But I'd rather spend $5 on a filter than $25 or more even if they're just almost as good. 

Wait and spend time in the marketYes, this won't make you rich quick, but it will make you wealthy overtime.

I have no idea why (never had a single fraud issue), but after spending several hours going down the rabbithole of figuring why this happened, we just want a solution.Some of the other banks we are with seem to make it overly complicated to have more than a single account.Any recos?

If you spend all that money on a DIY buy the best glue you can.

If the modem and router are separate devices, spend up and get a high quality wireless router. 

To be frank, if an individual does not understand their role, they are most likely going to squander the opportunity. 

You could also qualify if you spend more time on the property than anyone else involved, regardless of hitting 100 hours.Ex. managing contractors, handling bookings, setting up the property, or dealing with guest communications, you might meet the material participation requirement without needing to track 100 hours.The key is to document everything.

This takes a little more work, but it's the fairest and reduces the likelihood of tenants that squander utilities.If you choose #2 or #3, there are considerations:Start with an average.

How many hours do you spend managing the property vs. others, etc?

Think of it this way…you take on a flip, you spend 2 months on renovations, 1 month on market, 1 month under contract.