Every month, when your Comcast bill arrives, chances are there's a charge included for renting the combination modem/router you use for internet access. It's $10 a month, and that means you are shelling out $120 annually for the privilege.
But here's something you should know: You don't have to rent Comcast's equipment. As is the case with many cable providers, you can bring your own hardware to the party and, over time, save big bucks.
The box you rent from Comcast contains both a modem, the device that connects to the service provider's network, and the wireless router, to which you connect via WiFi or Ethernet cable. When you use it, you're pretty much committed to the technology Comcast provides you. If better technology comes around, you're usually left out - cable providers typically don't upgrade these combos on a regular basis.
Netgear's wireless routers have become popular because of their low cost and ease of installation. Businesses find them attractive for those reasons, as well as the ability to connect multiple. The main purpose of a modem, when used in a home networking environment, is to establish a connection between your home network and ISP. Connection Between Ethernet Switch, Router and Modem. There are a handful of ways to set up a shareable home network connection, but the safest and most reliable way is to use a router and switch in combination.
For example, there's a good possibility that the cable modem/router at your house uses the 802.11n WiFi protocol. Meanwhile, 802.11ac, which is significantly faster, is now widely available in routers at retail.
If you’d like to get away from paying the $10 a month Comcast charges to lease its newer modem/router devices, it’s a fairly straightforward process. If you take this route, you’ll end up owning the hardware, and you’ll have nearly complete control over how it’s used.
Here’s what you need to know:
• If you currently have a combination modem and wireless router from Verizon, you’ll first need to decide whether you want to buy a similar combination unit or have a separate modem and router. I’d recommend the latter. If something goes wrong with a combination unit, trying to determine whether the modem or the router part is at fault is difficult. In addition, you have less flexibility with an all-in-one unit – if you want to upgrade one component or the other, you have to buy a whole new one. Working with a separate cable modem and router, while a little more expensive, makes more sense.
• When shopping for a cable modem, you’ll want one that supports a standard known as DOCSIS 3.0. This allows for superfast speeds, and nearly all cable companies in the United States now support this standard. You will want to find a modem that has been certified to work with your cable provider’s system, and most have a Web page on their support sites with a list of approved devices. If you’ve are using Comcast’s telephone service, you’ll want what is called a telephony modem. You can find Comcast’s approved cable modems here. Prices start just north of $60. I’m using a Netgear CM500 modem (about $65 at Amazon.com), and it’s excellent.
• Once you have the cable modem, you’ll need to call your cable provider and have it activated, which usually can be done over the phone. You’ll be asked to disconnect your current modem and/or router and connect the new modem, then provide some serial numbers found on the unit. Once it’s activated, you can connect your router to it. Some cable providers, including Comcast, make it even easier by allowing you to activate online.
• Almost any modern Wi-Fi router will work with any cable Internet system. You’ll want one that supports the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. Typically routers have 3-4 Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired Internet connections, and some will come with USB 2.0 or 3.0 connections, which let you hook up an external hard drive and/or a printer to share on your network. Prices for 802.11ac routers start around $50, with high-end models selling for $170 and up. If you have a small home, a less-expensive router will probably do. If you’ve got a big house, plan to spend more – pricier routers usually have a greater signal range. Brand names to know are Linksys, Apple, D-Link, Netgear, Asus, Belkin and Trendnet. If you've got a humongous home with lots fo dead spots, consider a mesh networking system.
• Modern routers typically have simplified processes for connecting your computers, mobile devices and streaming TV boxes. The router will broadcast a name for your network, called the SSID, and you’ll be able to use the default that comes with the router or pick one of your own. You’ll then supply a network password for that your devices will need to connect. Many routers also allow you to set up a guest network so your friends can connect to the Internet without being able to access the other computers on your home mesh network. And some routers allow you to administer them remotely via a Web page or even a smartphone app.
Cable providers typically provide little help when setting up your own equipment, though you may be able to pay an installation fee to have a tech come to your door. You should also find instructions for setting up routers on the company’s support website.
Note that when you switch from a cable provider’s equipment to your own, you’ll be responsible for returning the equipment. If you don’t return it in a specified amount of time, you will be charged for it. You can find Comcast’s service centers here.
This is an updated version of a story that originally appeared on TechBlog.
