DJ,
your not dealing with two different types of service are you ?
This situation could arise with ATT as they have Legacy DSL using one set of modem while the faster Uverse internet uses entirely different modems ... they are two separate types of service.
It's the same service - residential cable internet from Comcast. And I started with the same tier called "Performance", before I went to a faster tier. According to all of the lists on the internet, the 6121 is still an approved model even though it first came out a few years ago.
I really think since so many told her "no" when trying to use her own modem (2 techs and 3 CSR's), the orders are coming from up above about pushing modem rentals to customers who don't know all of the facts.
I talked to my aunt more and found out a lot more info on the install. It gets even worse... real bad.
Here we go:
The Comcast installer also told her that her Netgear N300 wireless router that she was using for her old DSL service would not work with their service either. So he disconnected it and told her it wasn't worth keeping. The tech wanted it but she argued that she better keep it.
The Arris modem Comcast is renting her also has wireless built in. One of the CSR's she talked to after the install said that they require their own wireless modems so that other Comcast customers in the area can use the service in the neighborhood. I think that is a load of crap. I have read about their modems having that hidden "feature", but never saw that it is now a requirement to have their internet service.
It sounds like a huge book of misinformation from their installers and CSR's that service the Memphis area.
When I changed out modems a few years ago and went with this faster one at the time, I was able to call Comcast and just have them replace my modem on my account from just providing the mac address and serial number. So when I visit my aunt in the next month or two, I will try to do the same thing for her and hook her Netgear wireless router back up as well.
They also disconnected a couple of her Directv feeds to other rooms when they did the install. From the way she explained it, the Comcast tech went into her attic and patched into one of the rooms existing coax to hook up the modem (a room she didn't want the modem but he said that was the only option), and totally disconnected the Directv feed to it and also another room. She called Comcast after the install to let them know the installer did that and they say they aren't responsible for any issues they caused with her Directv service.
The Comcast CSR claims that the last utility who utilizes an inside cable, gets to keep it hooked up. They say she will now have to get Directv to run new lines from the attic to the bedroom where the cable modem is now hooked up to replace the line Comcast took over. And fix any other rooms that were disconnected during the Comcast install.
She also got charged 2 install charges when she was told beforehand she was getting a free install - one for $49 and one charge for $99 because they say she was an "expert install" because she has Directv. Real big BS.
I know her house very well and the Comcast tech could have just run a line directly into the room she wanted the modem in from an outside wall. It would've been so quick and easy. Instead, he ran a line to the attic, then tried to patch into the existing cabling that was being used for her Directv service. And hooked it up into a room she didn't want it in. She wanted it in her home office, but they put it into her young daughter's bedroom.
I find it ponderous why Comcast did what they did. She said the Comcast tech was there almost 5 hours doing all of this and was very unfriendly.
It sounds like a big mess, so I'll be bringing a box of cable tv and Directv SWM splitters with me, along with a compression tool, connectors and a spool of cable to fix it all. She just can't afford any more charges from Comcast or whatever Directv would charge to fix Comcast's mess.
When I do go there, I will be taking pics of it all so I can forward it to Comcast and post here. Maybe they will re-imburse the cost of my flight (haha yeah right) since I wasn't going to go down there until probably Fall before this happened.