When you sign up for internet service, there’s a good chance you were given a bundle with a modem and router included. ISPs have a few reasons for providing their customers with routers such as making sure they have something fast enough for their internet package, to helping the ISP provide widespread Wi-Fi access for all customers like Xfinity WiFi. It’s not all goodwill, however, with many ISPs charging a monthly rental fee to use their hardware, and a lot of upsell potential besides.
For the most part, ISPs provide decently fast routers with some even offering Wi-Fi 6E models for their higher-end packages. You can even get mesh extenders with some models so you can cover your whole home, for a fee. In fact, the biggest downside to an ISP-provided router is the monthly fee you’re charged with some costing more than $10 per month on top of your internet plan. Besides that, some people want faster hardware and more in-depth software to control their network.
You'll likely need your own modem
You may have seen your ISP refer to its router as a gateway. Gateways are what we often refer to as a modem-router combo. These boxes simplify the setup process and only require an input from your ISP, like a coaxial cable or fiber line, and power to get working. While you can certainly plug a router into a gateway, and it will more than likely work fine, you’ll still be paying for the rental. If you’ve got fiber with a gateway, you can ask your ISP to install an ONT, so you can use your own router.
If you’ve got a cable provider, you’ll need a modem, and you’ll probably need to buy your own. While some ISPs offer cheaper modem rentals, which could be good options, many people will need to buy a compatible DOCSIS 3.1 or newer modem for their cable connection. Make sure you get one that’s certified to work with your ISP and supports the speeds you’re looking to get. While DOCSIS 3.0 and older modems may still work, for the best results, you’ll want something running DOCSIS 3.1 as a minimum. Some ISPs, like Spectrum, include a modem for free, so your mileage may vary,
Finally, if you’ve got 5G home internet or satellite internet like Starlink, you’ll need to use the provided gateway to connect to the 5G network. Luckily, both Verizon and T-Mobile provide one for free with the plan. You can still use your own router with these 5G providers by plugging it into one of the Ethernet ports, but you may want to enable Access Point mode on the router to avoid NAT issues, which can limit some of the software features of the router.
Upgrade for better hardware
One of the main reasons people want to upgrade from their ISP router is for faster hardware. While the included router is often enough to get the internet speeds you pay for in a vacuum, it can struggle in congested areas like apartment buildings. Upgrading to one of the best WI-Fi routers can help with congestion thanks to WI-Fi 6 tech like 1024-QAM, OFDMA, and MU-MIMO. You could also choose a router with faster overall Wi-Fi bands to give you a little extra headroom for better speeds.
If you have a lot of wired devices, using your own router could give you more and faster Ethernet ports. For example, if you’ve got a media server and want the best speed out of it, a router with multi-gig Ethernet could help it keep up if it’s being used by multiple people at once. Some high-end gateways have multi-gig Ethernet support, but you’ll also need to sign up for the fastest internet package to get it. Just because someone wants fast networking in their home doesn’t mean they want or need the fastest internet package.
Some mesh expansion options are available directly from ISPs such as Verizon’s Whole-Home Wi-Fi option and Xfinity xFi Pods, but building your own system can be a better fit, faster, and maybe even cheaper than these options. You can start with one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems that comes with everything you need in the box, or start with a standard router, like the TP-Link Archer BE800, and add mesh nodes later. Most Asus routers can be meshed together and others like TP-Link have been updating models with EasyMesh support.
You may also appreciate the nicer look and feel of your own router. The Asus RT-AX88U Pro, for example, looks like a high-end piece of equipment from any angle, while ISP routers more often than not look more like an appliance. If you’re the type to fill your PC case with RGB fans, you may also like the look of gaming routers, some of which have RGB as well.
Speaking of gaming, some routers are designed to prioritize gaming traffic over things like streaming and browsing the web. This can help keep ping times consistent and low, even when other members of your family are using the internet. Best of all, they might not even notice their lower priority as a few extra milliseconds here and there matter a lot more to gaming than streaming. Low ping in an online game means lag, and lag can be the difference between a game-winning shot, and a miss. If you lag out of a game, you might also be punished for quitting early, which can be a real drag.
Gaming routers often have an Ethernet port labeled specifically for gaming with prioritization, but Wi-Fi gamers can also get a boost with software. Using their own software, router manufacturers like Asus ROG can prioritize traffic based on the application or device. Often gaming routers have a more powerful CPU that can keep up with this software better. And software is another great reason to use your own router.