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
The Rundown
- Best Overall: Motorola AC1900 at Walmart
“Your Internet will almost always be reliable.” - Runner-Up, Best Overall: Motorola MG7700 at Amazon
“All the speeds of a modern unit, plus some cool proprietary capabilities.” - Best for High Internet Speeds:NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 at Amazon
“A modem speed of 960 Mbps and 24 downstream channels.” - Best Value:Netgear N300 at Amazon
“For the sub-$100 modem/router price range, it’s one of the best products you’ll find.” - Best Value Dual-Band: NETGEAR N600 at Amazon
“The dual-band router offers wireless speeds at up to 300 Mbps on each band.” - Best for DSL: Motorola MD1600 at Amazon
“A super-sleek take on the modem/router combo.” - Best Budget Non-Cable Modem Router: Actiontec 300 at Amazon
“Built to deliver reliable, consistent service.” - Best Parental Controls:Netgear Nighthawk C7000 at Amazon
“You’ll get 802.11ac connectivity, which deals you up to 1.9 Gbps of bandwidth.” - Easiest Set Up: ARRIS - SURFboard AC1900 at Amazon
“Beamforming technology helps to optimize coverage.” - Best New Release: NETGEAR AC1600 (C6250) at Amazon
“The Gigabit wired connection is ideal for hooking up to a gaming console.”
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Motorola AC1900 Wi-Fi Gigabit Router and Modem
One of the most important considerations for selecting the best modem/router combo device is reliability. Many modem/router combos we’ve come across require you to restart them often or don’t broadcast Wi-Fi far enough. The Motorola AC1900 is a little expensive, but it’s worth it because it means your Internet will almost always be reliable and that’s worth a lot in our age of connected smartphones, computers and wearables. On top of reliability, the AC1900 offers speeds up to 686 Mbps (16 times faster than DOCSIS 2.0), it has four 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports, as well as a “Wireless Power Boost” that broadcasts as far out as it can up to the legal limit. Also, almost every major internet provider works with the AC1900, including Charter Spectrum, Comcast XFINITY, Time Warner Cable and Cox, so this is a good choice for replacing the standard modem/router device that comes with your ISP plan, if you so choose.
Runner-Up, Best Overall: Motorola MG7700
The MG7700 is a recent addition to Motorola’s modem-router combo line, and it gives you all the speeds you’d expect from a modern unit, plus some cool proprietary capabilities. The DOCSIS 3.0 modem gives you 24 downstream channels, totaling a projected, nominal speed of up to 1,000 Mbps, alongside eight upstreams that can yield speeds up to 146 Mbps. The wireless router is no slouch either, offering two bands at 2.4GHz and 5GHz, plus IPv4 and IPv6 for easier networking.
Their AnyBeam technology focuses the connection based on your wireless client so anyone trying to connect will have a reasonably customized focus for a more stable connection. They’ve even added in a Wireless Power Boost to amplify weak signals to the highest limit allowed by law. There are four ethernet ports on the back and the indicator lights are super bright to better show when it’s working or not.
Best for High Internet Speeds: NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 (24x8) Wi-Fi (C7000)
If you’ve decided that a modem/router combo is the best way to go, but you still plan on optimizing your Internet connection for the highest possible speeds (maybe you have a gigabit connection), you should check out the NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router. While the modem is not quite optimized for gigabit speeds, it’s darn near close enough, with a modem speed of 960 Mbps, 24 downstream channels and DOCSIS 3.0 technology. As a router, you get similarly beefy specs. It delivers the latest wireless AC1900 speeds of up to up to 1.9Gbps, and features a 1.6GHz combined processor and a USB port, to boot. It’s good to go with any major U.S. cable provider and enjoys a host of solid user reviews as well. It’s not exactly cheap, but for truly high-speed gigabit Internet in a modem/router combo, this is about as good as it gets.
Best Value: Netgear N300 Wi-Fi DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Router (C3000)
Whether you’re in the market for a modem, a router, or a modem/router combo, you really don’t have to spend a lot to get reliable, high-speed Internet performance. For the sub-$100 modem/router price range, Netgear N300 Modem Router (C3000) is one of the best products you’ll find. The modem delivers solid DOCSIS 3.0 connectivity, including eight downstream channels with download speeds of up to 340 Mbps, and is optimized to work with all major U.S. Internet service providers. The integrated router is equipped with single-band N300 (wireless-N) Wi-Fi technology, which isn’t exactly next-generation, but it’s probably fast enough for most purposes. It also features Gigabit Ethernet ports if you want to bypass the Wi-Fi and deliver super fast wired connections, and a single USB port for data from your device’s hard drive.
