The best cable modems 2023

Not only is purchasing your own Internet modem a great way to avoid paying rental fees from your ISP — choosing a better model than what your cable company offers allows you to unlock better Internet and network performance. And if you’re paying for blazing-fast internet speeds, running one of the better cable modems can unlock performance you’d otherwise lose with a slower model.

Of course, you don’t have to buy the most expensive model. Some (like our favourite, Motorola MG7700) doubles as a router and comes with dual-band Wi-Fi 5 built into it, which is probably all the networking hardware you’ll ever need. Alternatively, for those looking for a cheap and flashy modem to get out of their ISP rental package, here’s the Netgear CM500 It is a very smart and popular choice.

Whatever type of modem you need, this list has something for you. Here are some of the best cable modems you can buy today.

DOCSIS version: 3.0 | Supported internet speed: 800 Mbps | Ethernet ports: 4x Gigabit | WIFI: Wi-Fi 5, 2.4GHz, 5GHz | Telephone jack: number

Best for: Average households that want a high quality modem/router unit.

The Motorola MG7700 is one of the most popular third-party modems you can buy, thanks to its combination of excellent features, the ability to act as both a modem and router to simplify your Internet connection, and its relatively affordable price. While the latest modems tout their ability to support Gigabit+ internet speeds, this isn’t something everyone has access to and there’s no need to pay for a feature you can’t use. This does not mean that the MG7700 is slow. It can support internet speeds up to 800Mbps, and it has four Gigabit Ethernet ports to transfer network data quickly and without any Internet bottlenecks.

It also has Wi-Fi 5 support built in, which again isn’t the fastest standard, but it’s more than fast enough for everyday web surfing and video streaming. It is supported by most major ISPs, and has useful additional router features, such as parental controls, and support for guest networks. You can always add your own router later if you want to improve Wi-Fi performance or coverage, but for most Internet users, the Motorola MG7700 provides everything you need for the foreseeable future.

Positives:

  • The modem and router combination simplifies connecting to the Internet
  • Four Gigabit Ethernet ports and Wi-Fi 5.0 support
  • Supports high internet speeds of up to 800 Mbps

cons:

  • It lacks DOCSIS 3.1 support
  • It cannot handle gigabit internet connections


DOCSIS version: 3.1 | Supported internet speed: 1 Gbps | Ethernet ports: 2x Gigabit | WIFI: no | Telephone jack: number

Best for: Enjoy gigabit internet speeds at an affordable price.

The Arris Surfboard SB8200 is an affordable DOCSIS 3.1 router that can handle Internet speeds of up to 1Gbps, making it a great choice for anyone who wants high-speed Internet without spending the hundreds of dollars that tend to cost on high-end models. This modem does not have the functionality of a router, so you will have to budget for purchasing a router as well; Especially if you want a wireless internet connection, as this model doesn’t have any kind of Wi-Fi support. However, it works with most major ISPs, and costs much less than the competition.

With plans to phase out DOCSIS 3.0 technology, getting a DOCSIS 3.1 modem like this gives you some measure of future proofing and ensures that you’ll be able to enjoy some of the fastest connections for years to come. The actual modem is compact and easy to put away if you don’t want to access it easily, and setup is quick and easy.

Positives:

  • Affordable gigabit internet speed support
  • Futuristic with DOCSIS 3.1 support
  • Quick Installation

cons:

  • You need to purchase a router separately
  • Lacks Gigabit + speed support for high-end options

DOCSIS version: 3.0 | Supported internet speed: 400 megabytes per second | Ethernet ports: 1 Gb | WIFI: no | Telephone jack: number

Best for: Avoid renting a modem or upgrading your network cheaply.

The CM500 is a great modem for anyone looking to get out of rent payments, because it’s affordable, supports high-speed Internet up to 400Mbps and is easy to connect to any wireless router so you can enjoy high-speed wired and wireless Internet service. It comes with a single Gigabit Ethernet port, and setup is quick and easy. It is a small device too, so there is no need to save a lot of space for it in your home.

However, cutting back on monthly costs is the real selling point of this modem. If you don’t want to keep paying monthly fees for your existing modem, this is a great entry-level model to replace it with. It’s especially cheap with its latest discount, and it’ll pay for itself in eliminating rental fees in just a few months. If you want a little better performance as well, there are more expensive models that give you 500Mbps or even 1Gbps download speed – great for anyone upgrading to gigabit internet speeds in the near future.

Positives:

  • Very reasonable price
  • Supports up to 400 Mbps of internet
  • Built in Gigabit Ethernet

cons:

  • It lacks gigabit internet speed support
  • There are no router functions

DOCSIS version: 3.1 | Supported internet speed: 1200 megabytes per second | Ethernet ports: 4x Gigabit | WIFI: Wi-Fi 5 2.4GHz, 5GHz | Telephone jack: number

Best for: High speed internet on wired and wireless connections.

If you want a modem packed with the latest features, Motorola MG8702 is a great premium modem that you can buy. It’ll pay for itself in just over a year of modem rental fees, and with this upfront investment you get a router and modem in one, with Wi-Fi 5 support, multiple Gigabit Ethernet connections, Gigabit support and the fastest Internet connections of up to 1200Mbps. . It’s compatible with most major ISPs, and it comes with a two-year warranty that gives you peace of mind.

The router’s functionality isn’t cutting-edge, but it’s still solid, with Wi-Fi 5 speeds, and support for beamforming to improve Wi-Fi signal strength and coverage in your home. It also includes Quality of Service (QoS) features to prioritize latency-sensitive traffic, such as games, and has parental controls so you can lock down what kids search for on the Internet. It’s a bit more expensive than most of the other modems on this list, but its extra performance and powerful feature set make it one of the best modems you can buy today.

Positives:

  • Gigabit+ internet speeds supported
  • Built-in Wi-Fi 5 and router functionality
  • Two-year warranty included as standard

cons:

  • Multi-gigabit internet speeds cannot be managed
  • expensive

DOCSIS version: 3.1 | Supported internet speed: 2500 Mbps | Ethernet ports: 1x 2.5Gb | WIFI: no | Telephone jack: number

Best for: Pairing with a high-speed router to get the fastest possible internet.

If you live in an area where multi-speed gigabit internet is available and you want to take advantage of it, you will have to pay for the privilege. Fortunately, with modems like the Netgear Nighthawk CM2000, you don’t have to pay also a lot to get. At just under $300, this modem may be more expensive than most, and you’ll need to buy a router to use it, but if you do, you’ll unlock some of the fastest internet speeds in the world. With bandwidth support up to 2500Mbps (that’s 2.5Gbps!), this modem will help you download faster, stream in higher quality, and get more people online than almost any other modem. He is fast and about as capable as it gets.

This modem is overkill for most users, but if you like to download files very quickly, want the lowest latency for competitive gaming, or have several people in your house who want to stream 4K video at the same time—and have an Internet connection to use—there is Few modems can match the CM2000. It also has a sleek and unique design, and if you want to be able to connect a phone to the modem, you can There is a version with dual phone lines as well.

Positives:

  • superfast
  • Supports 2.5G networks
  • Stylish design

cons:

  • expensive
  • Overkill for most netizens

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