If you have home internet , you ’ll likely have been sent a towering internet box we call a cable length modem . Seemingly unobjectionable , that modem can cost you big fourth dimension over the days as you ordinarily have to pay rental fee to your ISP provider for using it . It only makes sense to get a your own modem , with some fundamentally pay for themselves .
However , you may not be certain which one to get . In this guide , we depend at the undecomposed cable modems for the three most pop cable cyberspace military service provider — Xfinity Comcast , Spectrum , and Cox — and give a solid recommendation for each . We also provide a solid budget recommendation that is just about equally full for all so long as you are n’t using your ISP ’s top speed plan .
Were you intending to get a router — the one that helps you get great Wi - Fi — check out our collection of thebest routersinstead .
The best cable modems in 2024
Netgear Nighthawk CM2050V
The best cable modem for Xfinity
You may know of Netgear as one of the best cable’s length modem manufacturer and require to get one for your Xfinity connection . Recently , however , Xfinity has shuffled around their approved modem and many popular Netgear selection , such as the Netgear Nighthawk CM1100 , have fall out of favour . In other Bible , the best Netgear for Xfinity is now the CM2050V. It has a 2.5Gbps ethernet port and allows for Xfinity Voice — a VoIP service that makes for clear call option — on up to two lines if you have that inspection and repair . The CM2050V has a smaller than average sizing and should work with any router .
Netgear Orbi CBR750
The best cable modem for Spectrum
If you ’re a Spectrum customer , you probably already sleep together the deal , but if this is an anticipatory leverage , this paragraph is for you . Spectrum does n’t charge tear for their modem the path other company do . ( If you ’re cynical , you could just think of the modem ’s monetary value as build - in . ) moreover , by and large , the great unwashed like this modem and have no problem with it . What you might want to do is avoid the router , which you do need to devote for and overall , the great unwashed do n’t wish .
This mean that if you are lead to get a modem at all , it should belike be a modem - router jazz group . And if you ’re snuff it to get one , why not get one of thebest modem - router combosout there ? The Netgear Orbi CBR750 is expectant for making awhole - home mesh internet — which get WiFi easier to get in big homes — and has WiFi 6 documentation , break the power to get riotous download speeds even without using a wired connection . This option is more expensive than many cable modem , but call up that modem - router jazz band are more expensive than modem alone .
Arris SURFboard SB8200
The best cable modem for Cox
If you ’re a Cox substance abuser , you will in all likelihood savor this Arris SURFboard modem . Cox has piles of Arris SURFboard modems in their approved inclination , and as a event , you could feel confident that their musical accompaniment staff will be used to link their systems with this modem ’s inner workings . It will lick with Xfinity , too , however . The Arris SURFboard SB8200 is a clean , New - sounding modem that is affordable , has an comfortable setup procedure , and includes dual ethernet port for link aggregation if you have a compatible router . There ’s not a peck to complain about this cable’s length modem , except perhaps that it is not a cable’s length - modem combo .
Arris SURFboard SB6190
The best budget cable modem
If you desire a gimcrack overseas telegram modem that does n’t need to last you for century , taste this Arris SURFboard . In the mod era , its defining feature will be its DOCSIS 3.0 connectivity , a communications protocol open of hand a max 100Mbps upstream and 1Gbps downstream speed . For many , that will beokay , but this machine has very limited future potential . When your not - the - best plan by nature upgrades over the years , you will incur yourself needing a new modem . On the flipside , this cable modem is one of the best of its communications protocol , featuring great channel bonding , a gorgeous material body , and a wide ISP compatibility . Due to its broken cost , even if you only have a bun in the oven to use it for a unretentive sentence , it may very well pay for itself .
How we chose these cable modems
Despite being a thrust - it - in - the - corner - and - forget - about - it kind of gimmick , your cable modem is a somewhat confusing piece of computer hardware from a length . If your intellect of what a cable modem is does n’t go far beyond “ net box ” you not only should n’t be abashed , but you also should n’t feel alone . Here are some fundamental things we look at , arranged in social club of what you are likely to find significant :
Price and build quality
There is an saw that cable modem will pay up for themselves , normally way before the two year mark is up . The logical thinking behind this is that most ISPs will provide a modem to you but also make you charter it . In the retentive term these rental charges tally up . Please be cognizant , though , if you bribe a cable modem with a low build lineament , no warranty , and a high price , this wo n’t hold truthful . Likewise , buying a depressed quality modem can efficaciously lower the fastness of your cyberspace . In this situation you’re able to mislay money on a router as you would be paying for a higher quality internet than what you were receiving .
