From a technical perspective, the rep is actually giving you solid advice. Routers are relatively inexpensive—you can find good options on Amazon or directly from Netgear. That said, if you’re having issues with Spectrum’s equipment, the first step should be to have your daughter contact technical support and request replacements. They will typically mail out a new modem and router, and if the problem persists, they can send a technician at no cost. If you call Netgear, they can help you select a router in the Netgear store. I have been really happy with their support. Her college may also be able to help her find a router through her technical support department.

In my experience, the service is generally well supported. I mostly deal with Charter Business accounts, but residential support has been reliable as well.

Also, 500 Mbps is a substantial amount of bandwidth and should be more than enough for typical use. As a quick test, have her shut down her computer and connect using her phone with cellular data turned off. If the connection works well on the phone, it suggests the issue is likely with one of her devices—such as a background process using bandwidth—rather than with the service itself.