Best Modem Router Combos

Tired of signal dropping out and leaving your phone offline the minute you walk more than 2 feet from the router? The NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000 will solve that issue in a jiffy, all thanks to the unique beamforming technology. As most routers are usually connected to multiple devices at once, this one sends out signals to detect their placement and ensure that the connection stays stable no matter how far away they are. That way you always get the fastest internet even if there are several walls between you and the router.

It’s a good find for those with a few LAN-enabled devices as the modem has 4 ports to work with, each of them guaranteeing a max speed of 1000 Mbps. The WiFi capabilities don’t fall behind either with a 1900 Mbps maximum.

We can also testify to the device’s security as the NETGEAR Nighthawk uses SPI and NAT firewall protection to keep the connection safe from intruders and DoS attacks. It does, however, get quite hot when in use so make sure not to put it right up against the wall.

Other than that small flaw, though, there’s very little to fault in this powerful modem router combo as it offers excellent speed and easily allows for streaming movies in 4K while also playing games, potentially even on several devices.

Ever been in a situation where power went out in your home but you needed the internet urgently to do some task for work or backup your files in the cloud? With the ARRIS SURFboard serving as your gateway to the Web even in a power outage, there’s no need to worry.

This small modem router combo can work on a battery, which means that you can stay online even if the neighborhood goes dark, as long as the actual connection is still there. Although this feature may seem niche at first, we find it important as it can be used both in emergencies and when you’re out of the house as a battery and a source of WiFi or internet is enough to turn the ARRIS SURFboard into a portable internet machine.

We do admit that the device takes a while to set up and though it has plenty of ports to plug devices into, you’ll have to leave up to an hour free to make sure everything works properly. Don't’ forget to sync it with your ARRIS mobile app so that you can control your router from your phone, blocking connections or setting parental controls on. Still, lengthy as the process may be, once it’s all in order, you get good speed both on WiFi and wired connections, which is pretty much the main spec you want in a router.

So if you want a reliable router that can stay online in any circumstances - the ARRIS SURFboard is a fine choice. It offers good speeds, 4 LAN ports, and a handy app to control your device from afar, a modern choice for a modern shopper.

Want your whole home to be connected to the web but you aren’t the most tech-savvy person and don’t feel like wasting your time on lengthy setup? Try out the Motorola MG7540-10, designed to be easy in use and provide a stable dual band connection.

When you first launch this modem router combo, just use the configuration manager to do the initial setup. You’ll be able to follow the steps quite easily and the whole thing takes about 5 minutes, after which you’re ready to surf the web at an impressive 1000 Mbps LAN and 1600 Mbps WiFi. And don’t worry about the router having enough ports for all of your devices as this model boasts 4 RJ45 LAN ports. Plus, you don’t have to worry about security as your connection is protected by a double firewall.

That simplicity of use does come with a restriction, though, as there’s no phone app to control the router from afar. On the one hand, it’s easier as you don’t have to navigate that as well but, on the other, it can be so convenient to put parental locks in place or turn off the WiFi without leaving your bed.

Still, if simplicity and fast speed are all you need from your router, the Motorola MG7540-10 is a fine choice at a reasonable price. It’s going to keep all your devices online without requiring any tech knowledge at all.

The C3000-100NAS NETGEAR is a three-in-one device that includes a router, modem and a Gigabit Wired Switch. It offers a NETGEAR Genie App that runs across all of the company’s modern network devices, which you can use to get content filtering Parental Controls and ReadyNAS for USB drives management. Also, since C3000-100NAS performs the functions of a cable modem as well, the Genie UI has additional cable connection settings. All of this allows setting up and configuring the device in mere minutes without you having to call to a local ISP asking for help.

Ever had a dilemma what to buy first: a router or a modem? Maybe both? With this model from NETGEAR, you will get both a modem and a router of remarkable quality at a reasonable price. Moreover, if you invest in this router now it will save you up a significant sum of yearly rental fees from your provider (if you have any) and make your network future-proof because it is IPv6 compatible.

Love living in the future, where everything is interconnected and even your smartphone is enough to control the appliances in your home? If you said yes, don’t hesitate to add the ARRIS SURFboard SBG6580-2 to your device line-up.

The manager app that comes with the router lets you control all of its functions and track traffic usage, a way to make sure your connections are safe. This combined with the excellent WPA/WPA2 standard protection means your data will be as secure as possible for a standard home router. You can also, of course, use the app to set parental controls and lock some sites out if you’d prefer to guard your child’s web surfing against any inappropriate materials.

Though the ARRIS SBG6580-2 is pretty compact, we’d still recommend tucking it away in a corner somewhere as a few users noted that the LED indicators are a bit too bright. Definitely don’t place anywhere near your bed if you’re a light sleeper. That coupled with the admittedly modest WiFi speed of 600 Mbps are the rare flaws in this model. After all, we definitely can’t fault the four 1000 Mbps LAN ports or the powerful antenna that creates a 2500 sq. ft. WiFi coverage range.

As long as the two minor faults don’t bother you, we can definitely recommend the ARRIS SURFboard SBG6580-2 as it’s an affordable and moderately powerful router modem combination.