Routers/Modems/ISPs

General WiFi
#1

Routers So i am trying to get a run down on a good router for single home
i am currently running a nighthawk ac1900 router as my AP for my ISPs ( Centurylink) Fibre optic package of a Router/Modem Combo.

Modems is This Thing even a modem or is it a Hack? (ZyXel c1100z)

ISPs Why do they try to lie to you whats in it for them , why do they throw everyone on one network channel & make the rest fight for a good signal? im really fixed on how ISP’s claim theres a full potential when package is installed but i haven’t see high numbers in Mbps and im seeing lower numbers in my mb/s.

i currently need the step by step basis of how to run my 3rd party router (Nighthawk Ac1900 ) as my only router instead of my isp’s janky zyxel c1100z i want the fastest speeds as advertised. Need to figure out how to run only my ONT & My 3rd party router. Please Dumb It Down just a little i know my way around electronics… Can someone please help me out ?

#2

Just turn off the WiFi and DHCP on the ISP “router”.

1 Like
#3

i have turned off the wifi but i dont see the point of turning off the dhcp, i want to make my ONT & third party router my only set up, so my question is how do i do that ?

#4

Modems is This Thing even a modem or is it a Hack? (ZyXel c1100z)

The Zyxel C1100Z is definetely a DSL modem! It’s a pretty typical “gateway” that you’d get from your ISP, technically including several pieces of hardware in one box:

  • Modem (talks to the ISP)
  • Router (directs traffic around on the network)
  • Access Point (provides Wi-Fi access to the internet)

Personally, I think these little boxes are just fine for what they are: little modem/router/access point combo boxes. They typically do the job just fine, but if you want to maximize network performance, you can turn it into a “dumb modem” that ONLY handles talking to your ISP. Then, you can use your Nighthawk for router and access point functions. That kinda helps everything be the best, but it does require a bit of technical work to set up.

We have a guide that explains how to set this up on the CenturyLink modem, which you can find here. It won’t be exact for your model, but it should give you an idea of what to do. I hope that helps!

1 Like
#5

I second what Joel said.

It is best to disable DHCP on your modem and configure it with a static IP address. Use your Nighthawk as the DHCP server. This way, if your modem/combo needs to be replaced, say you decide to change ISP to broadband, then you only need to replace the modem and nothing on the LAN side is affected.