![]() ![]() Suffice it to say the downloads figure is more important for day-to-day use. The upload number is usually de-emphasized if it’s displayed at all and is typically a small fraction of the downloads number. There’s also a separate Mbps figure for upload (how fast you can send data up to the Internet compared to how fast the Internet can send data down to you). Your humble author’s plan, for example, provides 400 Mbps downloads. Chances are your current plan provides download speeds somewhere between 200 and 500 Mbps, which is fairly typical for mainstream cable Internet plans in most areas of the country. If you don’t know what download speed your Internet service plan offers-measured in Mbps or megabits-per-second-check your cable bill (and if it’s not listed there, call customer service). Any extra feature you receive from your cable provider (e.g. A higher performance tier you might subscribe to in the foreseeable futureĤ. The Internet performance tier of your current subscriptionģ. How to Choose a Cable Modemįinding the best cable modem for your needs boils down to a few things.Ģ. I stopped renting cable modems back in 2007, which has saved me about $1,800 over fifteen years. I’ve written for PC Mag, Small Business Computing, and Smart Computing among others, and my most recent book is Hacks for Alexa (Racehorse Press, 2019). The Expert: For nearly 30 years I’ve been an IT professional, personal tech consultant, and technology writer, who spends most of my time hip-deep in all kinds of tech. Best High-Speed Cable Modem/Wi-Fi Router Combo With Phone: Motorola MT8733.Best High-Speed Cable Modem With Phone: Netgear Nighthawk CM2050V.Best High-Speed Cable Modem/Wi-Fi Router Combo: Netgear Nighthawk CAX80.Best Budget Cable Modem: Motorola MB7621.Best High-Speed Cable Modem: Arris Surfboard S33. ![]() This ensures you won’t lose performance or features (now or in the future), just that rental fee on your bill each month. (Of course, check your bill to determine your own specific savings potential.)īut Wi-Fi equipped or not, when buying a cable modem it’s important to choose a device that’s well-matched not only to the Internet service you have today, but what you might have tomorrow. one that requires you to supply your own separate Wi-Fi router) or a full-blown model with a Wi-Fi router that is built in, buying your own cable modem can pay for itself in less than three years, and perhaps less. In contrast, whether you rent a bare-bones cable modem (i.e. That’s $180 per year and $540 over three years. After all, those rental fees can add up quickly.Ĭase in point-if you're an Xfinity customer in 2023 (and there’s a good chance you are since it’s the largest cable provider in the Unites States with over 22 million subscribers) you’re paying $15 every month to rent a cable modem (up from $14 in 2022). ![]() If you get Internet service from your cable company, you’ve probably noticed it’s not cheap, and it’s only getting more expensive with each passing year.Ī smart way to take some of the sting out of that Internet expense is to buy your own cable modem rather than paying a never-ending monthly fee to the cable company to rent one. ![]()
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