A few months ago I changed from my old Time Warner plan to a new Spectrum plan for Internet, TV, and Phone. This change saved me a LOT of money each month. The Spectrum Internet plan at 400M required me to install a new modem and router. I was provided an Arris modem and Sagemcom 5280 router (branded Spectrum).
The Arris modem is fine. The Sagemcom router is not -- it has both performance problems and functional deficiencies. (1) The router does not support NAT loopback, which means that you cannot access port forwarded resources from both outside your network and inside your network without reconfigurations based on your location. (2) It takes the router a relatively long period of time to acquire internet connectivity for a new WiFi connection. (3) WiFi connectivity is unreliable. I found the 2.4 signal to be weaker than many other routers, and it often drops completely, requiring the PC, tablet, or other device to go through WiFi activation again. (4) Many desirable functions are not supported: guest network, QOS, traffic analysis, firewall, etc.
When I contacted Spectrum, I was told that the Sagemcom router is the only one they offer. I then purchased my own router, an ASUS RT-AC88U. The ASUS routers have a good reputation, high function software, and this specific model has 8 wired ports. The ASUS router is terrific. All of the problems or function losses that I had with the Spectrum router are now fixed. I get 400M+ download, 20M+ upload, NAT loopback control, very long and very strong WiFi signals, guest network, traffic analysis, firewall, and a beautiful, easy to use GUI.
To be fair, my requirements are higher than most households. I am an IT professional, and I have been building networks for years. If you simply need WiFi connectivity in an average size house and you don't need to access servers and home security equipment from outside of your network, then the Sagemcom router is adequate. But if you need any extra configuration control or analysis in your network, and you need a really strong set of WiFi signals, then I recommend that you look for your own premium class router.
