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I have a small home LAN. We currently use DSL but are moving to an area where cable internet is preferred for speed reasons (3Mbit upload vs. 768kbit).

I'm fairly savvy w.r.t. networking, but I have no experience with cable internet and am having a hard time translating Comcast's marketing-speak into something I can understand.

We currently have:

  • Cisco 678 DSL router (connectivity and firewall), which connects by Ethernet to
  • LinkSys WRT54GL router running stock firmware,
    • connected by wired Ethernet to a one desktop
    • connected by wifi to two laptops

Is there way to buy some cable modem and simply swap it in for the DSL router? (The firewall responsibilities can be transferred to the LinkSys, I think.)

Comcast has a list of approved modems.

Comcast will lease me a cable modem but doesn't say specifically what it will be, and they say it's for "1 computer". So I'm leery of this route.

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The for one computer just means you need a router so there is one 'internet facing computer'. Personally I just lease a modem. I have only had issues with a modem once. And I just called them up and they replaced it for me. – MrStatic Aug 18 '10 at 3:27
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Sure - you can buy any of those approved modems and that will take the place of your Cisco DSL modem.

You'll probably have to call up Comcast when you hook it up to give them the MAC address of your new cable modem, and probably go into your Linksys router to change a few settings, but that's it.

This is the one I use for my cable internet through Charter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16825122011. If you look in the customer reviews you can see at least one owner is using it with Comcast and it works

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