I’m planning to buy a router and modem and put OpenWrt on it for maximum control and privacy. While I could get a router with an integrated DSL modem, the previous tenants had cable internet so I’m not sure if the DSL connection even works and DSL internet is also more expensive (at least where I live). Fiber optic is not available. The problem is, there is apparently no open firmware for cable modems so I would have to buy a standalone router and a standalone cable modem. I would put OpenWrt on the router and use whatever proprietary firmware came with the modem.

So my question is:
Can a standalone modem that doesn’t do routing, spy on you?
If yes a rough explanation how would be appreciated.

It seems that modem and router are used interchangeably on the internet (probably because they are mostly combined) so it is really hard to find any information on modems. Here are both Wikipedia articles for reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router_(computing)

  • zitrone 🍋OP
    2•2 months ago

    Thank you!

    After posting this yesterday when lying in bed trying to sleep (i posted directly before going to bed) I thought of a similar reason:

    Since (as far as i understood it) a modem is just a device that converts between 2 different types of internet signals, the ISP also needs one on their end to connect me to their data center. So it would be way easier for them to spy on their end of the cable (or signal, or whatever type of modem is used) than on my end, since there isn’t really much happening in between.

    • a Kendrick fan
      1•2 months ago

      thanks for this, I was also in this situation, I got a xiaomi router and flashed OpenWRT on it, I then turned off the Wifi switch on the ISP router making it a modem only but I was still concerned about my internet data as it moves between my modem and their servers. your comment made it clearer

      i should probably invest in that mullvad vpn now