To link to nan Internet from your home, you’ll request 2 pieces of instrumentality — a tin modem that pulls a awesome from your net work provider, aliases ISP, and a router, which broadcasts nan signals complete Wi-Fi. For galore homes, these are 2 chopped devices, a modem and a router, but location are besides router-modem combo devices that tin do some jobs astatine once.
Upgrading your cablegram modem to a combo portion that besides includes a built-in Wi-Fi router tin thief amended your wireless reception astatine location while redeeming you abstraction and money. By owning your ain modem outright arsenic portion of a modem-router combo, you won’t request to rent retired a container from your cablegram company, eliminating nan costs of a monthly subscription charge, and you’ll besides beryllium capable to simplify your location networking setup.
Here are immoderate of nan champion router modem combos you tin bargain successful 2023.
Arris Surfboard G36 Multigabit
Best well-rounded modem-router combo
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Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2
Best affordable modem-router combo
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Netgear Nighthawk CAX80
Best for precocious velocity and sum successful a mean to ample home
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Arris Surfboard G36 Multigabit
Best well-rounded modem-router combo
Pros
- Wi-Fi 6 ready
- DOCSIS 3.1 support
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
Why you should bargain this: The Arris Surfboard G36 is 1 of nan astir future-proof modem-router combo investments you tin bargain today, tin of delivering immoderate of nan fastest speeds.
Who’s it for: Small businesses, streamers, gamers, and exertion enthusiasts.
Why we picked nan Arris Surfboard G36 Multigabit:
Arris is simply a prolific sanction successful nan cablegram modem space, and nan company’s Surfboard statement has been a celebrated prime pinch customers connected Xfinity and Cox for years. The latest G36 modem is among nan champion retired location for homes connected a multi-gigabit broadband scheme needing entree to nan fastest speeds for their devices. The Surfboard G36 is nan flagship exemplary of nan bid that includes nan Surfboard G34, which comes astatine a flimsy discount pinch somewhat less tech-forward features for those connected a budget. With some models supporting nan latest DOCSIS 3.1 modular and Wi-Fi 6 router performance, we’d urge sticking pinch nan G36 fixed that nan value quality betwixt nan 2 models is conscionable $20.
With nan Arris Surfboard G36, you’re getting multi-gig networking support, pinch speeds of up to 10Gbps complete wireless. Gamers will admit that there’s a dedicated 2.5Gbps Ethernet larboard and entree to 4 further Gigabit ports. This combo is champion suited for homes pinch broadband plans of astatine slightest 1.2Gbps aliases higher, and setup and guidance of nan router tin beryllium done pinch nan company’s Surfboard Central app. The biggest downside is that this combo doesn’t supply entree to a telephone port, truthful if you request a landline hookup, you’ll request to look elsewhere.
Arris Surfboard G36 Multigabit
Best well-rounded modem-router combo
Netgear Orbi CBR750
Pros
- Mesh web compatible
- Wi-Fi 6 support
- Netgear's app has immoderate awesome features
Cons
- Not designed for mini spaces
Why you should bargain this: The Orbi CBR750 combines a cablegram modem pinch a Wi-Fi 6 mesh web that tin broad larger homes and offices pinch reliable Internet reception.
Who’s it for: Tech enthusiasts successful mini businesses and larger homes.
Why we picked nan Netgear Orbi CBR750:
Netgear’s Orbi mesh solutions are among immoderate of our favorites connected nan marketplace today. The company’s tri-band Orbi CBR750 is nary different. The Orbi CBR750 is among 1 of nan much unsocial solutions connected our list, arsenic it combines a Wi-Fi 6 whole-home mesh solution pinch a cablegram modem. This makes it cleanable for larger homes. With Orbi’s mesh solution, you tin bargain a azygous portion that includes nan router and modem combo that’s tin of blanketing up to 3,000 quadrate feet pinch reliable Wi-Fi 6 coverage, aliases acquisition a three-pack, which includes nan router and modem combo and 2 outer nodes for up to 7,500 quadrate feet of coverage. Additional nodes tin further beryllium added to augment your setup.
Netgear promises up to gigabit speeds connected nan Orbi CBR750 for Cox and Spectrum subscribers, and up to 800Mbps speeds for Xfinity users. The modem is based connected nan latest DOCSIS 3.1 specifications, which tin present 2.5x faster speeds and 10 times faster download speeds than nan anterior DOCSIS 3.0 standard. Tri-band Wi-Fi delivers full wireless speeds of up to 4.2Gbps.
One of nan champion parts of purchasing into Netgear’s ecosystem is having entree to nan company’s companion app, which makes mounting up and managing your whole-home web a breeze. You’ll person entree to parental controls, nan expertise to create impermanent networks, and nan action of monitoring traffic. The institution besides has an optional subscription add-on to Netgear Armor, which provides much information options to support everyone safe.
