Best Modems for Spectrum

The ARRIS SURFboard SBG7400 is not for posers who don't even surf. On a more serious note, this is a powerful machine that works with the biggest US cable Internet providers, including Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, and others. But while its performance is commendable, the model's appearance is a little bland. Not necessarily escaping the mold that most home modems fit, this unit presents the same black box with 5 LED indicators, a WPS button, and a USB port below it. The LED icons provide you with information regarding the network that you can use to diagnose issues. The model measures 7.7 x 2.25 x 9.5 inches and weighs 2.6 pounds, which is more or less standard.

While the front is pretty basic, the backside looks a little odd. Color-coded and labeled to the point that anyone should be able to work with the Surfboard, we appreciate making the interfaces on the back newbie-friendly but, from an aesthetics perspective, the colorful backside looks almost garish. On the upside, both from installation and troubleshooting viewpoints, even the least tech-savvy users will have no problems figuring these interfaces out. There are 4 Ethernet ports there, each with a maximum gigabit throughput.

The NETGEAR Combo C6250 replaces cable modems and Wi-Fi routers, combining both devices into one unit. With this unit, you can make sure that the entire house enjoys a reliable and sufficient connection. What sells this product first and foremost is the 16x4 channel bonding feature, ensuring excellent speed during peak hours. With this feature, multiple people connected to the same network can enjoy seamless gaming and streaming with practically nonexistent lagging and buffering. As always, the company's networking equipment automatically selects between 2 bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), minimizing interference and assigning different devices the band they require. Where coverage is concerned, this unit follows in its predecessors' footsteps, covering at least 1,500 square feet, which means that this model will be able to accommodate pretty sizable premises.

What's not necessarily sizable, however, is the unit itself. No, measuring just 7.8 x 2.5 x 7.6 inches, this is one compact device that most shelves or entertainment centers can fit with relative ease. The people behind the product even claim that its weight caps at 1.2 pounds, which is a little improbable but, at the very least, the device is quite lightweight, there's no doubt about that. Plus, with countless ventilation holes on the sides, the unit offers great heat dissipation, preventing its internal components from overheating. Still, the modem requires occasional restarting.

TP-Link Archer CR700 is excellent in its own right. The one thing that we would like to change is putting the WPS button not as close to the On/Off button as it is right now, making sure that you do not accidentally choose the wrong one. Removing the button layout from the equation, we have no complaints regarding this device, not one. Even the general layout is quite alright, primarily the 2 USB ports that you'll find above the 4 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. With these ports, you can establish a wired connection between the network and most USB-enabled devices, including printers, game boxes, thumb drives, and so on.

As you'd imagine, the Gigabit Ethernet ports make this modem compatible with most major cable ISPs, not excluding Xfinity, Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, and more. All you have to do is use a coaxial cable to connect the model to your computer or router, and contact your Internet service provider to activate the modem. When you're done, the LED icons will tell you if the connection's working as intended or if there's some issue with it. Using these indicators, you can troubleshoot the issue, so even inexperienced users should be able to find out what the problem is and fix it without consulting professionals. Plus, the instructions that come with this device are pretty thorough and straightforward, so you can always consult them first before giving up and calling for professional assistance.

The ARRIS SURFboard SBG10 is a little more humble and tame than its step-up stablemate that we've reviewed above. Unlike the said stablemate, this device caps at 16 downstream and 4 upstream channels, which is still great, just not as great as 24 and 8 respectively. That being said, even households that entertain numerous guests on a frequent basis and have quite a few smart devices will seldom find 16 downstream and 4 upstream channels insufficient. Not unlike its more expensive relative, the model also works with Xfinity, Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, and more cable Internet service providers. The difference here is that, with Spectrum, you'll have to call the company's customer support to activate it, which is not always the case with the SBG7400. From where we're standing, the model's more budget-hostile sibling looks a little more aesthetically pleasing. But, with both sides featuring ventilation holes and cutouts, this unit is better at dissipating heat, so even at the highest load, the modem remains cool to the touch and will not fry its internal components.

On the backside, the interfaces are color-coded and labeled as well, making sure that those users that are not necessarily tech-savvy can figure out the connections themselves. These connections include 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 1 coaxial port. We're fine with 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports since very few users need more than that but the lineup could use a USB port. Sure, we're not surprised it isn't there considering the product's value-oriented disposition but the port is missed nonetheless. What's not missed, however, is the model supporting IPv6, which is the latest Internet protocol version that solves its predecessors' address exhaustion issues, facilitates route aggregation, expands routing tables, and more.

The NETGEAR CM500 is the most inexpensive model on this list. At ~$60, there are very few households that will find this unit a financial burden. Needless to say, considering that the model costs two or even three times less than your average modem for Spectrum and other high-speed cable Internet connections (including Xfinity, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cablevision, Bright House Networks, Cox, and others), the unit entails certain disadvantages.

First things first, its download throughput caps at 680 Mbps and upload at 132 Mbps. Is that a huge disadvantage? As far as an average household is concerned - not at all. With this connection, multiple people can enjoy seamless online gaming and Ultra HD (4K) streaming without buffering. In fact, the people enjoying online gaming can also stream their gameplay since the 132 Mbps upload speed covers at least 2 people streaming Full HD content. With these numbers, the model will be perfect for Xfinity's Internet Blast and Extreme plans. Time Warner Maxx customers will also be able to appreciate what this device can do for them.

Of course, aside from covering most cable ISPs, the model also works with pretty much all Wi-Fi routers, so you won't have to replace your old router. As you'd expect, these include the company's routers as well, which are usually quite great in their own right.