Upgrade for better software
The software on ISP-provided routers is often simplified to the point of being frustrating. This isn’t without reason as many customers aren’t very tech literate, but still need to use the internet just the same. That being said, some routers, like Eero, AmpliFi, and Nest Wifi have built very user-friendly apps so their routers can be set up and managed by just about anyone. Others, like Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, Linksys, and more have tried to find a balance with an app that’s easy to use while still offering access to advanced settings for those who want them.
The app-based experience will be closer to the experience with the ISP’s router, but still also offer extra services on top, like parental controls, extra security, and VPN support. While a lot of ISPs have brought some of these features to their own routers, they often come with hefty monthly fees.
When it comes to the advanced features, you can change a whole host of options on many router models. For Wi-Fi, you can change the Wi-Fi band being used, the security type, the width of the band, and sometimes even power levels. This control allows you to customize your network to help you avoid network congestion and get as much speed as possible from your network. Keep in mind that an ISP router needs to favor compatibility over performance in their settings, so you may be able to make some further optimizations such as using a 160MHz bandwidth or a newer security protocol.
Say goodbye to rental fees
If you’re using your ISP’s hardware, there’s a good chance you’re paying for it, even if it's obscured by your billing. For example, you can rent an Xfinity xFi Gateway for $15 per month, or you can get it included with xFi Complete, which costs a bit more, but includes more features like unlimited data. Check your internet bill to see if you’re paying monthly for your internet equipment. If you’ve been on your current plan for less than two years, there’s also a chance that the fee could be $0 as part of a promotion. Just remember, promotions do eventually end.
Using your own router isn't always the best fit
To some people, paying for an ISP router could be worth the peace of mind that comes with it. First of all, ISPs are more often than not able to provide remote support for their own routers. They’ll not only be able to check your data but make changes to your settings. Not only that, the ISP may be more willing to provide onsite support for their own hardware, such as sending out a technician without charging you. They may also set it up for you when they install your service, though you can easily configure your own router.
If a router you’re renting goes wrong, the ISP can replace it for free with another they’ve got in stock, so you can get back up and running in a hurry. If you’re using your own equipment, especially if you’re using your own modem, you may find the level of support on offer to be quite a bit lower with some techs unwilling to diagnose issues if they believe they’re a problem with your equipment and not the service in general. If you work from home or rely on your internet, the peace of mind the ISP’s support provides could be worth the rental fee.
Last but not least, there may be some additional service benefits to using their router. Some providers offer advanced security and parental controls using their equipment and software. If you’ve got TV service as well, using Xfinity’s gateway allows for wireless video boxes for your TVs.
Where should you start?
If you’ve decided you’re ready to upgrade to your own router, you’ll first need to make sure you’ve got a modem, ONT, or other source for your connection. Most routers are only equipped with Ethernet for the incoming connection, so plugging your fiber or coaxial cable directly into the router isn’t going to work unless it's a modem-router combo.
Next, you’ll need to pick out a router with the right features for your needs. It can be tempting to go right for an expensive router with the best speeds out there, but unless you have an ultra-fast multi-gig internet connection, that would be a waste of money. For gamers and heavy users, a Wi-Fi 6 AX5400 router is a good starting point with a ton of 5GHz capacity for all of your devices. If you’re a lighter user, you could easily get by with a slower AX1800 router, which has plenty of capacity for 4K streaming and browsing.
If you live in a congested area, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting a Wi-Fi 6 router at minimum as Wi-Fi 6 is better at handling congestion than Wi-Fi 5. A tri-band router can also help by spreading your load to another band with less congestion. Most dual-band routers stick to 5GHz Wi-Fi around 5.2GHz, while a tri-band router can access 5.8GHz and 6GHz spectrum which isn’t used as much. Some older devices won’t work with these higher frequencies, so they’ll fall back to the lower frequency band. Even so, allowing some of your devices to use this higher band frees up space on the lower band.
All that being said, there is no one-size-fits-all router, so you’ll need to find the model that works best for your home. Coverage is heavily dependent on the materials used to build your home, and if you’ve got thick plaster walls, a mesh system might also be a good pick to get whole-home coverage. But the most important thing is, that buying your own router gives you the flexibility to build a network that’s a good fit for your home.