer.

Thanks for that info, I was thinking about buying a modem and never gave any thought about the telephone line port. I guess I'll have keep renting also.

[whalebackpoint'r]

Yes. Made the switch yesterday. Trip to Belmont to exchange units. New one uses same cables, so no need to exchange them, just the box. New one does not have battery backup capability. Rent is same, $8/month. All is good!

[codeman671]

Most carriers are already on docsis 3.0. I am surprised they are just switching now. Best Buy sells a docsis 3.0 that has telephony but I am not sure if it will work with metrocast.

I recycle 10's of thousands of docsis 2.0's per month in my business.

[BroadHopper]

However the new modems with Wi-Fi has a very weak Wi-Fi signal. Rather then go out and purchase Wi-Fi extenders that Metrocast tech support ask me to do. I shut off the the modem's Wi-Fi and bought a Liksys wi-fi router. Much better! And the router is about the same price as the extender!

Also Docsis 3.0 modems are around $40 on line. In five months it pays for itself!

Now if I can replace the antique Pacer DTA with analog sound.............

[lagoon]

We got the same letter. We only use the service for the summer months into fall, so would we need to pay rental on the docsis 3.0 all year? I will say that Metrocast does not do a great job with us, our place is not winterized so there is no way to be there all year.

[pjard]

However the new modems with Wi-Fi has a very weak Wi-Fi signal. Rather then go out and purchase Wi-Fi extenders that Metrocast tech support ask me to do. I shut off the the modem's Wi-Fi and bought a Liksys wi-fi router. Much better! And the router is about the same price as the extender!

Also Docsis 3.0 modems are around $40 on line. In five months it pays for itself!

Now if I can replace the antique Pacer DTA with analog sound.............

I did the same exact thing several months ago, maybe a year. No regrets at all.

[Merrymeeting]

Most carriers are already on docsis 3.0. I am surprised they are just switching now.

They've actually been trying to get folks to switch for almost 2 years. I remember getting this letter LONG ago. I've now been on TDS for almost a year, and it was at least a year that I had my Metrocast 3.0 modem.

I'm just surprised they've allowed the few remaining ones to stay online for so long.

[BroadHopper]

They've actually been trying to get folks to switch for almost 2 years. I remember getting this letter LONG ago. I've now been on TDS for almost a year, and it was at least a year that I had my Metrocast 3.0 modem.

I'm just surprised they've allowed the few remaining ones to stay online for so long.

I install internet closed captioned phones for those who have a hearing loss. There are a good number of folks out there with the old modems. They work fine as long as you don't request high speed internet. As a service to the elderly, I offer to exchange the old with a new at the office. There are a number of homes with the old coax wire that should be updated. I understand that is the responsibility of the cable provider.

[wifi]

Up until last year, I had an old surfboard on Metro. Used to lock up regularly when I wasn't present, and had go there, power it off and on to reset it. They couldn't remotely reset it. Got a new (3.0) modem, and the problem hasn't happened again.

[Rusty]

Rec'd from metrocast the Arris Touchstone TG2472 Telephony Gateway DOCSIS 3.0 modem with a built in wireless router.
It is nice to have one unit with a modem, telephone, and router combined.
I went from a down load speed of @23 mbps to @41 mbps.

It also has battery power that will last for @8 hours. You will have to buy your own batteries.

http://www.arris.com/products/touchstone-tg2472-cable-voice-gateway/

[Slickcraft]

I brought the old modem in today and came home with a new box. Upon opening I found not a replacement modem but an Arris TG2472 gateway which, as has been noted, is a combined modem/router. I had not realized that this would be my only choice.

As I have an almost new router with at lest 8 devices connected the last thing that I wanted to do was setup a new wifi network up all over again. So I called metrocast and was told that it is one size fits all. So then on to tech support to remotely download firmware upgrades and then reconfigure to be just a modem. It took many tries over 40+ min on the phone to just get the device firmware updated. After that a few more min to reconfigure the large ugly box to be just a modem.

The tech explained that the corporate decision was that the one size fits all reduces the types of units out there. He did say that they are spending a lot of time re configuring the ugly box to be just a modem. If I had known that this would be my only choice, I would not have returned the old modem.

[codeman671]

I brought the old modem in today and came home with a new box. Upon opening I found not a replacement modem but an Arris TG2472 gateway which, as has been noted, is a combined modem/router. I had not realized that this would be my only choice.

