Best cable modems in 2022
Best cablevision modems in 2022
Included in this guide:
If saving money is one of your resolutions for the new year, buying the best cablevision modem tin can help, particularly if you're still using the modem your cyberspace service provider gave you.
That Isp-provided modem normally isn't yours for gratis — your net provider likely charges a rental fee that can be as high every bit $xiv a month in some instances. That adds upwards over time. But ownership i of the best cable modems eliminates that recurring cost, letting y'all save money over fourth dimension.
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For $seventy or less, you tin can say farewell to subconscious rental fees forever. We've tested many dissimilar devices and these are our picks for the best cable modems.
What is the all-time cablevision modem?
For most people, the best cable modem is the Motorola MB7420. It works with a wide variety of net providers, including Comcast, Spectrum and Cox, and it delivers speeds that will serve the greatest number of people (anyone whose internet program tops out at 300 Mbps). Its two-year warranty is twice as long equally the warranty for the Netgear CM500, which also performed reliably in our tests. Since the CM500 commonly costs less than the MB7420, it's a worthy alternative for deal hunters.
If your net service features speeds topping 300 Mbps, look to Netgear's CM600, which is more dependable than its high-speed rivals.
The best cable modems y'all tin can buy right now
The Motorola MB7420 is the best cablevision modem for most homes, capable of supporting speeds available to a majority of home internet plans. The MB7420 is platonic for internet plans that top out at 300 Mbps, which covers a wide swath of our household. In testing the MB7420 at my home, I enjoyed steady connectivity, and that'south with multiple people stuck inside, all trying to striking the net at in one case. In fact, I've been using the MB7402 as my modem for a while now, without any problems or complaints.
The MB7420 isn't as tall as the Netgear CM500, our previous pick for the best cablevision modem, though some people may adopt the more than compact size of the Arris Surfboard modems. At least, the MB7420 looks stylish, with rounded corners and vented sides. Its gray colour should alloy in well with other networking equipment.
The blue and green lights on the MB7420 are bright enough to read at a distance without turning a dark room into a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation light show at night. I as well found the modem easy to set up with a coaxial connector sticking out of the modem's backside at a comfortable distance from its solitary ethernet port.
There'south not much separating the Motorola MB7420 from the Netgear CM500 every bit both performed dependably when we tested each modem. But the edge goes to Motorola because it offers a two-year warranty to Netgear's one-twelvemonth of coverage. That ways better protection for your investment, as the best cable modems tend to terminal for several yeas. The MB7420 can sometime driblet out of stock at retailers, but it's often available from Amazon, Best Purchase, B&H Photo and Target, where the toll hovers around $sixty.
The Netgear CM500 remains one of the best cablevision modems available, because it's easy to detect at about retailers; you can also find information technology for a little less than the Motorola MB7420 most of the time, making it a good value. Anytime you tin can discover a new CM500 for $50 or less, that's a good buy.
The Netgear CM500 works with the biggest cable providers and supports speeds of up to 300 Mbps, which should be enough for the vast majority of Internet users out there. (If you've got a high-speed plan, wait for a faster modem.)
In that location'southward really very little operation difference amidst the best cable modems in our testing, so it'due south seemingly slight distinctions that separate these devices. Opt for Netgear'south CM500, and you'll get a modem that's simply as capable as the Motorola MB7420 or the Arris SB6183. Yet, Netgear only offers a one-twelvemonth warranty, compared with two years for those rival modems.
Netgear's 16 x 4 modem enjoys wide compatibility with internet-service providers, and its pattern makes setup a cakewalk. At vii.3 inches, the CM500 is a little taller than the SB6183, and I found its indicator lights difficult to see, although at night, you may capeesh the lack of a calorie-free testify.
While almost homes opt for internet plans that hope speeds of around 100 to 300 Mbps, some people adopt higher-speed service. If your programme promises download speeds that superlative 300 Mbps, you lot'll want a cablevision modem that can take advantage of that greater performance. Netgear's CM600 is the best cablevision modem for those higher speeds, though you'll pay a little scrap more than you lot would for the CM500.
