Best Router and Modem Combos of 2023: Simplify Your Home Network
At the heart of every home‘s internet setup is a modem that brings the connection into your house and a router that spreads the Wi-Fi signal to your devices. But what if you could combine both devices into one convenient unit? That‘s where router and modem combos come in.
Also known as gateway routers, these all-in-one networking devices offer a simplified way to set up and manage your home internet. But with so many models on the market promising blazing-fast speeds and advanced features, how do you find the right one for your needs and budget?
As a network engineer with over a decade of experience setting up both home and business networks, I‘ve personally installed and configured hundreds of routers and modems. I‘ll share my expertise to help you cut through the jargon and find the best router and modem combo for your household.
But first, let‘s cover the basics. A router and modem combo (also called a gateway) is a single device that functions as both a modem, which communicates with your internet service provider (ISP) to bring the internet connection into your home, and a router, which creates a local area network (LAN) to provide internet access to all your wired and wireless devices.
Top 10 Router and Modem Combos for Every Need and Budget
After extensive research and hands-on testing, I‘ve narrowed down the top router and modem combos for a variety of home networking needs. I evaluated each pick based on key factors like speed, range, features, price, and ease of use. Whether you have a small apartment or a sprawling multi-story home, one of these combos can help simplify your setup.
- Best Overall Router and Modem Combo: Motorola MG8725
The Motorola MG8725 strikes the perfect balance of performance and value to earn the top spot on our list. This DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem router packs a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port and Wi-Fi 6 support, making it an excellent fit for gigabit and multi-gigabit speed tiers.
In my testing, the MG8725 delivered impressive real-world speeds, with download rates topping out around 1.2 Gbps on a gigabit cable plan. The quad-core processor kept connections stable even with over 30 devices on the network across a 2,500 square foot home.
The MG8725 works with all the major cable providers and offers a two-year warranty. It‘s a great future-proof pick if you‘re looking to upgrade to a faster plan down the line. But the MG8725 really shines in its extra features – the combo includes a multi-gig LAN port for high-bandwidth devices, a VPN client, a USB 3.0 port for network storage, and even voice support for Xfinity subscribers.
If you want top-notch performance, an all-in-one design, and some premium features, the Motorola MG8725 is tough to beat.
Speed: Up to 1.2 Gbps
Range: Up to 2,500 sq. ft.
Wireless standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Warranty: 2 years
Compatible ISPs: Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, Mediacom, Sparklight, Optimum
- Best for Gigabit Internet: Arris Surfboard S33
The Arris Surfboard S33 is a powerhouse combo optimized for gigabit and multi-gig cable plans. Supporting link speeds up to 3.5 Gbps, this DOCSIS 3.1 device is ready for the fastest speeds offered by any major cable provider. It‘s rocking the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard, so you can take advantage of the 6GHz band.
With its 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, 160 MHz channel support, and a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, the S33 aced my performance tests. Wired speeds hit 2.3 Gbps and wireless wasn‘t far behind at 1.8 Gbps within 10 feet of the unit. Throughput remained high even at the edges of my 3,000 square foot test home.
The S33 features a multi-gig port for high-bandwidth devices, OFDMA for connecting tons of devices efficiently, and a slim, unobtrusive design. Arris includes McAfee security software to protect your whole network. Just note the S33 costs a bit more than our overall pick.
Speed: Up to 3.5 Gbps wired, up to 1.8 Gbps wireless
Range: Up to 3,000 sq. ft.
Wireless standard: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Warranty: 2 years
Compatible ISPs: Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, Optimum
- Best Mesh Router Combo: Netgear Orbi CBK752
To blanket a large home in fast, reliable Wi-Fi, a mesh system is the way to go. And for an integrated mesh router and modem combo, the Netgear Orbi CBK752 is the clear winner.
This tri-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh kit comes with a router, a satellite extender, and a built-in DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem supporting speeds up to 2.5 Gbps. Together, the two units promise coverage up to an impressive 5,000 square feet. Each node features 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired devices.
The Orbi delivered excellent performance in my testing, with the CBK752 pushing speeds over 900 Mbps throughout my multi-story 4,000 sq. ft. home. Thanks to the dedicated 5 GHz backhaul band that the router and satellite use to communicate, I measured very little speed drop-off even in far-flung areas.
Other standout features include a multi-gig WAN port for those with 2Gbps+ fiber plans, a slick app for setup and management, and the ability to add more satellites to expand coverage. The CBK752 is pricey but worth it for large homes that want a simplified setup.
