A modem router combo, or gateway, folds the cable modem and the WiFi router into one box. You buy it once, hand the rental unit back to your cable company, and stop paying the monthly equipment fee that most providers charge, which typically covers the cost of the box inside a year. The trade-off is flexibility: when either half becomes outdated you replace the whole thing. We ranked the cable gateways in our networking catalog by DOCSIS version and channel bonding, the plan speeds each is approved for, WiFi generation and rated coverage, Ethernet port count, provider certifications, and what tens of thousands of owners report after months of service.
We have not run every one of these ourselves; the verdicts rest on the spec sheets and on the owner review history. Prices are not printed because they change daily; every button opens the live Amazon page. Every unit here is for cable internet only, not fiber or DSL. If you would rather keep the modem and router separate so you can upgrade them independently, our budget WiFi 6 routers and WiFi 7 routers guides cover the router half.
How we picked
- Certified by the big cable providers. Every pick is approved for Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox at minimum; we quote the speed tiers the maker lists.
- The right DOCSIS for the plan. DOCSIS 3.0 with 16x4 or 24x8 bonding for plans up to about 800 Mbps, DOCSIS 3.1 for gigabit.
- Usable WiFi. Dual-band AC1600 or better, with WiFi 6 on the newest pick, and a realistic coverage figure.
- Enough Ethernet. At least two gigabit ports, four on most picks.
- Owner ratings of 4.0 stars or better, nearly all with thousands of reviews.
The picks
ARRIS (SBG10) - Cable Modem Router Combo - DOCSIS 3.0 16 x 4 Gigabit & AC1600 WiFi, [Check with your provider for compatibility]400 Mbps Max Internet Speeds
![ARRIS (SBG10) - Cable Modem Router Combo - DOCSIS 3.0 16 x 4 Gigabit & AC1600 WiFi, [Check with your provider for compatibility]400 Mbps Max Internet Speeds](https://dobestdeals-img-3.pages.dev/arris.webp)
The SBG10 is the gateway most cable customers actually need: a 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 modem approved for plans up to 400 Mbps, AC1600 dual-band WiFi and a setup app that walks you through provider activation in a few minutes. It is small, silent and cheap enough that the first year of saved rental fees covers it. The spec is modest by design, so it is not for a gigabit plan, and the two Ethernet ports will need a switch if you wire more than a TV and a console. The WiFi is fine for an apartment or a small house; a bigger home will want the C7000 or C7800. What sets it apart is the sheer weight of evidence: 15,600 owners rate it 4.3 stars, and the reviews are consistent about reliability over years of service.
- 15,600 owners at 4.3 stars, the most-reviewed gateway here
- Pays for itself in rental fees within about a year
- Simple app setup and activation
- Compact and quiet
- 400 Mbps ceiling rules it out for faster plans
- Only two Ethernet ports
- WiFi 5 AC1600 covers a small to mid home at best
NETGEAR Cable Modem Wi-Fi Router Combo C6250 - Compatible with All Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum, Cox | for Cable Plans Up to 300 Mbps | AC1600 Wi-Fi Speed | DOCSIS 3.0
The C6250 is the budget pick and the one to buy if your plan is 300 Mbps or less and you simply want the rental fee gone. It is a 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 modem certified by Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox, paired with AC1600 dual-band WiFi that Netgear rates at 1,500 square feet and 25 devices, plus two gigabit ports and a USB port for a shared drive. It costs less than the SBG10 and does slightly less: the approved speed ceiling is 300 Mbps on Spectrum and Xfinity, lower on Cox, and the WiFi coverage figure suits an apartment or a small house. There is no voice support and it is cable only. With 10,100 owners at 4.2 stars, it has the second-largest review base here and a similar story of unfussy service.