Netgear's modem doesn't utilize the same Intel Puma 6 chipset that'south been blamed for latency issues with some other loftier-speed modems, such as the Arris Surfboard SB6190. (At that place's a firmware update that resolves this issue, though ISPs whorl out such updates on their own schedule.) Because of that, yous can await reliable performance from the Netgear CM600 without the lags reported by users with Puma-6-powered modems.
The CM600 is a little on the tall side, but it's got a funky futuristic look. Like other Netgear modems, it has a i-year warranty.
The Arris Surfboard SB6183 was one time our choice for the best cable modem cheers to its solid performance that volition satisfy near domicile cyberspace customers who don't pay for loftier-speed service, though this older modem is harder to find these days. (Equally of this writing, All-time Buy is selling the SB6183.) If you lot can track downward the SB6183 at a competitive cost, its two-yr warranty also is a big plus.
At 5.ii x v x 2.i inches, the all-white SB6183 can be tucked unobtrusively next to a router, cable box and whatever other hardware yous have on mitt. The coaxial-cablevision connector is a piffling too close to the power connector for my gustation, but you're likely to have to deal with that but when setting upward the modem.
The SB6183 favors a simple row of vertical indicator lights that are easy enough to spot, though the xanthous lighting can be a little hard to encounter if your modem's in straight sunlight. Nevertheless, information technology'due south pretty easy to glance at the SB6183 to come across if there'due south any issue with your internet connectivity.
How to choose the best cable modem for you lot
We focus on DOCSIS 3.0 modems, though you lot'll also detect DOCSIS 3.i modems rolling out that are capable of delivering speeds that tiptop 1Gbps; if you're receiving DOCSiS iii.1 service, wait for a device that tin take reward of those faster speeds. If you don't get speeds greater than 1 Gbps with your net service, you can withal get with a DOCSIS 3.0 device like the ones reviewed to a higher place.
We haven't tested DOCSIS 3.i modems yet, but we can indicate to a few models with potent word of oral fissure. Netgear'southward CM1000 is backward-compatible with DOCSIS 3.0 for internet users who want to upgrade early. The modem has been certified by Comcast for use with its net service. Arris bills the Surfboard SB8200 as a future-facing modem, capable of treatment streaming ultra HD and high-performance gaming with its 32 download and eight upload channels. Motorola'south MB8600 modem also has 32 download and eight upload channels with Agile Queue Management for speeding upward folio loads and gaming.
DOCSIS iii.1 modems are more expensive than the DOCSIS 3.0 devices, though we've started to see some price drops. Typically priced around $180, you lot may exist able to notice a good DOCSIS 3.ane modem for less; equally of this writing, DOCSIS three.1 modem prices range betwixt $120 and $160 thanks to current discounts.
As for DOCSIS iii.0 devices, hither's what to consider and then that you tin choose the right modem:
• Compatibility: Confirm with your Internet access provider that the modem you're looking at volition work with the service you're paying for. Virtually DOCSIS three.0-certified modems should piece of work with DOCSIS-based internet service, but information technology always helps to confirm. Among the top ISPs, Comcast, Cox and Spectrum all offer sites for checking cable compatibility.
• Price and Warranty: You don't necessarily need to get the cheapest modem, but you should consider devices that pay for themselves inside a yr with what you salvage in rental fees. A twelvemonth-long warranty is the blank minimum you should take; two years of coverage is even ameliorate. As for toll, make sure to practise some comparison shopping before y'all buy. Retailers oftentimes offering deals on modems, so you could notice the model you want — or a reasonable alternative — at a lower price than y'all'd normally wait.
