A:Answer Going from a combo modem/router/phone to a modem/router (either a combo or separate modem and router) will force you to drop the digital phone.
Since cable companies price bundles cheaper than their pieces, your cable bill may increase when you drop the digital phone. Contact your cable company to see what the new rate would be, particularly if you are on a promotional discount.
I prefer separate components: Arris SB6141 or SB6183 modem, depending on what speed you are using. I just changed to an Airport Extreme for the router. I have both cable modems as well as an ASUS N900 for backup.
As far as 'more range' I recommend a reliable AC1750 or AC1900 router which will have the beamforming feature rather than DST's that rely on powerline technology.
