Thanks for the advice! Would you mind giving me your opinions on the modems and routers I'm considering?
Router: the D-Link DIR-860L IEEE 802.11ac Wireless Router ($30) vs. the TP-Link AC1200 Wireless Wi-Fi Dual Band Fast Ethernet Router (Archer C50) ($50)? The TP-Link is a brand I've read a lot about, but it seems silly to pay $20 more if the D-Link will be just as good.
Modem: the ARRIS SURFboard SB6141 ($70) or the ARRIS SURFboard SB6183 ($90) (again, debating whether $20 is worth it for a piece of equipment that I've heard more about but to me seems pretty identical).
I use the SB6141 and the N900 also, and have gotten strong 150-160mbit speeds (currently at work so can't post results for speedtest).
Router: http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WNDR4500-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00HEX851C
Modem: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI
My experience with their combo modem was so horrible, it would always randomly crap out or reset or just outright stop working until I went and unplugged it and plugged it back in.
I didn't take long to go out and buy an SB6141.
Ever since I did that I've had no issues. The only thing was getting comcast to not charge me the damn modem rental though, it took a few months because they insisted I still had theirs even though I was clearly using my own and I had the receipt from when I took it back.
In the end they ended up giving me a credit for the 4 months they charged me the modem rental when I was using my own, it was a stupid battle to have.
SO, I always highly recommend you get your own modem, theirs sucks. It may even help with this issue but regardless having your own is so much better.
This is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1468337503&sr=1-2&keywords=comcast+modem
The router will not care what type of modem you are using.
Buying one will save you money after just a few months. This modem would work: https://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/
You will want WOW as they actually promise you 80% of the quoted speed.
For example, I have the 50/5 package, and if it was less than 40/4 and I call tech support, it honestly gets treated as a problem to be fixed.
Buy your own modem (motorola SB6141), and skip the home phone. Add the home phone to your wireless plan for $10/mo, and grab a cordless phone adapter., congrats you saved money on the phone plan and money on the equipment rental you are forced into with phone service. Also the rental unit is objectively worse a modem.
I would also suggest setting up a proper router & separate Wifi Access point. When I setup home networks for customers, I do it this way, and never have trouble calls.
I usually put in a RB2011UiAS or desktop version if everything isn't wired to the basement (Naperville code changed to require it sometime in the early 90s, so it will depend on the age of the property.), and then usually put in a nice enterprise AP, or repurpose a high end home router as an AP if it happens to already exist. Baltic Networks is over in Lisle (East of Naperville), so you can even grab it Willcall.
RouterOS is friendly, but only to people with basic networking skills. Unconfigured, you have to build your own routes. But you get performance like a $2500 cisco router for $100, and it's core functionality is reliable. They are like the AK-47 of routers.
If it is in the basement, have someone mount a section of halfinch plywood on 2 2x4s near where the cable/power/phone is setup. That way you can mount various equipment as needed in future.
If you need a switch, grab a Netgear model that starts with "GS".
Spend a little extra money setting up a nice network, and you save so much frustration, and everything is just rock solid.
I use a Motorola SB6141 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xRfNybA7RAB3R)
With an ASUS RT-AC68p (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PZX26NQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uTfNybV8Z262F) wireless router
I have XFINITY BLAST! (200 mbps) and here's a speed test I ran over my wifi this morning (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/2611305112)
Edit: Formatting
Monthly Services:
Necessary Hardware:
Optional Hardware:
I've heard stories of Comcast giving people grief if you buy your own device. After Comcast tried to shoehorn me into their all-in-one hotspot device (it's a modem/wireless AP/phone/hotspot POS with the least amount of configuration options ever), I bought a Motorola Surfboard. I called their customer service line and said "I need to provision a new modem", their customer service transferred me to the right people and within 10 minutes it was up and running. The harassment I think comes in when they realize that you don't really know what you're doing, so if you come in with the right codewords they just back off.
As for the Surfboard, it's an excellent device, and I found it in stock at my local Best Buy. It was a few dollars more than Amazon, but they do price matching, so the difference came down to just sales tax.
Buy your own modem and router. Seriously. When I moved to Lexington 2 summers ago, I lasted less than a month with the piece of electric dogshit modem they gave me before I broke down and bought my own, and it's a night and day difference. Before, I typically had to reset my modem no less than 4-6 times an evening if I was watching Netflix. Online gaming was out of the question. Typically got half of the speed I was paying for, less if it was during the evening.
After, all of that is gone. No lag spikes to speak of, no downtime. I get the full 50Mb down I pay for - I've occasionally seen it go a bit higher (55-60), but usually during off hours. I have zero complaints, and the new modem is really my only guess as to why it feels like my TWC and others are two completely different things.
For the modem, I recommend the Motorola SB6121 or Motorola SB6141. I personally own the second one, but both have fantastic reviews on Amazon.
For router, I recommend the Asus RT-N66U. Asus has a couple other cheaper options, but I can only personally vouch for this one.
If your internet is shit right now with TWC, give these a try and I'm willing to bet you'll be singing a different tune.