Find the Perfect Cable Modem - Expert Ratings Inside

Most internet service providers (ISPs) rent the cablemodem you use to get on the internet (check your bill). You can buy a cable modem and come out ahead in less than a year. You have to be comfortable around this equipment, but you save money.

If that’s something you’d like to try, you should probably buy theARRIS SURFboard SB6190 or, if you pay for a higher-speed connection, theARRIS SURFboard SB8200 . Before buying, ensure your ISP is listed on the product page (most ISPs are represented, so you are likely good to go).

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

SALE

Arris Surfboard SB6190 at Amazon $96 $48

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Best Performance:

SALE

Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 at Amazon $300 $195

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Best for Multi-Gigabit Internet:

Motorola MB8611 at Walmart $260

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Best Design:

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Arris Surfboard S33 at Amazon $220 $181

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Best Value:

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Arris Surfboard SB8200 at Amazon $190 $137

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Basic Option:

Netgear CM500 at Amazon $60

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Best Overall

Arris Surfboard SB6190

Arris Surfboard SB6190 DOCSIS 3.0 32x8 Cable Modem ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016PE1X5K/?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4082523%7Cn07a847e20ec943c2b0d3d7a354fae45416%7CB016PE1X5K )

PHOTO: Amazon

$48 at Amazon $78 at Walmart $79 at Best Buy

Pros

• Impressive speeds
• Great for HD movies and gaming
• Convenient LED indicator lights

Cons

• Coaxial connection placement isn’t ideal

A successor to Arris’ extremely popular SB6183, the SB6190 continues the company’s reputation for making some of the most reliable cable modems available. If you have a regular internet connection of less than 1Gbps (which most of us have), the Arris Surfboard SB6190 will fit your needs just fine. You’ll take this out of the box, swap it with the modem from your cable company, and never think about the modem again.

It’s small enough to be tucked away just about anywhere. It is also certified by all the major cable providers, so you shouldn’t have a problem running it with your internet service provider.

DOCSIS Standard: 3.0 |Channels: 32x8 |Speed: 1.2Gbps / 216Mbps |Voice Support: No |MOCA: No |Wired Ports: 1

Best Performance

Netgear Nighthawk CM2000

Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GWNZ9VF?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4082523%7Cn07a847e20ec943c2b0d3d7a354fae45416%7CB08GWNZ9VF )

PHOTO: Amazon

$195 at Amazon $300 at Walmart $195 at Best Buy

Pros

• 2.5Gbps Ethernet Port
• Fast DOCSIS 3.1 Speeds
• Sleek design

Cons

• Pricey
• Requires compatible router for best speeds
• No voice capabilities

If you want the best performance and cost is no object, the Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 is the fastest cable modem you can get. Remember, to take advantage of this performance, you need a high-speed connection from your ISP and a router capable of sending information to your other devices at the fastest speed possible.

DOCSIS Standard: 3.1 |Channels: 2x2 / 32x8 |Speed: 2.5Gbps / 800Mbps |Voice Support: No |MOCA: No |Wired Ports: 1 (2.5Gbps Ethernet)

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Best for Multi-Gigabit Internet

Motorola MB8611

Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem ](https://www.walmart.com/ip/528073648 )

PHOTO: Amazon

$260 at Walmart

Pros

• 2.5Gbps Ethernet Port
• Fast DOCSIS 3.1 Speeds
• Low Latency

Cons

• Pricey
• No voice capabilities
• Requires compatible router for best speeds

If you want the best possible performance, but every nickel counts, the Motorola MB8611 is a good choice. You should see the same blazing speeds as the Netgear Nighthawk CM2000, but you have a few more bucks left.

Now, the same caveats apply: You need a fast connection and a router capable of sending that fast connection to the devices on your network.

DOCSIS Standard: 3.1 |Channels: 2x2 / 32x8 |Speed: 2.5Gbps / 800Mbps |Voice Support: No |MOCA: No |Wired Ports: 1 (2.5Gbps Ethernet)

Best Design

Arris Surfboard S33

Arris Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FMSC5WZ?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4082523%7Cn07a847e20ec943c2b0d3d7a354fae45416%7CB08FMSC5WZ )

PHOTO: Amazon

$181 at Amazon $199 at Best Buy View on Brandsmartusa.com

Pros

• Stylish design
• 2.5Gbps Ethernet Port
• Extra Gigabit Ethernet Port

Cons

• No voice capabilities
• Use of second port isn’t supported by all ISPs

There are many brains behind this beauty: Not only is this a fast modem, but you don’t need to hide it in a closet (although we still would). Plus, this modem also allows you to have two separate networks from your single connection.

That’s pretty neat, although we don’t know anyone who might need such a feature. The price of the Arris Surfboard S33 is also quite good, considering its bevy of features.

DOCSIS Standard: 3.1 |Channels: 2x2 / 32x8 |Speed: 2.5Gbps / 800Mbps |Voice Support: No |MOCA: No |Wired Ports: 2 (2.5 Gbps / 1 Gbps Ethernet)

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Arris Surfboard SB8200

Arris Surfboard SB8200 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DY16W2Z/?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4082523%7Cn07a847e20ec943c2b0d3d7a354fae45416%7CB07DY16W2Z )

PHOTO: Amazon

$137 at Amazon $169 at Walmart $169 at Best Buy

Pros

• High speed support (DOCSIS 3.1 Support)
• Compact design
• Two Gigabit Ethernet ports with link aggregation

Cons

• Pricey
• Awkward coaxial connection placement

We have arrived at the best bang-for-your-buck winner, high-speed category: Arris Surfboard SB8200. It’s fast as heck at an excellent price. If you are about to upgrade to a faster internet connection, this is the one to get.