If you purchase an appropriate cable modem that has seemly longevity , however , it will indeed pay for itself in the long run .
Modems and modem-router combos (Gateways)
To apply wireless net , you ’ll need a router . As such , another way that you may come through with the leverage of a cable modem is to combo it with a router . you could refer to this jazz group as a modem - router jazz group or “ gateway ” if you favor .
Not sure about the differences between amodem and router ? You ’re not alone .
Generally speak , having these separate is just fine . At the same time , combine them is often more space commodious and reduces wires . If you want more control over your system components , however , buy them singly is ideal . Since Spectrum gives you a overseas telegram modem with no split payments , there is less pecuniary bonus to get a modem for their service . However , since their router is generally considered subpar ( and requires leverage ) we recommend a modem - router jazz group for this ISP .
Recommended providers
intimately all cable modems will derive with compatibility statements saying that they are neat for Xfinity ( or Comcast ) , Spectrum , and Cox . However , that does n’t necessarily mean that a modem is idealistic for that finical ISP or your plan . Additionally , you may care to count at this issue in black eye . For deterrent example , Cox provides a list of cable modems that they sanction of . This suggests that support technicians will be well - versed with these modem and are more probable to be capable to help you adjudicate issues between their internet and your modem . If you ’re choosing your own modem , we can not insure that a product commend your ISP will be the ripe cable modem for it , but it is a proficient position to start .
Speed
upper is speed and we all desire speeding , right , but it is n’t as simple as that . commend that internet f number is a variety of ‘ weakest linkup detector ’ . Whether it is your WiFi router , your ethernet overseas telegram , your ISP , your modem or the botched job your ISP did in setting up your cyberspace , the slowest focal ratio of all of your equipmentis your speed . Youcanbuy a transmission line modem that allows for faster speeds than your cyberspace plan provides , but this will not boost the speed of your cyberspace . As a effect , many modems plow here are quite profligate , as they will cover the majority of plans and upgrades down the route . At the same time , we have also provided a budget option . There is no need to pay for a fancy cable modem for fair internet .
Another affair to be untrusting of is the moderately confusing messaging you will get about internet speed capabilities from cable modem manufacturers . While today ’s good computer games take space on the order of gigabytes , you probably still retrieve ‘ megabytes ’ as being the authoritative metric of the day . When reading about speeds , however , maker expend measurements of ‘ megabits ’ . This can become particularly confusing when abbreviation are used as Mbps stands for “ megabits per second ” . There are 8 megabits in a M .
DOCSIS 3.0 vs 3.1 (and even 4.0)
One matter that you will systematically see when shopping for cable modems is a DOCSIS version . If you do n’t need to get too technical , just think of DOCSIS 3.0 transmission line modems as slower but cheaper modems and DOCSIS 3.1 modems as idealistic for modern high - stop number connection . When in dubiety , get a DOCSIS 3.1 cable length modem , as it will serve you for longer , at least untilmulti - gigabit DOCSIS 4.0becomes the norm .
Ports
As unearthly as it may sound , you most likely only want one ethernet port on your modem . To explain it just , the vast legal age of simple modems can only put out internet via one of the ethernet ports . you may use this ethernet larboard to your machine directly or get in touch to a router , from which you may associate to multiple devices via the extra ethernet ports of your router ( which roleplay as a splitter ) or even link via WiFi . This take issue , however , in two situations — if you have a modem - router jazz group or if you want to use link aggregation .
Modem - router combinationswill typically come with four ethernet port , all useable with different gadget . To oversimplify , the more the rattling . It is no wonder that some of thebest routersare actually modem - router combos .
Sometimes you will find line modem with dual ethernet ports . These can be used forlink aggregation , an advanced networking technique that increases the bandwidth of your connection , potentially increasing download speeds .
Size and aesthetics
Cable modem are not conversation starters , they ’re twist that are a nigh - on necessity of the modern domicile . As such , you probably do n’t want a big , gangly twist taking up space in your home plate . If you plan to pop your cable modem on a ledge , check that you do n’t get one that is too tall for your intended shelf . Meanwhile , if aesthetic matter to you , the black Netgear modems will belike fade into the background of your rest home , but tend to expose the dust they pull together quite handily . Meanwhile , Arris SURFboard modem have a promising , forward-looking aesthetic that looks clean and bright .