Netgear Nighthawk CAX30S
Best modem-router combo for homes
Pros
- DOCSIS 3.1 support
- Speeds up to 2.7Gbps
- Wi-Fi 6
- Smart relationship technology
Cons
- No mesh web support for larger areas
Why you should bargain this: You request a accelerated and speedy DOCSIS 3.1 modem that's paired to a Wi-Fi 6 router successful a discrete package.
Who’s it for: Gamers and streamers who request nan champion bandwidth disposable to them.
Why we picked nan Netgear Nighthawk CAX30S:
If you don’t request a whole-home Wi-Fi mesh solution, Netgear’s Nighthawk CAX30S whitethorn beryllium nan amended option. It comes pinch galore of nan features recovered connected nan much premium Orbi mesh solution, including support for Wi-Fi 6, nan latest DOCSIS 3.1 protocol, and multi-gigabit speeds. The CAX30S is tin of streaming pinch speeds up to 2.7Gbps and tops retired pinch six simultaneous precocious bandwidth streams. You’ll want a location broadband scheme pinch gigabit support aliases faster to return afloat advantage of this modem’s capabilities. It has a built-in high-speed DOCSIS 3.1 Cable modem compatible pinch 32x8 DOCSIS 3.0. On nan router side, it besides has 4 gigabit Ethernet LAN ports pinch dual gigabit Ethernet larboard aggregation.
Powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, nan modem is designed for 4K UHD streaming and robust gaming. Netgear’s smart link characteristic intelligently picks nan fastest Wi-Fi set for each instrumentality connected nan web to maximize speeds and trim congestion and latency. The Nighthawk is easy to use, and optional subscription services thief to augment your Wi-Fi acquisition and unafraid your location network.
Netgear Nighthawk CAX30S
Best modem-router combo for homes
Motorola MT8733
Best modem-router combo for landlines
Pros
- Two telephone ports
- Wi-Fi 6 and DOCSIS 3.1 support
- 2.5 Gigabit port
Cons
- Xfinity scheme required for sound services
Why you should bargain this: The Motorola MT8733 is simply a three-in-one portion arsenic it combines a modem, router, and location telephone line.
Who’s it for: Xfinity location Internet subscribers who request landline access.
Why we picked nan Motorola MT8733:
Motorola's exemplary is designed to activity pinch Comcast Xfinity plans and tin beryllium managed via nan Motosync app. It's a awesome prime for those who request landline connections for a location business aliases akin situations, arsenic it comes pinch 2 telephone ports truthful you tin group it up connected a adjacent table and return calls. It's besides afloat up to day pinch some Wi-Fi 6 and DOCSIS 3.1.
The exemplary includes a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet relationship for nan fastest speeds and 3 1Gbps connections. The app makes settings very easy to negociate compared to immoderate options and includes activity reports, parental controls, and information options. Just support successful mind, you'll request an Xfinity scheme to usage sound services connected nan Motorola MT8733.
Motorola MT8733
Best modem-router combo for landlines
Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2
Best affordable modem-router combo
Pros
- Affordable
- Works pinch galore providers
- DOCSIS 3.0 support
Why you should bargain this: The Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2 promises to get nan occupation done astatine an affordable price.
Who’s it for: General web surfers who don't request nan fastest speeds.
Why we picked nan Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2:
Don’t disregard nan Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2 for its uninspired design. This router-modem combo still packs successful plentifulness of features for homes that conscionable request a reliable relationship to nan Internet to browse nan web. The item of nan Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2 is its affordable value tag and wide compatibility pinch galore cablegram companies — dissimilar nan Xfinity-centric Motorola MT7711 connected our database — arsenic good arsenic support for nan still-fast DOCSIS 3.0 specifications. It supports 32 downstream and 8 upstream channels, making it a awesome summation for engaged families juggling convention calls, web browsing, and distant learning.
Arris promises download speeds up to 1Gbps and Wi-Fi speeds up to 2350Mbps for this modem, making it a bully summation to homes subscribing to broadband plans pinch speeds of 600Mbps aliases less. The Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2 comes pinch a built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi router pinch 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Arris Surfboard SBG7600AC2
Best affordable modem-router combo
Netgear Nighthawk CAX80
Best for precocious velocity and sum successful a mean to ample home
Pros
- Up to 6Gbps speed
- Large 2,500sqft range
- DOCSIS 3.1 support
Why you should bargain this: The Nighthawk CAX80 promises to broad larger spaces pinch Wi-Fi sum without requiring a mesh setup.
Who’s it for: Gamers and streamers surviving successful larger homes.
Why we picked nan Netgear Nighthawk CAX80:
The Netgear Nighthawk CAX80 boasts up to 6Gbps speeds via dual-band Wi-Fi 6 technology. The scope is very good, covering an area of up to 2,500 quadrate feet. That intends you get a long-range solution without buying and mounting up aggregate Wi-Fi outer points.
With 4 Ethernet ports rated astatine 1Gbps and 1 larboard offering 2.5Gbps, your machine will person each nan velocity it tin handle. DOCSIS 3.1 and 32x8 transmission Wi-Fi 6 will region astir congestion problems.
