Should I rent a wireless router, modem, or gateway from Viasat… or buy it myself?
When you sign up for ViaSat you need the same equipment that comes standard with any internet provider which is a router and a modem. Viasat also requires:
ViaSat provides all of this to their customers, but they’ll charge you for it.
The modem is what you use to access the internet from your house. Your internet provider is giving you the internet, but you need the modem to get to it. The routers what distributes that internet access to all the different devices in your home and connects them. Your router, for example, lets you connect a wireless printer to your computer. You don’t need an internet connection in order to connect devices in your home, but you still need both the router and the modem.
A wireless gateway, also called a combo, combines the functions of a modem and a router.
If you start your service with ViaSat, they will send you the router and modem automatically. This is part of your monthly cost for your internet plan, usually noted as the equipment rental cost. They send you the equipment you need, you pay for the rental fee every month, and then when you close out your contract or your account you send it back. If you don’t want to pay rental fees for this equipment you’ll have to make sure either that they don’t send it or you return it.
Viasat charges $12.99 per month for your equipment rental fee.
You have every right to provide your own equipment. Even though most companies send you a modem and router automatically as part of your account, they don’t actually send it to you to keep. They sent it to you to rent. By accepting the use of the company’s equipment you agree to pay a monthly fee every month you use the equipment. This is called the equipment rental fee or something similar. When you close out your account or you no longer have service with them, you have to send that equipment back.
Think of it the same way you get a new phone: if you upgrade to a new phone that costs $1,000, your plan might include a monthly payment towards the value of that phone but after two years you own the phone because you have paid off the full amount of that phone. The equipment you use for internet works much the same way except you might pay off the full value of that equipment every year that you are with the company, and in the end you never own it.
That said, no it is not usually a good deal. The equipment is valued at $299 by Viasat which means that in 23 months you will have paid for the entire value of the equipment. Theoretically you should own it by then given what you paid. But you don’t.
If you have a contract with Viasat for more than 2 years, then every two subsequent years you are effectively paying for an entirely new moden and router.
If you don’t want to pay, your only other option is to buy a router and modem yourself.
You need to make sure firstly that the modem you buy is compatible with ViaSat. You can’t simply purchase any modem and replace the equipment from your internet provider. Modems have to undergo certifications to make sure they can operate on the network from your internet provider. However, Viasat claims that most modern modems are compatible.
Be advised that if you choose to purchase your own equipment, it’s up to you to take care of it and that means knowing how it works and how to troubleshoot problems. For some people that’s second nature and for others it might take a little bit of education and internet surfing but it is completely possible. When you use company equipment, you can contact customer service, and submit a ticket. You have a whole team who can help you address the potential problem even if it does take a few days or a few weeks.
You can find many high quality reviews which offer side by side comparisons of different modems. This will include information on anything from top of the line, incredibly expensive Investments all the way down 2 passable Investments as well as the specs you might need to determine whether it is compatible with your internet speed and provider.
If you are trying to return your equipment and you have followed all the steps listed in your account and contacted customer service but are still having a hard time, we can help.
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