The Best Comcast Compatible Cable Modems – November 2017

Comcast are one of the largest cable providers in the country and while their business practices and customer service may leave a lot to be desired, their Xfinity cable internet service is mostly okay. If you don’t want to pay the $10 a month to rent their modem, here are five Comcast compatible cable modems you can buy in 2017.

To be honest, I think charging you for the device necessary to access the service you are also paying for is a complete rip off. It isn’t as if you can access cable internet without a modem and it isn’t as if the modem you rent from Comcast is much good anyway. Fortunately, the market comes to the rescue with a range of compatible cable modems you can buy and use with the service.

Buying your own modem makes good sense financially. It costs $120 a year to rent a modem from Comcast. It costs much less than that to buy one yourself. You are then responsible for maintaining and repairing it yourself but you are not rewarding a company for ripping you off. Neither are you dependent on middle of the road hardware to give you decent connection speeds.

With all that in mind, here are five of the best Comcast compatible cable modems you can buy in 2017.

Cable modems

Any cable modem you buy needs to be DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Services Interface Specification) compatible, preferably DOCSIS 3.0 which is the latest standard. Before making a buying decision, make sure the modem you have selected is compatible with Comcast. I have made every effort to be accurate but let the buyer beware. Manufacturers are constantly changing standards and features so double check before you buy!

Arris Surfboard SB SB6183 – $68

The Arris Surfboard series of modems regularly features in top lists of cable modems because they are known as Comcast compatible and can handle DOCSIS 3.0. The Arris Surfboard SB SB6183 is capable of up to 686 Mbps download and up to 131 Mbps upload speeds. It doesn’t have wireless or routing capability but as a modem is reliable and easy to use.

There is also a wide and helpful community of users that have seen, done and fixed it all too. This will help a lot if you come up against any issues.

Zoom 5345 – $49

The Zoom 5345 is another router that features regularly in performance reviews. It is capable of 343 Mbps download, includes a Gigabit Ethernet port, supports IPv6 and is DOCSIS 3.0 compatible. It has also been certified compatible by Comcast so you stand a good chance of being able to use it right out of the box. Like the SB6183, the Zoom 5345 doesn’t have routing capability but as a modem, it ticks all the boxes.

The chassis is small, has clear status lights and comes with U.S customer support for two years too.

Netgear CM700 Cable Modem – $100

The Netgear CM700 Cable Modem is one of the fastest around, capable of 1.4 Gbps download speeds. With 32 download and 8 upstream channels, it is quite futureproof too. It is also DOCSIS 3.0 compliant and is said to work fine with Comcast. You may not need gigabit throughput just yet but having it ready and waiting makes this device quite futureproof.

The one thing common with many Netgear devices is that they run hot. As long as you place the CM700 somewhere with good ventilation, this should provide many years of faithful service.

Asus CM-16 Cable Modem – $83

The Asus CM-16 Cable Modem looks the part as well as performs it. Listed as Comcast compatible and DOCSIS 3.0 compliant, this modem is capable of 686 Mbps download and up to 131 Mbps upload speeds. With a nice black chassis and blue Led lights, it will look good next to any computer setup.

Asus devices tend to be reliable and fast and the CM-16 is no different. With 16 download and 4 upload channels, this is a good router for current setups.

Motorola MB7420 – $80

The Motorola MB7420 is a solid performer and worthy of the final spot in my top five Comcast compatible cable modems you can buy in 2017 list. It is small, sleep and DOCSIS 3.0 and Comcast compatible. Capable of 686 Mbps download and up to 131 Mbps upload speeds and featuring a digital tuner for reliability and speed.

Motorola make good equipment and this is no different. It has been reviewed well and rated highly so is well worth a look.

All of these modems are currently certified as Comcast compatible but that might change in the future. Make sure to check current standards before buying!