Of course, if you have multiple users streaming in 4K in different rooms, they'll each need their own 25Mbps slice of your bandwidth, not to mention other activities like surfing, gaming, downloading, and video calling which all use various amounts of bandwidth.
This can add up quickly if you have a large family or a lot of roommates sharing your internet connection. There are two main components to a home internet network: a modem and a router.
The modem is what converts a cable signal from your internet service provider ISP into something that a digital device like a computer can understand. The router then takes that signal and distributes it to the computers and other connected devices in your home, either via wired 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 a ton of things to consider when buying a modem. 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, in the unlikely event that 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. For most, we recommend buying your own modem. There's no need to worry about hardware problems either, since not only are they pretty rare among the more well-known brands, but they all come with a standard warranty too.
There are other advantages to buying your own modem. For starters, the modems that you can rent from your ISP are usually on the older side, and may not offer as fast or as stable of a connection as you could get with something more modern. 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'll also need to make sure 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 it's not supported in every case. Besides, the main point of buying a cable modem is so you don't have to keep paying rental fees for the old one. Jesse Hollington is a freelance writer with over 10 years of experience writing about technology and three decades of experience in information technology and networking. He's installed, tested, and configured just about every type and brand of router, firewall, wireless access point, and network extender in places ranging from single-family dwellings to office buildings.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Its two-year warranty is twice as long as the warranty for the Netgear CM, which also performed reliably in our tests.
Since the CM usually costs less than the MB, it's a worthy alternative for bargain hunters. If your internet service features speeds topping Mbps, look to Netgear's CM, which is more dependable than its high-speed rivals. Cable modems are rarely part of the best Black Friday deals , but that doesn't mean you'll be stuck paying full price if you buy a modem during the holidays.
We've noticed price drops on many of the best cable modems on this list so be sure to shop around for the best price. The Motorola MB is the best cable modem for most homes, capable of supporting speeds available to a majority of home internet plans. The MB is ideal for internet plans that top out at Mbps, which covers a wide swath of our household. In testing the MB at my home, I enjoyed steady connectivity, and that's with multiple people stuck inside, all trying to hit the internet at once.
The MB isn't as tall as the Netgear CM, our previous pick for the best cable modem, though some people may prefer the more compact size of the Arris Surfboard modems. At least, the MB looks stylish, with rounded corners and vented sides.
Its gray color should blend in well with other networking equipment. The blue and green lights on the MB are bright enough to read at a distance without turning a dark room into a laser light show at night. I also found the modem easy to set up with a coaxial connector sticking out of the modem's backside at a comfortable distance from its lone ethernet port.
There's not much separating the Motorola MB from the Netgear CM as 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-year of coverage. That means better protection for your investment, as the best cable modems tend to last for several yeas. The Netgear CM remains one of the best cable modems available, because it's easy to find at most retailers; you can also find it for a little less than the Motorola MB most of the time, making it a good value.
Modem prices can fluctuate so keep an eye peeled for the best tech deals when shopping for a cable modem. The Netgear CM works with the biggest cable providers and supports speeds of up to Mbps, which should be enough for the vast majority of Internet users out there.
If you've got a high-speed plan, look for a faster modem. There's actually very little performance difference among the best cable modems in our testing, so it's seemingly slight distinctions that separate these devices. However, Netgear only offers a one-year warranty, compared with two years for those rival modems. Netgear's 16 x 4 modem enjoys wide compatibility with internet-service providers, and its design makes setup a breeze. While most homes opt for internet plans that promise speeds of around to Mbps, some people prefer higher-speed service.
If your plan promises download speeds that top Mbps, you'll want a cable modem that can take advantage of that greater performance. Netgear's CM is the best cable modem for those higher speeds, though you'll pay a little bit more than you would for the CM Netgear's modem doesn't use the same Intel Puma 6 chipset that's been blamed for latency issues with some other high-speed modems, such as the Arris Surfboard SB There's a firmware update that resolves this issue, though ISPs roll out such updates on their own schedule.
In our research, we look for this type of modem. Should you run into problems with your modem, we understand that access to quality customer support is crucial.
Reliability matters when it comes to modems. We research the track record of the various modems on our list, carefully noting which ones can stand the test of time. In our research, we take note of the connectivity speeds offered by various modems on the market. Because some of our readers are looking to minimize the number of electronic devices on their shelves, we also look at cable modem-router combos when searching for the best modems.
We see merit in advanced, ultra-high-speed modems as well as quality mid-range options that are compact and reliable. Cable modems might get most of the press, but we also look for the most reliable and effective 4G LTE modems for use at home and on the road. We carefully note which modems are suitable and certified for use with various ISPs and internet connection types. Make sure your modem has at least a few inches of space on either side to prevent any overheating or performance issues.
Other Products We Considered. The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value.
We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5. The Nighthawk does come at a significantly heftier price tag than the other options. But the CM gives you those extra three ports—an advanced feature if you need it. The CM has a one-year warranty, putting it behind competitors from other brands.
Well-ventilated and unobtrusive, it weighs in at just. The elegant, diamond-angled edges evoke images of obsidian treasures and interstellar spaceships. The big bonus here is that you can save on space in your home and maybe a little money by opting for a gigabit modem router rather than having to shop for both a modem and a router.
ARRIS is waiting on approval from Spectrum and other cable companies, so make sure to check with your ISP if this will be compatible before spending your hard-earned cash.
Cable companies were excited because it opened the possibility for achieving multi- gigabit speeds as fast as 10 Gbps 10, Mbps over cable lines.
The 1 Gbps cable internet cap is mostly due to the following:. Not sure about the ins and outs of Wi-Fi speed?
Break it all down with our handy guide to internet speed. You want a modem that has a gigabit Ethernet port—nothing slower. Most desktops, laptops, game consoles, and streaming devices like Apple TV have at least one Ethernet port that supports up to 1 Gbps. Some devices may have two or more you can use simultaneously as one connection to increase your wired bandwidth. However, both modems support a connection for only a single client device.
Where those additional ports come into play is running multiple Ethernet cables between the modem and your router. This setup is called link aggregation, which is when you combine multiple network connections to create a single, stronger transmission, allowing you to push beyond 1, Mbps download speeds.
Pretty cool, huh? The Motorola MB is clearly the best modem for gigabit internet currently on the market. The Motorola MB is the best modem for cable internet speeds of 1, Mbps or faster.
This standard supports up to 1, Mbps, but your download speed will depend on the number of download channels the modem can support.
It supports download speeds up to 10 Gbps.
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