Huh, I wonder why they are telling you to replace it. Both models you mention are DOCSIS 3.0 only difference I see is the 6180 is dual thread making it capable of higher download speeds.
Are you paying for an Internet package faster than 343Mbps? (the new one can do up to 686Mbps)
Wow, that’s cheaper than I bought the 6141 for and I’m still within the return period. Hopefully I kept the packaging.
Sorry, I mistyped. I ment 3.0
Regarding the 6141 and Comcast End of Life status: (per http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cable-modem/) Article dated December 2015 - so recent
We’ve been hearing a number of reports that Comcast has moved our pick, the Motorola Surfboard SB6141, to end-of-life status. The leased version has; the retail version (our pick) hasn’t. We spoke to our contacts at Comcast HQ, and here’s what they told us:
“…[W]e recently moved the SB6141 to end of life status for customers who have been leasing that particular modem from us. We will be swapping that device with newer models for no additional charge (for leased customers) as needed. For customers who have either already purchased the SB6141 or are considering buying one, we continue to support the device and we’re working with the manufacturer to ensure it continues to receive regular firmware updates that keep it running well. However, if they are unable to continue to provide regular firmware updates (such as bug fixes), then we may also consider moving the retail version to end of life status as well.”
the 6183 actually has 16 download channels vs 8 …
I own my 6141 but I did get the email… One person put it really nicely… even if you dont pay for that full bandwidth … having 8 more channels available for access means you will get less latency/delays if you live in an area with high internet use… it just gives you 8 additional channels your cable modem could select in a pool from when trying to downlink data.
I dont have anything beyond the slightly better internet speed package (honestly forget comcast weird naming schemes) … but I average around 120 down… 20 up…
I wasn’t planning on buying one right away but the sale on WOOT came up and I had a discount coupon code that had to be used up in a few weeks so it was a win-win situation. At least now I know I will be compliant for a while … I am not terribly upset because I got the 6141 last year or so pretty cheap (like $40 … and in what I saved in modem rental fees it already has “paid” for itself and then some … so I still see this as coming out way ahead vs all the wasted money I would have blown if I rented my cable modem)
I think there was some kind of mixup with people who rented vs own from comcast but I just previously said … what I saved in rental fees the 6141 has already paid for itself and im still ahead getting the 6183 for less than retail… so its win-win … and the 83 has more download channels available to it so there is less potential for congestion since the modem has more channels it can select from … (not that its any faster but it has more options now)
I have had Comcast for over 15 years and have my own modem and router. I have not had any issues, but I did go to their approved modem site prior to my purchases and I have an excellent set up with the most current technology. Thanks to my new Tablo 4-tuner DVR I will be getting rid of Comcast tv but keeping their internet this week.
The funny thing is I only had the 6141 for a year or so and it was on their approved list at the time … no problems… 1 year later and they send that email-letter… but its no biggie since I got that modem cheap as a factory refirb and I just got the 6183 also cheaply (about the same price last year for the 6141 ) … it will pay for itself like the other one did in just a few short months in savings vs renting their modem. I’m sure the 6141 would have been enabled by comcast for sometime but since the opportunity to get the 6183 (comcast’s “recommended” upgrade for my modem) I jumped on it.
I have the 6183, but unless you have a very high tier of Comcast cable, I don’t understand why your 6141 wouldn’t work. It is still on the approved list and it is a great modem. Is your router up to date? If you have an old router, it will slow down your network.
I think you missed my previous post… I didn’t initiate the change… Comcast did!!
The 6141 worked/s fine… I just got a letter from comcast (see above post/screenshot of letter) that they are deprecating support for the 6141 and it will no longer be supported and they ask you to upgrade… that said I am sure it would work for sometime … I only upgraded since the opportunity to get a 6183 and nearly the same half-off price that I got the 6141 at came up…
even if you dont have the top tier comcast cable service… having 8 extra channels for the modem to utilize can significantly reduce congestion / latency if you are in an area with a lot of other customers … since it gives the modem 50% more channels to select from where the traffic might be lower or absent.
No, I did see your post. I was agreeing with you that it doesn’t make sense that comcast is requesting the change. And yes, of course the better router with more channels could help. Did you contact them directly? I’m curious how they can justify asking you to get a new modem when yours is already docsis 3.0. I know when I had home phone service with them they claimed I had to use their special modem. But I got rid of that because I didn’t need it. I’m done with Comcast. I am hoping Google Fiber or maybe Verizon Fios comes to my area so I can leave Comcast for ever.
Yea i’d love google fiber or even Fios as well but I am a bit too rural … im guessing maybe 10 more years… unless the local town decides to run their own … (Though I am not a fan of Verizon either… the same people who failed to update my cell phone billing address after we moved, despite my repeated change of address filled out on the bill itself where it asks if you have a change of address, including new address STAPLED to my check with a letter stapled to that informing of my change of address and repeated calling of their customer service) … fortunately a friend who lived at my old apt would forward them long after the US postal service stopped)
No I didnt contact them… as I said the chance to get the 6183 came up and I figured at some point i’d need to upgrade anyway and it was a good deal (like $50 US) …
Funny you mention the phone … I had thought to keep it but when I asked what just having internet and phone (no triple play) would cost it was outragous … so I dropped the phone and went with internet only … shortly after I got my own consumer owned modem … they jacked up the fee like $7 (which isnt much different than what I had been paying renting the modem only) … they get you coming and going.
You should have heard the conversation with the Verizon customer support when I finally called to cancel our cell service the reason why I was canceling “failure of verizon to update my billing address to our new address” … and yes… I did actually cancel because of that.
Yes, I’m guesing Verizon isn’t much better than Comcast, but I am done with them having the only cable internet in most areas. Wide Open West (Wow Way) is an excellent cable company, but they are only offered in a few states and a few cities in those states. I had them before I moved and they were better than comcast and less expensive. You got a great deal on that modem!
See why I just got it… lol!
I have the 6141 and I haven’t gotten an email or letter from Comcast yet, but I’m capped at 100mbps which is well within the abilities of the router. If I do get the letter, I assume I can just disregard it . . .
Yeah, I don’t anticipate gigabit service in my area any time soon. The 6141 supports up to 343mbps. I think most people should be fine with it, as long as it continues to be supported by the OEM.
As I understand it its not a question of speed but of support… comcast will no longer be updating these modems and they could stop working at any time in the future (comcast/your ISP applies updates to the firmware)… so you could (in theory) find it just stops working because they have updated something on their backend and will not be deploying the matching update for your modem… but I would hope they do send you a letter before then
Uhhh…no? That’s not the case at all. It’s reliant on the OEM (Motorola). They said they will try to support customer owned 6141s as long as moto does.
Per the article @jvh4 linked
W]e recently moved the SB6141 to end of life status for customers who have been leasing that particular modem from us. We will be swapping that device with newer models for no additional charge (for leased customers) as needed. For customers who have either already purchased the SB6141 or are considering buying one, we continue to support the device and we’re working with the manufacturer to ensure it continues to receive regular firmware updates that keep it running well. However, if they are unable to continue to provide regular firmware updates (such as bug fixes), then we may also consider moving the retail version to end of life status as well."
