does brand name router gives better security than router from cable provider?

Happy Hopping

Happy Hopping

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so, most ADSL or cable providers give you a modem / router that also functions as a firewall.

If I add a router from say Linksys EA3500, which was owned by Cisco

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...6&cm_re=linksys_ea3500-_-33-124-496-_-Product

does it offer better network security? Exactly what extras does it offer?

If not, who's buying these routers while every cable / ADSL provider all gives you a modem / router in the 1st place?
 
To answer one of your questions - people buy their own because even though the cable company lets you use one already, there is a fee for it in your monthly bill.
 
Happy Hopping said:
so, most ADSL or cable providers give you a modem / router that also functions as a firewall.

If I add a router from say Linksys EA3500, which was owned by Cisco

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...6&cm_re=linksys_ea3500-_-33-124-496-_-Product

does it offer better network security? Exactly what extras does it offer?

If not, who's buying these routers while every cable / ADSL provider all gives you a modem / router in the 1st place?
Click to expand...

Many times the router/modem combo is years old and does not support the newest wireless standards, may not have gigabit, may have a small connection state table, etc. In addition, an ISP provided modem/router is almost certainly backdoored by the ISP. They are generally able to change just about any setting at any time without your knowledge.

Then there is the part where ISPs charge $6-10/month for the privilege of you handing over control of your home network to the ISP. This is why myself, and many others use our own routers rather than the ISPs.

My last ISP(Mexico) didn't charge a modem rental, but one of the first things I did was to change it to bridge mode and let my router do the routing (I torrent a lot, so low-end routers need rebooting for me after a few hours because of a full connection state table).
 
For an average household, who uses connection from PC to router to the wall, even if there is gigabit, what benefit could they have?

What is a "full connection state table"?

what setting would they change and why?
 
That EA3500 is a bad buy at $82, you can do much better in the under $100 router range.

Often with a an ISP router you don't have as much control over it as with a router you bought yourself. This means you may miss out on firmware updates that have security fixes or might be unable to open a needed port or setup some custom configurations to work better.
 
A properly setup firewall will have default rules that block all traffic both inbound and outbound and to log all such attempts. You then add rules to allow just the ports and destinations needed based on what authorized programs you are running.

Most the router/firewalls provided by ISPs will block inbound traffic unless you have put in a 'port forward' entry. But they allow all outbound traffic since the ISPs don't want to have to deal with the "My XXX doesn't work" complaints and the resulting changes to the firewall rules. A lot of the 'Consumer Grade' firewall/routers work the same way.

The sad thing is even with all of the publicity on corporate data breaches, many companies still assume that end users allow all outbound ports.
 
If you have a cable provider and they allow you to buy your own DOCSIS 3.0 modem, do so. It pays for itself in a matter of months. Same with the router/firewall you will put behind it (so most likely will need two devices).

The modem will be in bridged mode, which is what you want. No public IP or anything on it. Just hand off ethernet to whatever firewall you want to buy, then control your own security.
 
I didn't know that trick. I thought cable / ADSL provider always want you to buy their brand name modem
 
that's why I bought it straight out. On that matter, I know there are still small business who never read their phone bill, and still RENTING a phone w/ the circular DIAL pad.
 
I use my provider (Comcast) router. Yes, I know I pay a fee per month, but I have the convenience of it breaking, or malfunctioning its not mine, its Comcast. Within the past 3 years I have ran through three routers (expensive ones too). That's when I decided to just pay Comcast those $6 per month and not worry about it. My last router I purchased, Belkin N+ router, now sits within my network in bridge mode. This allows guests to have a strong signal on that side of my house. No complaints on my end.
 
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