Best for DSL: Motorola MD1600
The Motorola MD1600 is a super-sleek take on the modem/router combo. And while looks aren’t really that important when considering your at-home network, it’s still a standout feature. It's also important to note that this modem is only compatible with DSL networks, so make sure you check that you’re getting Internet from CenturyLink, Frontier, or something similar. But it’s perfect for ADSL or VDSL purposes, delivering speeds at the modem level up to 100 Mbps (competitive for DSL). The built-in Wi-Fi router follows suit giving you WPA/WPA2 protocol, two bands of 2.4 GHz connection, plus four built-in ethernet jacks that will all dish out high-speed Internet to most devices. Motorola has even loaded in a two-year warranty for good measure.
Best Value Dual-Band: NETGEAR N600 Wi-Fi DOCSIS 3.0 Modem Router (C3700)
If you prefer the speed and efficiency of a dual-band router but still don’t want to pay a whole lot, check out the NETGEAR N600 Wi-Fi DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Router (C3700). It offers a lot of the same tech but with dual-band capabilities in the router. The modem features DOCSIS 3.0 tech with eight downstream channels and four upstream channels (8x4), allowing for cable Internet speeds up to 340 Mbps. The dual-band router offers N600 wireless speeds at up to 300 Mbps on each band. It’s certified to work with all major U.S. ISPs, includes Gigabit Ethernet Ports if you’d prefer to go wired for faster service and also features a USB port to wirelessly share your device’s hard drive. This is a slightly beefier version of the Netgear N300 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem Router, and is ideal if you’re likely to have more than a few clients on the same network.
Best Budget Non-Cable Modem Router: Actiontec 300 Mbps Wireless-N ADSL (GT784WN)
If we’re still looking at sub-$100 cable modem/router combos, you can’t get much cheaper than the Actiontec 300 Mbps Wireless-N ADSL Modem Router. This thing is pretty basic, especially on the modem end, and is made for DSL (not cable) Internet connections. It is not recommended for any situation involving more than two clients. It is perhaps best for light Internet users who live alone and only need Internet to check e-mail or occasionally browse the Web. The modem is a basic ADSL 2/2+ modem, and the router is a basic wireless-N device capable of delivering up to 300 Mbps of single-band wireless throughout. That said, the Actiontec is still built to deliver reliable, consistent service given the limitations of the medium (cable is almost always faster than DSL).
Best Parental Controls: Netgear Nighthawk C7000
The Nighthawk C700 grants users with 24 download channels at eight upload channels, allowing for a downstream rate of up to 960 Mbps. Upstream bandwidth is currently limited to 32 Mbps, but both rates are still speedier than most options out there. As for the router, you’ll get 802.11ac connectivity, which deals you up to 1.9 Gbps of dual-band bandwidth, so you can expect network speeds ranging from 616 Mbps to 273 Mbps.
Through the NETGEAR Genie interface, you can tweak settings such as access control and security, as well as manage parental controls like what sites your kids can surf. It’s currently only compatible with Comcast XFINITY, Time Warner MAXX and Cox Premier & Ultimate packages, but if you have one of those, we highly recommend this modem to optimize your bandwidth.
Take a peek at some of the other best parental control routers you can buy.
Easiest Set Up: ARRIS - SURFboard AC1900
Perhaps the most intimidating issue with buying a cable modem/router combo is the setup. It can be frustrating to get the system up and running, but Arris makes it easy. Reviewers most commonly comment on how simple it is to setup, which involves setting up the gateway, testing the connection, then setting up the wireless network connection. An online quick setup guide walks you through all the steps.
Once you’re up and running, you’ll enjoy download speeds up to 686 Mbps and Wireless-AC technology with Wi-Fi speeds up to 1900 Mbps. It makes use of beamforming technology that helps to optimize coverage, and also has two USB 2.0 and four Gigabit Ethernet ports to keep you connected. All in all, it’s extremely reliable and powerful.
