A couple of posts down I was asking about using Mediacom vs Qwest/Direct TV for my cable/satellite TV and internet provider. Well I made the decision to go with Mediacom.

Called Mediacom yesterday to line up the install planning to go with their 12 mbps internet connection (that is what they lady on Friday promoted to me). The guy I talked to yesterday said that their 3 mbps connection would be plenty good for what I am wanting to do. I plan to use the connection for general web surfing and logging into my companies Virtual Private Network (VPN). With my laptop and probably one other in the house, will the 3 mbps connection be good enough?

Going with the slower connection saves me about $360 over the two year contract so if it is good enough I would like to make use of it.

I opted to provide my own modem and router. Do you have any recommendations on modems and routers that are good? Gentleman with Mediacom recommended a Net Gear router.

I have a Linksya router that is probably 6 years old (only used about half of that time). The gentlemen with Mediacom warned me that routers slow down with time and that using this older router might cause me to experience slower wireless performance. He promoted that routers really only last 1 to 2 years. Is this true?

I appreciate your advice as this novice gets ready to set up his first at home network.

Thanks,

Ryan