It’s as fast as the fast ones on this list but for much less money. It’s your money, so spend it how you wish, but we know we wouldn’t spend more on something that isn’t better.

DOCSIS Standard: 3.1 |Channels: 2x2 / 32x8 |Speed: 2Gbps / 800Mbps |Voice Support: No |MOCA: No |Wired Ports: 2

Basic Option

Netgear CM500

Netgear CM500 DOCSIS 3.0 16x4 Cable Modem ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XH46MWW?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4082523%7Cn07a847e20ec943c2b0d3d7a354fae45416%7CB06XH46MWW )

PHOTO: Amazon

$57 at Amazon

Pros

• Easy setup
• Good compatibility
• Great speed for price

Cons

• Gets hot

The CM500 is a simple yet smart modem that can handle speeds up to 680Mbps, which means it can handle almost any connection you throw at it. Compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista, XP, 2000 and macOS, this modem can work with just about any computer. It also is compatible with most cable internet providers, including Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cox and more.

It does not, however, work with bundled voice services that some people still use with cable bundles. When it comes to raw functionality, the CM500 can support 16 downloads and four uploads simultaneously. It can support HD and 4K video streaming, too. And all of this comes in at an affordable price that will save you money on a monthly rental.

What to Look For in a Cable Modem

The world is becoming increasingly connected, and ensuring you have a decent connection in your home is more important than ever. Not only does that mean ensuring you’re subscribed to a fast internet service, but you also have the proper hardware to provide a fast and stable connection whenever needed.

A home internet network has two main components:a modem and a router . The modem converts a cable signal from your internet service provider (ISP) into something a digital device like a computer can understand. The router then distributes that signal to the computers and other connected devices in your home, either viawired Ethernet connections or by beaming it out over Wi-Fi, which is how you get wireless internet connectivity in your home.

Of course, there are many things to consider when buying a modem. You don’t always need to buy a modem, as you can typically rent one directly from your ISP, although if you do the math, you’ll likely find it makes more financial sense to buy your own. Then, you’ll need to consider whether you want a modem/router combo and what features you want from your modem—including what modern connection protocols it supports, the number of channels it offers, and how quickly it can upload and download files.

Whether you think you know everything you need to or are starting from scratch, here are all the features you should remember while buying a modem.

When Should You Rent Your Cable Modem?

Before diving into the features to consider when buying a modem, it’s worth considering the possibility of renting one from your ISP. The modems on offer by ISPs are generally decent in quality (though not as good as the modems you can buy), plus going with a rental saves you from doing the legwork of finding one on your own. Further, if anything goes wrong with your cable modem, your ISP will take responsibility for fixing or replacing it, often even sending a technician to your home to take care of everything for you.

Generally, though, we recommend against renting a modem from your ISP. Since the rental often comes out to between $10 and $15 per month, you can save a lot of money by purchasing your own. For example, buying a modem/router combo for just $75 can quickly recoup your costs in less than a year.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t situations in which you should rent a modem. For starters, if you’re not very tech-savvy or don’t like troubleshooting problems, renting a modem may be the way to go, as you’ll often get complete repair services from your ISP.

For most, we recommend buying your modem. You’ll get much more control over your home network, and after a few years, you’ll have recouped the cost of the devices you would have otherwise had to rent. There’s no need to worry about hardware problems either since they are rare among the more well-known brands, and all come with a standard warranty.

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Compatibility with Your ISP

There are other advantages to buying your modem. For starters, the modems you can rent from your ISP are usually on the older side and may not offer as fast or stable of a connection as you could get with something more modern. Most of the time, ISP modems lack features, preventing you from getting much control over your home network, which might be vital if you want to tweak your network’s settings.

Before buying a modem, it’s worth double-checking that the modem you’re interested in is compatible with your ISP. Unfortunately, not all modems are supported by every ISP. Most ISPs will have a list of compatible modems on their website, or, at the very least, you should be able to contact customer service to find out.

If you subscribe to voice services from your ISP, such as Xfinity from Comcast Internet with Voice, you must ensure that the cable modem you purchase supports your provider’s voice services. While it’s theoretically possible to run your old voice-capable cable modem in parallel with a newer, high-performance modem, this can get messy and needs to be supported in some cases. Besides, the main point of buying a cable modem is that you don’t have to keep paying rental fees for the old one.

FAQ

• What’s the difference between DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1?
  DOCSIS, a short form for “Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification,” is the technology on which all cable modems are based. DOCSIS 3.0 is the standard currently being used by almost all cable providers, but even though it offers theoretical speeds of up to 1Gbps, most ISPs in the U.S. don’t go beyond 600Mbps over DOCSIS 3.0. You’ll need a DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem to get actual multi-gigabit plans. Don’t worry if your ISP doesn’t support the newer standard yet, though, as all DOCSIS 3.1 modems are fully backward compatible with DOCSIS 3.0, so you can buy one now to be ready when those faster speeds do come along.
• What happens if your cable modem breaks down?
  While it’s true that one of the advantages of renting your cable modem from your ISP is they’ll easily swap it out if you have any problems—something that won’t be an option if you’ve bought your own—the reality is that modern cable modems are very reliable as long as you go with a trusted brand, and almost all of them also come with 1–2 year warranties.
• What about cable modem/router combos?
  If you’re in the market for a new wireless router, it might be worth considering a cable modem/router combo instead since you’ll get the best of both worlds in a much more affordable package. There’s rarely any good reason to go that route if you’re pleased with the Wi-Fi router you already have, though any cable modem should work just fine with any relatively modern router.

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