Monthly cable rental fee by internet provider
- Comcast: $xiv
- Spectrum: Included with service
- Cox: $7-$10
- Borderland: $10
- Suddenlink: $ten
- Sparklight: $viii
- Wow: $14
- Mediacomm: $eleven.50
A 16 x 4 cable modem delivers enough speed to effectively serve the majority of cable customers. That kind of modem typically costs $70 or less, and if you keep an middle out for deals, you might be able to discover a acme-rated modem for $fifty to $60. Modems that support the emerging DOCSIS 3.1 standard beginning typically toll $180 or so.
| DOCSIS 3.0 modem type | Maximum download speed | Compatible service tier (Cox, Spectrum, Xfiinity) |
| sixteen x four | Up to 300 Mbps | Cox Internet Preferred 150, Spectrum Cyberspace, Xfinity Performance Pro+ |
| 24 ten 8 | Upward to 600 Mbps | Cox Internet Ultimate 500, Spectrum Internet Ultra, Xfinity Extreme Pro+ |
| 32 10 8 | Upwardly to 900 Mbps | Cox Gigablast, Spectrum Internet, Gig, Xfinity Extreme Pro+ |
• Design: At that place's non much to differentiate the features on cablevision modems, which by and large sport the same set of indicator lights. You'll want one with like shooting fish in a barrel-to-spot lights, though if they're too vivid, they can actually low-cal up a room at dark.. Also, consider the size of a modem, since a compact design blends in more easily with your other networking equipment.
• Speed: A xvi x 4 modem (that's 16 download channels and four upload ones) should do the trick for homes receiving service capped at 300 Mbps. Whatever faster, and you should go with a 24 x viii or 32 x 8 modem, or a DOCSIS 3.i-compatible model if your ISP has upgraded to the new standard.
• Security: When shopping for a cable modem, bank check to brand certain that the model you're considering isn't vulnerable to the Cable Hunt software flaw found in the Broadcom chipsets that power many popular modems. If your modem is vulnerable, make certain a software patch is available from your ISP.
Annotation that the modems we've reviewed just provide internet connectivity. If you besides get your phone service bundled with your internet, that requires an eMTA or telephony modem — an entirely different blazon of device.
Best cablevision modem vs. best router
These days, makers of abode networking gear seem to favor modem-router combinations over standalone cable modems. It may be tempting to buy i of these hybrid networking devices instead of a split up modem and router, as you lot tin can take care of ii tasks with 1 device. Nosotros'd suggest confronting modem-router combos, though.
First, some groundwork: every bit our modem-vs.-router comparing explains, the two devices serve very unlike purposes. A cablevision modem brings cyberspace connectivity into your home while the best routers distribute that internet connection wirelessly, so that all your devices — laptops, phones, and smart-dwelling gadgets — tin hop on the internet. If you're dissatisfied with the achieve of your network, it's a router, non a modem, that y'all should be in the market for.
So why keep the two networking devices separate? If any function of a hybrid device fails, you're out both a modem and a router. It'due south too easier to upgrade individual networking devices, as routers add support for new networking features at a more than rapid pace. Modems evolve more slowly, equally y'all can see from the number of older models yet available.
How nosotros test the best cable modems
Nosotros test each cablevision modem on Comcast's Performance Pro domicile cyberspace service. After running speed tests to make sure the modems are delivering their promised download speeds, nosotros utilize the modems every bit part of regular networking setup to gauge dependability.
We hook up each modem we review in our reviewer'southward abode, using information technology as role of our networking setup. That allows united states of america to verify a modem's compatibility as well every bit to get a sense of its dependability. Since toll is as well an important consideration when modem shopping, we as well monitor retail sites for the best deals on the modems we've tested.
In addition to using the modems in a home with multiple connected laptops, smartphones and tablets, we besides evaluate the indicator lights on each modem to see that they're visible. Nosotros expect at how easy the modems are to prepare. And because the primary reason to get your own cablevision modem is to save on monthly rental fees for Isp-supplied modems, we heavily weight the length of a modem's warranty.
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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-modems,review-2832.html
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