Best New Release: NETGEAR AC1600 (C6250) Cable Modem Router Combo
NETGEAR’s name is all but synonymous with some of the best products in the modem router space. The NETGEAR AC1600 (C6250) Cable Modem Router Combo is no exception. Built with gaming in mind, the combo is affordable enough to be used for any purpose. Given its affordability, it’s pleasing to see compatibility with Xfinity, Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, CableONE and other providers. As a three-in-one product, the C6250 is one part cable modem, one part router, and one-part Gigabit wired switch. It performs at speeds up to 680Mbps modem speed on both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. That’s more than enough speed for online gaming or 4K video streaming. The Gigabit wired connection is ideal for hooking up to a gaming console or PC for 10x faster speeds. A bonding configuration of 16x4 finds the least congested signal for fast connections.
Managing the entire network is done via NETGEAR’s Genie App. Downloadable on both iOS and Android, it helps manage Wi-Fi settings.
Tested by
Connect Router To Modem Router
How We Tested
Our reviewers spent 296 hours testing six of the most popular cable modem/router combos on the market. We asked them to consider the most important features when using these devices and we've outlined them here so that you, too, know what to look for when shopping.
What to Look for in a Cable Modem/Router Combo
Speed - Depending on your daily usage, you’ll need a modem/router combo that can keep up. Most modem/router combos have a max upload speed of 1 Gbps and a minimum download speed of 500 Mbps, which should be more than enough for most households.
Security - Security standards are always evolving, but the most recent ones are DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1. Buy a combo device that supports this to keep your data safe from hackers.
Price -If affordability is a factor, you’ve already made a smart choice by opting for a combo device as they tend to be cheaper than buying a dedicated router and modem. However, price will peak as the features and speeds go up, so weigh their importance in your home.
Test Results: Motorola AC1900 Wi-Fi Gigabit Router and Modem (Best Overall)
What We Like
Setup is fast
Has DOCSIS 3.0 connectivity
Includes deep customization capabilities
Setup was easy for our reviewers because of what one person described as “very clear instructions. Lifewire testers pushed this model to the max by connecting as many devices as possible — one person got up to 10. “It was very helpful to have an all-in-one device,” one tester said. “It limits clutter, saves electricity, and it's more secure and convenient. It's also cost effective.” Unfortunately, one of our testers wasn’t able to achieve the speeds that were promised, while other reviewers were. She did, however, like that “the menu offers a wide range of options for enhancing security and limiting and providing network access.”
Test Results: Motorola MG7700 (Runner-Up, Best Overall)
What We Like
Simple setup process
Reliable connection
Big range
Our testers immediately noticed the strong connection and big range while once they set up the MG7700. One person connected three smart TVs, multiple iPads, and five smartphones without experiencing a drop in speed. “This device got connected within seconds and provided great connectivity throughout my entire house and backyard,” she said, “even in the rooms that weren’t finding Wi-Fi before.” Microsoft word 2013 product key free download.
Test Results: NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 (24x8) Wi-Fi (C7000) (Best for High Internet Speeds)
What We Like
Includes DOCSIS 3.0 technology
Attractive design
Excellent range
What We Don't Like
Power adapter is bulky
Set up with Verizon FIOS is more difficult
Speed is what you’re looking for with the NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 and you won’t be disappointed. One tester put this modem/router combo to the test: “I never got the full 300 Mbps or more from the router/modem provided by Spectrum,” he said, “but, so far, I was able to get up to 331 Mbps download speeds with the new router, which is very impressive.” He also described how he used to feel a lag when playing games with his old modem/router that he doesn’t experience anymore.
Be sure to check if your Internet provider is compatible with this device, because it may hinder the setup process if it’s not. One reviewer — a Verizon Fios customer — wrote that the setup was “more complicated than it would be for a typical cable provider.”
Test Results: Netgear N300 Wi-Fi DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Router (C3000) (Best Value)
What We Don't Like
Limited range
The best features of this modem/router combo, according to our testers, were its straightforward setup process, ease of use, space-saving design, and great price. However, one tester — who connected five of his own devices at the same time — reported that “it worked well when streaming in the same room as this product” but that the range was more limited.
Test Results: Motorola MD1600 (Best for DSL)
What We Don't Like
Too tall
For those looking to upgrade their modem, our testers thought this device was a solid choice. Its simple setup and range were highlights. “I have a four-bedroom home and used this across the house — along with outside — and it gave me coverage,” noted one reviewer. Although our testers liked that this device was slim and had a small footprint, they had one design-related criticism: “Most people will want to place these into a wall unit or TV stand, and the size — while slim — is still tall,” one tester observed.