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Forum Discussion
CAX30 - Mediacom switching to Fiber Optic.
I bought a CAX30 about eight months ago. Mediacom just called me to let me know they are installing fiber optic lines to the houses in the near future. From what I understand, I will not be able to use the CAX30 because they will provide an ONT, and I will only need a router? Please be patient. This is all new to me. I believe Mediacom will provide a router, but, of course, a rental fee forever, so I'd rather just BUY what I do need.
Can someone recommend a reasonably priced Netgear router? I've been very happy with the one I have and a bit irked that I can't use it since it wasn't the cheapest but I realize this probably isn't a place to be stingy. I don't do any online gaming. I use it primarily for work.
Thanks for any help!
4 Replies
Yes, the CAX30 is intended to connect to a cable system, not a fiber optic system. However....
The first step is to learn exactly what Mediacom intends to install and what your options are.
- They must install a device to terminate the optical fiber, but this device might be a simple Optical Network Terminator (ONT) or it might be a combination ONT/router/WiFi device.
- For example, this web page appears to indicate that Mediacom installs eero WiFi routers.
- Also this comment in reference to their 1G "deal"
Oh Lord, no that EERO crap again! I have one computer that connects WIRED. It didn't work when we tried the EERO things. I sent them all back and told them what to do with them. Thank you, yes, I don't know yet. I called but they can't say yet, at least not for me.
I have no personal experience with eero. Amazon seems to sell a lot of them, and they get decent reviews. As far as I am aware, there is no eero model that connects directly to fiber.
Thus, the ISP is likely to install a fiber ONT. As long as you know what is required to connect to their network (some ISPs use DHCP. some require user name/password logins), then you could connect any brand of router to the ONT.
In 2025, it "makes sense" to purchase a WiFi router that at least supports WiFi6. (802.11ax) There are already user devices which support WiFi6E and WiFi7, and over the next couple of years it is more likely that customers may acquire devices which can benefit from those advanced capabilities.
Thanks again!!! I just had an issue with the eero devices in my house because once you connect them to the router, you no longer can have any wired connections. I use wireless myself but I have a roommate who uses ethernet cable to connect and now that I think about it, my wireless printer connects to my router, but it also needs an ethernet cable. I'll be happy to be on the fiber, it's just the change that bugs me, and not knowing what all is provided by Mediacom. I'm going to call them again tomorrow and see if I can get some answers. They have to have SOME customers on fiber, they keep bragging about it.
