What is the primary need for a broadband modem? For starters, you might end up paying a good $6 a month as modem rental if you don’t have one of your own. Secondly, you might end up being limited by your ISP’s device. This is a situation that a lot of internet users face and typically, the ISP stands to gain if your device is unable to send and receive packet data at the speed that your ISP says it’s possible.

Another downside to standard devices is that you tend to be limited again by technological advancements because of their carriage capacity.

This is perhaps where the Motorola surfboard makes a Marlon Brando like entry into the scene, dominating the broadband circuits from the moment it hit the shop shelves.

What is the Motorola surfboard?

For the fear of an overstatement, it is a cable modem. But for all practical purposes and what you’d feel when you have it installed, it’s a dream-come-true. With an arguably best-in-class 38 megabits per second downstream and a 35 megabits upstream carriage capacity, whether you’re using a T1, a bonded T1, a T1c, or even a T3 connection, you can be rest assured you’ll be able to get the best out of your ISP. Although not exactly when it comes to the T3, which offers 44+ megabits in bandwidth but definitely a T2 or a Fractional T3.

This means that whether you’re a hardcore gamer, playing MMORPGs or working from home, extensively using VoIP, or for that matter just a movie buff who loves to download and watch, you’ll find a trustworthy, and hardy companion who won’t let you down, irrespective of your plan or the change in that plan. Choose wisely, go surf!

Motorola SB specs

The Motorola surfboard is a cable modem that has a network data transfer rate of 38 megabits per second. It uses TCP/IP and is compatible with all versions of Linux, Unix, PC (Windows), and Mac OS version 8 and above. The connectivity technology is Ethernet and Fast Ethernet, and the modem comes with its own 12V power supply and Ethernet cable. Be sure about what is in the box or whether your Motorola is in the box at all, when you order yours as many suppliers do not include the Ethernet cable.

Analysis

For an item that most techies prefer over the Motorola surfboard’s contemporaries, one might wonder if there are any weaknesses or threats at all. There are a few niggles but by and large, far outstripped by the advantages that this modem offers users.

The singular disadvantage pointed out by most users is that the cable modem tends to reset itself every now and then.

The dealmaker

If you are looking for one single or even a multitude of reasons why you should actually go ahead and pick up the Motorola Surfboard, here they are.

• The least of all, if you don’t have your own modem, you’ll save a fair bit of money in bandwidth tariffs.
• Second least important of all, the Motorola Surfboard is one of the most widely owned, sold and treasured cable modems as of date.
• One of the biggest reason why you should go for this modem as opposed to any of its contemporary competitors is the fact that it gives you as much as 38 megabits a second both ways. So irrespective of your usage and almost always irrespective of your plan, your surfboard will be a companion you’ll cherish for quite some time to come.
• The best reason to buy Motorola Surfboard? Well, if you ask the techies, they’ll give you alternatives. They’ll give you a whole host of options that they could recommend but if you ask them to be honest in their evaluation and ask them what they would buy if they had a choice, the answer is unanimous and unequivocally in favor of the Surfboard. In our experience with ADSL and cable modems, we are yet to hear of an advocate of any other that is competing in the same range.

The Bottomline

If you are looking for a modem that will suit your needs, give you the kind of transfer rates that you’ll really love to see, and give you the all-important value for money, the Motorola Surfboard is the way forward. The singular and only way forward.