As I have an almost new router with at lest 8 devices connected the last thing that I wanted to do was setup a new wifi network up all over again. So I called metrocast and was told that it is one size fits all. So then on to tech support to remotely download firmware upgrades and then reconfigure to be just a modem. It took many tries over 40+ min on the phone to just get the device firmware updated. After that a few more min to reconfigure the large ugly box to be just a modem.

The tech explained that the corporate decision was that the one size fits all reduces the types of units out there. He did say that they are spending a lot of time re configuring the ugly box to be just a modem. If I had known that this would be my only choice, I would not have returned the old modem.

Why couldn't you just plus your existing router into one of the Ethernet ports on the TG2472? No need to switch everything over. You don't have to access the wireless side of your TG2472. Sure, you will be broadcasting another network but who cares?

We have an Arris modem/gateway, and have our Netgear Orbi plugged in directly to it. Everything is connected wirelessly to the Orbi, not the Arris network. Works fine. Better than actually, the Orbi is awesome.

[Slickcraft]

Why couldn't you just plus your existing router into one of the Ethernet ports on the TG2472? No need to switch everything over. You don't have to access the wireless side of your TG2472. Sure, you will be broadcasting another network but who cares?

We have an Arris modem/gateway, and have our Netgear Orbi plugged in directly to it. Everything is connected wirelessly to the Orbi, not the Arris network. Works fine. Better than actually, the Orbi is awesome.

The metrocast tech support, who I had to deal with to activate the modem, said that simply plugging my router into a port would not work. That was my initial set-up. We tried that and the TG2472 would not recognize my router and my laptop synced to my router showed no internet access. I had no issue with just letting the TG2472 squawk. So he went ahead and did the reconfiguration and activation.

[Rusty]

As I have an almost new router with at lest 8 devices connected the last thing that I wanted to do was setup a new wifi network up all over again. So I called metrocast and was told that it is one size fits all. So then on to tech support to remotely download firmware upgrades and then reconfigure to be just a modem. It took many tries over 40+ min on the phone to just get the device firmware updated. After that a few more min to reconfigure the large ugly box to be just a modem.

I found it very easy to connect the 9 devices that I have on my wifi network with the new modem router. All my devices recognized the new router and I just had to put in the new password. It took the tech on the phone @ 5 minutes to configure the modem/router.
I have cell phones, printers, tablets, PC's, etc.

[codeman671]

The metrocast tech support, who I had to deal with to activate the modem, said that simply plugging my router into a port would not work. That was my initial set-up. We tried that and the TG2472 would not recognize my router and my laptop synced to my router showed no internet access. I had no issue with just letting the TG2472 squawk. So he went ahead and did the reconfiguration and activation.

Often times Metrocast will redeploy used or refurbished modems, it sounds like you didn't get a new one. It was probably configured a different way from the start and had to be reconfigured.

[Slickcraft]

Today I went to check voice mail on our Metrocast digital phone service. Neither my current PIN nor the original default PIN would work. A call to Metrocast digital phone tech support. I started by saying that we just installed a new cable modem and the tech finished my sentence: "and you can't log onto voice mail". He explained that somehow the new modems reset the digital phone system. He called me on my cell and after a few min got the voice mail system reset.

[swnoel]

Just bought a new modem this past weekend for $89... haven't rented one of theirs for years!

[BroadHopper]

has an internet modem for $59. Same as Amazon!

[bclaker]

A couple times a day, I get an e-mail in code form. Also sometimes I get an e-mail with no body to it. I use an iPad and Metrocast. I think this started when Metrocast went totally digital. I have called both Apple and Metrocast support and have gotten nothing but blame passing. Does anyone know which one is causing the problem and how to correct it? It usually happens with e-mails with links and sometime the info is important to me.

[wifi]

A couple times a day, I get an e-mail in code form. Also sometimes I get an e-mail with no body to it. I use an iPad and Metrocast. I think this started when Metrocast went totally digital. I have called both Apple and Metrocast support and have gotten nothing but blame passing. Does anyone know which one is causing the problem and how to correct it? It usually happens with e-mails with links and sometime the info is important to me.

Go to who ever is sending this and turn off html enhanced, or try forwarding it to your regular, non cell phone email address, or there will be 25 other answers here, one of them is bound to work :)