Step By Step - Convert from Cable to Streaming

Negotiate your best deal with your Internet Service Provider

The first step and most important is setup your internet service provider. Depending on where you live, will depend on the choice of providers. Negotiate or renegotiate your best deal with one of them. Look for a plan they offer just for the internet. For instance Xfinity or WOW (common in the Midwest) they offer like a 300/30 plan. 300mb download load speeds and 10-25mbs upload for $30/mo. This is a very good deal and will easily support approximately 30 devices.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you have to purchase the biggest package they offer. You will only go as fast as your slowest connection. In other words, even though you may have an ultra fast network, if you connect to a slow website, you will have a slow experience. Also, their speeds are shared and bursted. Your connection is shared between many people and they have to manage that. Say you have a 700mb download speed, during high demand times, your speed may actually be 300mb or less.

Make the decision to use their cable modem or purchase your own
A home network is the system that connects all your devices — computers, phones, tablets, smart TVs, gaming consoles, printers, and smart home gadgets — to the internet and to each other. It typically includes:

• A modem – the device that connects your home to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• A router – the device that creates your local Wi-Fi and manages connections between devices.
• Cables and wireless connections – how your devices communicate.

For beginners, think of the modem as the “door” to the internet, and the router as the “traffic controller” that directs signals inside your home. Please see our article on setting up your home network.
Although it may seem overwhelming at first to use your own equipment, but it is actually quite liberating. It allows you to control the relationship as they are only providing you with the internet connection. If they get too expensive or the service isn't good, you can freely choose another provider easily since all they have to do is bring in the service. 
If it still feels overwhelming to change equipment, don't. Keep their cable modem/router, but still talk with them and get the best deal you can. I personally like their packages. I use WOW and get their 300/30 deal. I know Xfinity and spectrum have similar packages. Mine is 300mbs down/10-20 up for $30/month.

Location of Provider Equipment
Where to locate in home/apartment (Demarcation Point). This is where your provider will terminate their equipment. In a home and you have a basement, usually it will go there. From there you can position the ethernet cable exactly where you need to. If you live in an apartment, this may be right by your TV. Please see our article on setting up your home network. I will soon have videos that will go into detail on this part.

Setting Up a home network
This is only a one time setup. Once complete, you will have years of reliable fast service. See our article on how to accomplish this. We go over how and what equipment to order. How to do everything.

Setup Streaming

This is the fun part. You have 100% control over what and how you watch TV.
Enjoy your new streaming environment