- The cheapest gateway on this page from a major brand
- 10,100 owners at 4.2 stars
- Certified by all three big cable companies
- USB port for a shared drive
- 300 Mbps cap is the lowest here
- Two Ethernet ports only
- 1,500 sq ft WiFi rating suits apartments
Motorola MG7550 2-in-1 Cable Modem with Built-in WiFi Router
The MG7550 is the gateway for a mid-size house on a mid-tier plan. The modem is a 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 unit on a Broadcom chipset, recommended for plans up to 375 Mbps, and the router half is AC1900 with Motorola’s Power Boost amplifiers and support for DFS channels, the quieter part of 5GHz most consumer routers avoid, which is why owners report better range than the spec suggests. Four gigabit ports mean a TV, console, desktop and NAS can all be wired, and the vertical case runs cool. It is an older design managed from a web page rather than an app, and it is not a gigabit modem. For reliable coverage across a two- or three-bedroom home, 7,200 owners at 4.3 stars rank it with the best.
- Power Boost amplifiers push WiFi to the legal limit for range
- Four gigabit ports, double the SBG10 and C6250
- DFS channels avoid crowded 5GHz airspace
- 7,200 owners at 4.3 stars
- Recommended for plans up to 375 Mbps, not gigabit
- Older model with a basic web interface, no app
- No telephone ports
NETGEAR Nighthawk Modem Router Combo (CAX30) DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem and WiFi 6 Router - AX2700 2.7 Gbps - Compatible with Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, and More - Gigabit Wireless Internet
The CAX30 is the gateway to buy for a gigabit cable plan if you also want modern WiFi. Its DOCSIS 3.1 modem with 32x8 bonding handles gigabit tiers and whatever your provider rolls out next, and the router half is WiFi 6 AX2700, which brings OFDMA for busy homes even though the headline speed is modest. Four gigabit ports support link aggregation for a NAS, there is a USB 3.0 port, and the Nighthawk app handles setup. It costs considerably more than any DOCSIS 3.0 unit here, Netgear’s 2,000 square foot and 25-device rating is on the cautious side, and there is no 2.5G port, so a 1.2 Gbps plan will be capped by the Ethernet jack. Owners rate it 4.2 stars across 5,900 reviews.
- DOCSIS 3.1 for gigabit plans and future speed tiers
- The only WiFi 6 gateway on this page
- Port aggregation lets two LAN ports combine for a NAS
- 5,900 owners at 4.2 stars
- Costs two to three times a DOCSIS 3.0 gateway
- AX2700 is entry-level WiFi 6; 25-device rating is conservative
- No multi-gig Ethernet port
NETGEAR Nighthawk DOCSIS 3.0 Modem Router Combo C7000, WiFi 5, 1.9 Gbps
The C7000 is the sweet spot for the many households on a 500 to 800 Mbps cable plan. Its DOCSIS 3.0 modem is approved for Xfinity plans up to 800 Mbps and Cox up to 500 Mbps, which is well above the SBG10 and C6250, without the price of a DOCSIS 3.1 unit. The router is AC1900 dual-band with Beamforming+ for a stronger signal to phones, rated for 1,800 square feet, with four gigabit ports for wired devices and the Nighthawk app for setup, speed tests and guest networks. It will not do gigabit, and the coverage figure means a large home should look at the C7800. Reliability is the recurring theme in its 5,900 reviews, which average 4.2 stars.
- Approved for 800 Mbps Xfinity plans without paying for DOCSIS 3.1
- AC1900 with Beamforming+ and four gigabit ports
- Nighthawk app setup and management
- 5,900 owners at 4.2 stars
- Still DOCSIS 3.0, so not for gigabit tiers
- 1,800 sq ft WiFi rating
- Listing shows fewer product photos than the rest
ARRIS (SBG7600AC2) - Cable Modem Router Combo - DOCSIS 3.0 & AC2350 WiFi, [Check with your provider for compatibility]Four 1 Gbps Ports , 800 Mbps Max Internet Speeds
![ARRIS (SBG7600AC2) - Cable Modem Router Combo - DOCSIS 3.0 & AC2350 WiFi, [Check with your provider for compatibility]Four 1 Gbps Ports , 800 Mbps Max Internet Speeds](https://dobestdeals-img-10.pages.dev/arris-2.webp)
The SBG7600AC2 is ARRIS’s answer to the C7000: a DOCSIS 3.0 modem approved for plans up to 800 Mbps, paired with AC2350 WiFi that is a step faster than the Netgear’s AC1900, and four gigabit Ethernet ports. Setup runs through the SURFboard Central app, and like every SURFboard it carries certifications for Cox, Xfinity and the other major cable companies. It is a bigger box than the SBG10 and costs more, and it is still a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, so gigabit customers should look at the CAX30 or C7800 instead. Between the two 800 Mbps gateways here, this one has the slightly better WiFi and the slightly higher rating, 4.3 stars from 3,400 owners, while the C7000 has the larger review base; either is a sound choice.
