Most ISPs charge $10 a month to rent a modem-that's $120 a year, every year, on top of what you're already paying for Internet access. You should buy a cable modem if you're currently paying a fee to rent one from your ISP. Thorin Klosowski spent almost six years at Lifehacker writing about hardware, software, and every other facet of technology.
Prior to writing for a living, Joel was an IT tech and sysadmin for small, medium, and large companies.
Why you should trust usīefore joining Wirecutter, Joel Santo Domingo tested and has written about PCs, networking products, and personal tech at PCMag and PC Magazine for more than 17 years. But you should call Suddenlink to verify compatibility before purchasing. *Suddenlink told us that all DOCSIS 3.0 modems will work with the company's service. Modem compatibility list, updated October 2018
And they may not even let you bring your own modem once they do roll out gigabit service. The added expense of the DOCSIS 3.1 modems isn't worth it until you're on one of these new (and pricey) plans-especially since your ISP may roll out gigabit over fiber rather than cable. Though it's overkill for almost everyone, you'll need a DOCSIS 3.1 modem to guarantee gigabit speeds from most cable ISPs, and the MB8600 is also compatible with gigabit Internet on networks that still use the DOCSIS 3.0 standard, for example Cable One supports both DOCSIS 3.0 (32x8) and DOCSIS 3.1 modems for its GigaOne service.ĭon't get a gigabit modem unless you already have gigabit service or know it's available. If you already have a gigabit Internet plan and your ISP allows you to use your own modem, the Motorola MB8600 is the best of the three DOCSIS 3.1 modems that are widely available right now because of its relatively low price and its two-year warranty. You'd save barely any money up front and have to replace your modem years earlier, so we don't recommend it.) (We recommend 16×4 modems like the CM500 even if your plan would work with a slower modem, because ISPs are dropping support for 8×4 modems. The CM500 has a good reputation for reliability, but like the CM600 it comes with only a one-year warranty.
The CM500 matches the ISP compatibility of the pricier CM600, but its maximum download and upload speeds are lower (300 Mbps on the CM500 versus 600 Mbps on the CM600, though Suddenlink certifies it for 500 Mbps speeds).
If your plan is in that range and you don't intend to upgrade beyond 300 Mbps anytime soon, we recommend the Netgear CM500.
It's a great choice if your ISP supports it.Īmerica's average Internet speeds measure well below 100 Mbps, ranging from the low 20s to figures approaching 70 Mbps, depending on which survey you pick. The MB7621 doesn't have quite as large a pool of reviews, but what people have to say is very positive. But it doesn't appear on quite as many ISP approved modem lists as the Netgear modems Cable One, Cox, and Comcast Xfinity all have the MB7621 on their online approved lists, but you'll have to call Spectrum and WOW to make sure it will work on their networks and what speeds it will support. The MB7621 is less expensive and comes with a two-year warranty, a year longer than the CM600's coverage.
The Motorola MB7621 is a 24×8 DOCSIS 3.0 modem that supports the same performance levels as the Netgear CM600. The biggest downside is that, while the CM600 has positive reviews from owners, it comes with only a one-year warranty, while most modems come with a two-year warranty. The CM600 works well for plans up to 600 megabits per second, because it's a DOCSIS 3.0 modem that can handle 24 downstream channels and eight upstream channels. The CM600 is reliable, supports the fastest Internet speeds available to the vast majority of Americans, and it's compatible with just about every non-gigabit plan from every cable Internet service provider in the US-including Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum (formerly Time Warner, Charter, and Bright House), Cox, Suddenlink, Cable One, and WOW-which gives you the flexibility to switch providers if you move or switch ISPs. You can recoup the cost of the modem in as little as nine months-and then start saving up to $10 each month.
Read the full guide to cable modems.Īfter researching nearly 100 cable modems over the past five years, we recommend the Netgear CM600 if you have cable Internet and you want to stop paying your Internet service provider a separate modem rental fee. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. By Joel Santo Domingo and Thorin Klosowski