I've been renting a Zyxel PK5001z for a few years and want to buy the best all-around modem router for the money.
We live in a rural area and have Centurylink 6 Mbps ADSL, but there is a petition going around for them to upgrade the system out here just to get better DSL, and also because we have been having problems for years with a hum on the phone line and simultaneous internet problems that all come and go - especially when it rains. They came out and worked on the system again last week and got it better (for now). They've been out many times in the past few years and everyone out this way has been having the same problems coming and going. We still have a very slight hum on the line but they said that's about as good as it will get.
I used to get about 5.5 down and now am getting only 3.2 to 3.8 down.
Also, the PK5001z likes to be reset a lot or it gets out of wack and slows downs and hangs intermittently. I'm not happy with this modem. I just checked the firmware and it's up to date.
Question #1: I've read through several threads here and it seems like the C1100z modem is a often recommended one. It can be bought for $99 in the local Centurylink store. Is that probably my best bet or is there a better selection for good reliability/stability, speed, and router range - whether it be a Centurylink branded one or another in that general price range?
Question #2: I've also been using a Netgear WNR2000v2 N300 router with the PK5001z because it works a little better throughout the house. When I buy a new modem, I'll try the internal router on it vs the Netgear router to see which works better. I may also consider a new router if there is one that will do better than either the Netgear or the one on the modem I buy, so is there a router in the ~$100 price range that will beat them noticeably on performance? I was looking at this one - https://goo.gl/C1KT1U [TP-Link Archer AC1900 Smart WiFi Router - Dual-Band Gigabit (C9)] Will that or another router in that price range give me much improved performance over the Netgear router I have or the one that will come in the modem you recommend?
Thanks in advance,
Kelvin
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