- Faster AC2350 WiFi than the C7000 at the same speed tier
- Four gigabit ports
- SURFboard app setup
- 3,400 owners at 4.3 stars
- DOCSIS 3.0 only
- Larger and pricier than the SBG10
- No USB or voice ports
ARRIS Surfboard SBG6950AC2 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem & AC1900 Wi-Fi Router , Approved for Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum & more , Four 1 Gbps Ports , 400 Mbps Max Internet Speeds
The SBG6950AC2 is the SBG10’s bigger sibling for the same 400 Mbps plans: the same 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 modem, but with Wave 2 AC1900 WiFi instead of AC1600 and four gigabit Ethernet ports instead of two. That makes it the better pick for a house with several wired devices or more than a couple of rooms to cover, and its owners rate it 4.4 stars, the highest score on this page, albeit from 2,600 reviews rather than the SBG10’s 15,600. The ceiling is still 400 Mbps, so if your provider is pushing you toward a faster tier the SBG7600AC2 is the smarter buy. For a mid-tier plan in a mid-size home, it is the best-rated gateway in the catalog.
- The highest owner rating on this page at 4.4 stars
- Wave 2 AC1900 WiFi and four gigabit ports beat the SBG10
- Approved by the big three cable providers
- App-based setup
- Same 400 Mbps ceiling as the SBG10
- Fewer reviews than the SBG10 at 2,600
- No USB port
NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo (C7800) - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Cox, Spectrum | Cable Plans Up to 1 Gigabit | AC3200 WiFi Speed | DOCSIS 3.1
The C7800 is the gateway for a large house on a gigabit plan. The DOCSIS 3.1 modem with 32x8 bonding is certified for 1 Gbps on Spectrum and Cox and 800 Mbps on Xfinity, and the router side is a four-stream AC3200 design rated for 3,000 square feet and 45 devices, the biggest coverage figure on this page. Four gigabit ports and two USB 3.0 ports round it out. It is WiFi 5 rather than WiFi 6, which is why the CAX30 outranks it for busy homes despite having less raw coverage, and it is a large, warm box; a minority of its 3,100 reviewers mention heat and the occasional reboot after years of use, which pulls the rating to 4.1 stars. If a single gateway must cover a big footprint, it is the one.
