Arris TM602 Telephony Modem (Not Supported by Comcast)

How do I rate the product? Good enough that I decided to purchase one instead of renting it from Comcast. I'd already paid 2 years of rent to Comcast, why not own it, right? Here is what I have learned since purchasing this telephony modem.FIRST & FOREMOST: Arris and other Comcast approved manufacturers of telephony modems only sell to the cable companies or the cable companies' contracted vendors such as Best Buy. (http://www.arrisi.com/consumer/index.asp) What does that mean? Anyone who is selling this product online is not an authorized seller, so it's a roll of the dice, so BE FOREWARNED! Know that you have no recourse if the product is defective during the first year. You can't register it with the manufacturer...there is no warranty(good argument for renting, the cable company has to replace the modem).SECOND LESSON: Working with Comcast to activate the modem will be a nightmare and many reviewers stated so! These are just a few of the things I learned while trying to work with Comcast to activate my own modem.Please know I researched this product and read most of the reviews. Most praised the product but also told horror stories about working with Comcast. The ones who were successful, ended up using Comcast's online support and I eventually did as well... (https://www.comcastsupport.com/chatentry/).I contacted Comcast over the phone several times to install my new modem and got no help. Four different telephone support technicians told me I couldn't use the modem I purchased, even though it was the same as the one I rented. They told me that there was an approved list of modems and it wasn't on the list (IT WAS.) They told me I had to buy a Comcast-approved modem at Best-Buy, but after calling my local Best Buy and finding out they do not carry them, I called Comcast back and they confirmed that there were limited stores in Florida that carry the modems. What I have realized to be true is that the telephone techs have been trained to tell you any modem that isn't rented won't work with their system and they will not help you. In my humble opinion this seems like a monopoly to me...but that's just me.So after my initial frustration with Comcast, I contacted the seller, reboxed everything and was ready to ship it back. Reason for the return: did not work with Comcast and there were missing parts that the manufacturer lists as being in the package (Arris video listing packaging: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb_nqDlBUjk). The seller approved the return, at my expense and also noted that nothing was missing, that what he sent was how Arris packaged the modem. (After research, I realized he is not a vendor for Arris and have to wonder where these people buy this equipment...)Before returning it, I re-read the owners' reviews again and decided to try contacting Comcast's online support because the successful owners stated this was how they were able to get the modem activated and working on Comcast (https://www.comcastsupport.com/chatentry/).After nearly 5 hours of working with Comcast's online support, I was successful in having it activated. If you choose this route, here are the things I learned and may help you before going through the process.1. Make sure you have another internet connection that does not work with your current COMCAST modem. You will be disconnected from the Internet many times while they try to activate your modem and you won't have a way to communicate with them. Offer them your cell phone #.2. Copy and paste into a doc, all the transcript notes with the technicians. This will help when you lose connection with one tech, reconnect with another tech, and you can accurately tell them what previously transpired. The techs don't have access to your previous online chats...3. The first technician you chat with will ask for all the modem's info, like serial numbers and mac addresses. He will not be able to activate the modem until he transfers you to billing so they can change your modem from leased to owned. Billing will ask you for the s/n and mac addresses and add the modem to your account. They will then transfer you back to a tech and then the real activation process will begin.4. Offer to give the tech your cell phone # in case you are disconnected. Remember your Comcast phone won't work while you're changing modems. The tech who completed the process to activate our phone was kind enough to ask me for it. And she called me when we got disconnected.THE COMCAST ONLINE SUPPORT TEAM are Angels and will bend over backwards to help you if you have the patience to go through this process. Make sure you take the survey and let Comcast know how much you appreciate them. I hope to never have to work with Comcast's telephone support again!Two things I wish I'd known? 1. RESET your router after your modem is activated... http://10.0.0.1 -- normally the username and password is "admin" and "password." 2. To get the phone working you need to give the tech your MTA MAC #...all the ports in the back of your modem have addresses and your phone won't work until they have the MTA number.If you read a review that says the installation/activation was easy, question it. There is no way someone is going to install this product with ease.If I have a hard time returning the old modem to Comcast, I'll let you know. If you decide to buy this modem, Good luck!***And the Xfinity/Comcast Service Center clerk took the modem, scanned the back, printed a receipt had me sign and gave me a copy. No problems returning it!

Got a good few years out of it, but it may have stopped working sooner than I wanted it to.

This story lasted 7 1/2 hours on the phone with TWC. So I will share the short version. I was trying to save four dollars a month since TWC is now renting youTHEIR modem. With out this you can not receive THEIR product. I read the reviews on the modem, some were excellent and then there is always the guy who hates everything. Well two things I don't like:1. TWC. They did not explain the offering of purchasing a modem and installing it yourself. I found that because I have telephone, cable and internet it would require me to have two modems. After dealing with TWC ON THE PHONE FOR 41/2 HOURS I decided it was to much effort and the representatives had no indication what to do. I disconnected the purchased modem and reconnected TWC modem. I should say I am familar with this type of electronics to do it myself. Four hours later after they passed me along to every level of technican I was ready to bite someone. I finally got a series three tech and she was on the phone with me for about three minutes, she then said we will send a tech to your house in morning. It was 0430 in the morning then. Ten o'clock the tech arrived and I gave him my 5 minute fix this please. As of then I had no phone, no internet, my alarm system was inop and all this was working properly until the switch. The tech was at my house for 10 minutes and said your system is fixed up and running. The PROBLEM. TWC was still working on the sytem with two modems installed, this is after asking me to disconnect the purchased modem. The tech advised me that who ever was working in my computer (adminstrative control) screwed a lot of stuff up and did not leave proper notes and everyone was working off of his report.2. The modem came without a battery installed, either I missed this or the seller did not list. Not to worry, they accepted the modem and credited me immediately. No problems.3. I was trying to save a few dollars, it was not worth my time or aggravation. I asked TWC why don't you just sell me the modem I have had for 6 years?.....still waiting for an answer. Buyer Beware. Its not always the seller in this case it was the company providing the servce. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hopefully I will have saved you some if any aggravation.