If you're paying the $7 rental price or if the rental is included in the promotion, then you'll get a Cisco DPC3825 or SMC D3GN depending on what the store has in stock. If you're paying $8 for the rental you'll get the Hitron.
I personally don't want to settle with the Cisco or SMC. That's my opinion. I wonder how the HiTron works for some people with various experiences....
If I were to get either the Cisco, SMC or HiTron and have my own router - I have to set up "bridge mode".
If you're using your own router. Whether you get a Cisco or a Hitron is irrelevant. They are both perfectly good standalone modems when put in bridge mode. There is no advantage to having either one. The SMC is also a good modem in bridge mode as well, however it only supports 4 bonded channels on the downstream so it's not as futureproof.
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