- 3,000 sq ft rating is the largest coverage claim here
- DOCSIS 3.1 for gigabit plans
- Two USB 3.0 ports for storage and a personal FTP server
- 3,100 owners at 4.1 stars
- WiFi 5 AC3200, not WiFi 6
- Big and expensive
- 4.1 stars with some owners reporting heat and reboots over time
Compare the picks
| Product | Modem | Approved plan speed | WiFi | Ethernet ports | Owner rating | Our score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARRIS SBG10ARRIS | DOCSIS 3.0, 16x4 | Up to 400 Mbps | AC1600 | 2 x 1G | 4.3 (15,600+) | 8.6 | See price |
| Netgear C6250NETGEAR | DOCSIS 3.0, 16x4 | Up to 300 Mbps | AC1600, 1,500 sq ft | 2 x 1G | 4.2 (10,100+) | 8.4 | See price |
| Motorola MG7550Motorola | DOCSIS 3.0, 16x4 | Up to 375 Mbps | AC1900 with Power Boost | 4 x 1G | 4.3 (7,200+) | 8.6 | See price |
| Netgear Nighthawk CAX30NETGEAR | DOCSIS 3.1, 32x8 | Gigabit | WiFi 6 AX2700, 2,000 sq ft | 4 x 1G | 4.2 (5,900+) | 8.4 | See price |
| Netgear Nighthawk C7000NETGEAR | DOCSIS 3.0 | Up to 800 Mbps | AC1900, 1,800 sq ft | 4 x 1G | 4.2 (5,900+) | 8.4 | See price |
| ARRIS SBG7600AC2ARRIS | DOCSIS 3.0 | Up to 800 Mbps | AC2350 | 4 x 1G | 4.3 (3,400+) | 8.6 | See price |
| ARRIS SBG6950AC2ARRIS | DOCSIS 3.0, 16x4 | Up to 400 Mbps | AC1900 Wave 2 | 4 x 1G | 4.4 (2,600+) | 8.8 | See price |
| Netgear Nighthawk C7800NETGEAR | DOCSIS 3.1, 32x8 | Up to 1 Gbps | AC3200, 3,000 sq ft | 4 x 1G | 4.1 (3,100+) | 8.2 | See price |
Match the modem to your plan, not the other way round
The modem half sets a hard ceiling. A 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 unit (SBG10, C6250, MG7550, SBG6950AC2) is approved for plans up to about 400 Mbps; the C7000 and SBG7600AC2 stretch DOCSIS 3.0 to 800 Mbps; only the DOCSIS 3.1 units (CAX30, C7800) are certified for gigabit tiers. Buy one step above your current plan so the next upgrade does not force a replacement, but do not pay for DOCSIS 3.1 on a 200 Mbps plan. Check your provider’s approved device list before ordering; every unit here is certified for Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox, but smaller cable companies vary.
Combo or separate modem and router?
A combo saves space, a power brick and the setup of two devices, and it is the cheapest way to stop paying rental fees. Separates win on flexibility: you can keep a DOCSIS 3.1 modem for a decade and swap the router as WiFi generations change, and standalone routers reach WiFi 7 and 2.5G ports, which no gateway here offers. If your home is large, multi-storey or full of smart devices, consider a plain modem plus a mesh system from our mesh WiFi systems guide. If you live in a flat or a modest house and want one box, a combo is the right call.
Activation and the rental fee
Every gateway here needs to be activated with your cable provider, either through the maker’s app (SURFboard Central, Nighthawk) or by calling the provider with the unit’s MAC address printed on the label. Once it is online, return the rented gateway promptly and watch the next bill to confirm the fee is gone; providers typically charge in the range that makes an owned unit pay off within a year. Note that none of these support bundled voice service; if you have cable telephone, you need a voice gateway from your provider’s list.
Will a modem router combo work with my cable provider?
All eight picks are certified for Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox, and most for other US cable companies. Check the provider approved list for your plan tier first. None of them work with fiber, DSL, satellite or bundled voice service.
Do I need DOCSIS 3.1?
Only for plans of about 1 Gbps or faster. The Netgear CAX30 and C7800 are the DOCSIS 3.1 picks. For plans up to 800 Mbps, the DOCSIS 3.0 Netgear C7000 and ARRIS SBG7600AC2 cost less and perform the same.
Which combo has WiFi 6?
The Netgear Nighthawk CAX30 is the only WiFi 6 gateway on this page. The rest are WiFi 5, which is fine for streaming and video calls but less efficient with dozens of smart devices.
How much will I save by owning my gateway?
Most US cable providers charge a monthly equipment fee that adds up to well over a hundred dollars a year, so a budget gateway like the ARRIS SBG10 or Netgear C6250 pays for itself within roughly a year and the mid-range units within two.
Can I add a mesh system to a modem router combo later?
Yes. Put the gateway in bridge mode or disable its WiFi and connect the main mesh unit to one of its Ethernet ports. The combo then acts as the modem only.
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