Whether your Internet service provider (ISP) is Verizon FiOS, CenturyLink, Xfinity, or one of the other providers around the world, you're missing out if you use the router you were given when you signed up for access. You might limit your Wi-Fi speeds or miss out on other benefits of routers with more features. You might be tracked for marketing purposes, or they might even share your Wi-Fi as a hotspot for other subscribers, as is the case with Xfinity Wi-Fi. You might not even get the full speed you're paying for, especially if you upgraded your speed at some point but kept the same equipment. Don't let the ISP's outdated hardware keep you from surfing paradise.
4 The Wi-Fi speed may be slower
Few ISP routers offer a good Wi-Fi experience
Many ISPs use older router hardware or don't update their offerings as quickly as the market. While some ISPs have upgraded their gateways to Wi-Fi 6E, many still use Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5, or may be even slower depending on how long you've had your router. It's probably true that you don't need Wi-Fi 7 now, but it never hurts to think ahead, and current devices use the fastest version of Wi-Fi available. It's also true that Wi-Fi is only as good as the signal from the router, and the routers ISPs rent out are usually subpar.
If you're looking to improve your WiFi experience, a mesh router setup can provide a much better WiFi signal throughout your home. Rather than using a router and some extenders, each mesh router is a full-featured router with the same hardware as the one connected to your internet. This eliminates any dead spots in your home and often means you can connect wired Ethernet devices throughout your home without having to run cables. While some ISPs do offer a mesh router option, these are often overpriced or use older technology, so you'll have a better experience with your own router.
3 In general, ISP routers are simple at best
Almost every third-party router has better hardware
Modern routers have many useful features, including things you may not have considered. These include companion apps for your smartphone that let you manage passwords, Wi-Fi settings, parental controls, and more—all from wherever your smartphone is. This app can also notify you when new devices connect to your network, potentially letting you know if someone has breached your security.
But newer routers don't just offer convenience features. You're also likely to get faster Ethernet ports, as many new routers come with 2.5GbE and even 10GbE ports, not just the 1GbE ports found on older devices. You may not have as many devices that can use the fastest standards, but that may change over time, and you'll appreciate the option when it does. And the CPU and RAM in modern routers are more powerful and numerous, which is important considering how many devices can be connected to your Wi-Fi at once. The more devices there are, the greater the strain on the router's resources, and having faster hardware inside makes a huge difference to everyone's user experience.
2 They may charge a monthly rental fee
Router-as-a-Service is not a good option
Most ISPs often charge an additional monthly fee for the router. This may be a line item on your bill, part of a more expensive package, or part of a promotion. However, the promotional period ends and if the router is tied to a specific package, you are locked in and cannot change packages. Since most router rentals cost $10 or more per month, this adds up quickly. Then they demand the router back at the end of your service contract, regardless of how long you rented it for, and threaten hefty penalty fees if you forget.
Since the best budget routers often cost less than $100, you could be saving money and owning your own hardware within a year. That's a double win, because you often get features the ISP-provided base router doesn't, like faster Wi-Fi versions or more Ethernet ports for wired connections. ISPs know this and try to say they won't support connection speeds if you use anything other than their hardware, but that's becoming increasingly rare. The last time I signed up for internet with FiOS, they set up my connection with Ethernet, so I could use my own router from day one, and that's the way it should be. Modern routers are also much more user-friendly to set up. Eero and a few others offer app-based setup that's easy and does most of the work for you.
1 You want to be in control, not them
The ISP's firmware is often limited or worse
While having an app to manage the router is a benefit of modern routers, the features and controls within the firmware can be even more important. Many, if not most, ISPs lock down router firmware so customers don't have access to advanced features. Sometimes they even charge a fee to unlock them. Things like antivirus or firewall features or parental controls are often a subscription that's on top of what the ISP charges to rent their router. To be fair to network providers, these are often subscription features on many modern routers too, since we live in the age of subscriptions. But not every modern router needs a subscription to set up advanced security features. For example, Asus routers come with AiProtection for free, which protects against malware and other things.
The other important aspect of having your own hardware is that the ISP is not responsible for updates and cannot change any features or settings in it. This is not an everyday problem, but it does happen and it happened to me a few times with one of the larger cable internet providers. You don't want hackers or other threats on your home network, so why would you want the ISP to be able to change things? You can lock them out with your own router hardware to protect yourself. This is even possible if you need a router-modem combo for cable internet and the ISP can't change your network options.
Whoever your ISP is, your home network deserves a router you control
If you're relatively tech-savvy, using your own router will give you a better internet experience. Not only will you have control over the hardware and its settings, but you'll likely get better Wi-Fi. If you choose a mesh router, you can expand your home network relatively easily. Plus, you know your ISP won't lock you out of anything or – worse – monitor your website traffic, sell the data, and show ads.