It's easy to switch retired your provider's modem and extremity paying a monthly fee, since nan Netgear Nighthawk CAX80 is compatible pinch astir awesome cablegram net providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, and Cox.
The Netgear Nighthawk CAX80 is simply a bully prime for mean to ample homes pinch a request for beardown Wi-Fi passim nan home. A mesh modem/router combo mightiness beryllium a amended prime for ample to extra-large homes.
Netgear Nighthawk CAX80
Best for precocious velocity and sum successful a mean to ample home
Frequently Asked Questions
What to look for successful a combo router?
The first point you’ll want to look for erstwhile choosing a modem-router combo is compatibility pinch your net work provider, aliases ISP. Many of nan models connected our database will activity pinch astir cablegram modem providers, including Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, and Cox, though nan Motorola M7711, for example, will only beryllium compatible pinch Xfinity sound and broadband services.
If you person a DSL aliases fibre line, nan models connected our database won’t beryllium compatible, truthful this intends that AT&T and Verizon DSL, fiber, aliases FIOS customers will beryllium near out. There are circumstantial modem-router combos that will activity pinch prime and very circumstantial DSL services, but your mileage will vary. The champion norm of thumb is that if you find a modem-router combo that you for illustration pinch nan features you need, you should telephone your ISP to spot if it tin beryllium added to your scheme and supported connected their network.
What are nan benefits of owning a modem versus renting one?
While renting a modem whitethorn look cheaper — you don’t person to put down respective 100 dollars to screen nan costs astatine erstwhile — it tin get costly successful nan agelong run. Xfinity, for example, charges a $14 per period rental fee, up from nan erstwhile complaint of $13. This intends that anyone who rents instrumentality will beryllium subjected to changing marketplace and economical conditions. Over 2 years, Xfinity’s rental costs will full $336 astatine today’s rates.
Some providers, for illustration Spectrum, see a modem successful each their location broadband plans but will complaint you a $5 rental interest for a router if you don’t person one.
In general, purchasing your ain modem-router combo will springiness you greater power and elasticity complete nan instrumentality you desire, nan exertion you need, and nan artistic you require successful your home. For example, if you want a mesh system, Xfinity only provides that pinch immoderate of its higher-tier plans. Tech enthusiasts, gamers, and dense streamers whitethorn want a portion that delivers faster speeds and comes pinch nan latest Wi-Fi 6 aliases Wi-Fi 6E technology, while those pinch an oculus for creation whitethorn not want a clunky achromatic container sitting connected nan support and alternatively whitethorn opt for a much discrete modem design. These choices and options would not person been imaginable pinch a rental, wherever your ISP will delegate you immoderate modem they person successful stock.
For those who aren’t excessively tech-savvy, renting a modem, astatine slightest initially, will springiness you entree to your ISP’s tech work department. Your ISP will beryllium capable to thief you pinch nan first setup and diagnose issues and problems erstwhile they arise. This tin beryllium a bully starting constituent for those who person ne'er personally group up their ain modems previously, and erstwhile you consciousness much comfortable, you tin ever postgraduate to your ain equipment.
What is nan quality betwixt DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1?
Like nan modulation from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6 successful nan router world, DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1 are method specifications utilized successful cablegram modems. The newer DOCSIS 3.1 modular is much futureproof and delivers faster speeds.
While DOCSIS 3.0 supports a maximum upstream velocity of 200Mbps and a maximum downstream velocity of 1Gbps, DOCSIS 3.1 promises to beryllium 10x faster astatine downloads pinch a downstream velocity of up to 10Gbps.
In general, if you’re not a dense streamer of high-resolution video content, a DOCSIS 3.0 modem will service your needs conscionable fine. You’ll besides prevention immoderate money going pinch a DOCSIS 3.0 modem that’s built into a Wi-Fi 5 router. More precocious users who request nan latest successful exertion will apt gravitate to a DOCSIS 3.0 modem that’s paired to a Wi-Fi 6 aliases Wi-Fi 6E router.
What if I want to usage sound work pinch my modem-router combo?
If you request landline aliases sound access, you’ll request to take a modem-router combo pinch support for sound features. Given that galore homes are dropping landlines successful favour of individual compartment telephone work successful caller years, nan readiness of sound line-capable modem-router combos is rarer coming than successful nan past, though immoderate are disposable for mini offices, etc. Our Motorola prime comes pinch 2 telephone ports.
Will my supplier let maine to usage my ain modem?
Many ISPs will let you to acquisition your ain modem, but not astatine all. Always cheque your scheme and springiness your net supplier a telephone to find retired more. Sometimes modems won't beryllium compatible pinch nan services that an ISP offers, though utilizing a newer modem often fixes this problem. Some providers will require you to rent retired their devices.
You whitethorn besides beryllium willing successful our guideline connected how to widen your Wi-Fi range pinch tricks for illustration turning different router into a repeater.
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