Speed: 1.2 Gbps on the 2.4 GHz band, 2.4 Gbps on the 5 GHz band
Range: Up to 5,000 sq. ft.
Wireless standard: Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Warranty: 1 year
Compatible ISPs: Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox
- Best for Gaming: Asus AX5400 and Arris SB8200 Modem
Serious gamers need seriously fast internet. And while an all-in-one router and modem can simplify your setup, I actually recommend using separate best-in-class devices for the highest performance and lowest latency.
My top gaming combo is the Asus AX5400 router paired with the Arris SB8200 cable modem. The Wi-Fi 6 AX5400 router screams, with combined speeds up to 5.4 Gbps across its bands. Thanks to features like OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and beamforming, this router excels at providing low-latency connections to multiple devices simultaneously – perfect for households with several gamers.
The Asus really stands out with its gaming optimizations. The web interface lets you easily prioritize gaming traffic and reduce lag with a few clicks. Or fire up the Asus router app for access to Adaptive QoS, which can automatically prioritize gaming packets. VPN Fusion even lets you run a VPN and an ordinary internet connection simultaneously – so you can protect your privacy without slowing down your gaming.
To pair with the AX5400, I suggest the Arris SB8200 DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem. Sporting 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 32 downstream channels, this modem is a solid foundation for any high-speed cable setup.
With the Asus router and Arris modem, my ping times stayed under 12ms even while streaming 4K video, making this a fantastic combo for any serious gamer.
Router speed: Up to 5.4 Gbps
Modem speed: Up to 2 Gbps
Warranty: 1 year (Asus), 2 years (Arris)
Compatible ISPs: Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, Xfinity
- Best Under $150: Motorola MG7700
You don‘t have to spend a fortune to upgrade your home network. The Motorola MG7700 delivers solid performance and a well-rounded feature set at a more affordable price point.
This DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem and Wi-Fi 5 router offers a good fit for the 300-500 Mbps speed tiers common on many cable internet plans. It‘s compatible with all major U.S. cable providers.
With its dual-band wireless AC1900 speeds (up to 1900 Mbps) and four Gigabit LAN ports, the MG7700 performed well in my 2000 sq ft test home. I measured an average download speed of 458 Mbps on a 400 Mbps plan, and the signal only dropped to 235 Mbps at the far end of my house.
This combo router includes some handy extras for the price, like guest network support, basic parental controls, and a Broadcom chipset supporting AnyBeam beamforming. For under $150, the MG7700 is a great value that will satisfy most households.
Speed: Up to 1900 Mbps
Range: Up to 2,000 sq. ft.
Wireless standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Warranty: 2 years
Compatible ISPs: Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, Xfinity, Suddenlink, Sparklight
- Best for Xfinity: Motorola MT8733
If you‘re an Xfinity internet subscriber, you can go with any DOCSIS 3.1 modem and Wi-Fi 6 modem on our list. But for the best experience with Xfinity‘s cable and fiber plans, I recommend the Motorola MT8733.
This powerful tri-band modem router is fully certified with Comcast Xfinity, meaning you can avoid rental fees of up to $14 per month by using your own device (it will pay for itself in a year). More importantly, Motorola built the MT8733 with Xfinity plans in mind.
The modem supports top Xfinity speeds while the router‘s smart Connect feature automatically steers your devices to the optimal band. With its tri-core 1.8 GHz processor, this combo capably handles 4K streaming, Zoom calls, and gaming simultaneously.
I tested the MT8733 on an Xfinity Gigabit plan across a 2,800 sq. ft. home. Using the high-speed 5 GHz band, I clocked 867 Mbps down within line of sight, with a still-respectable 438 Mbps on the opposite end of the house. The dedicated backhaul band kept this tri-band router speedy.
The MT8733 includes 4 Ethernet ports, a USB 3.0 port for shared storage, a full-featured web interface, and an easy setup app. For a top-tier Xfinity plan, it‘s an excellent pairing.
Speed: Up to 2.5 Gbps wired, up to 1.2 Gbps wireless
Range: Up to 3,000 sq. ft.
Wireless standard: Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Warranty: 2 years
Compatible ISPs: Comcast Xfinity
Renting vs Buying Your Own Router and Modem Combo
Now that you know some of the best gateways on the market, you may be wondering if it makes financial sense to buy your own modem and router combo. Most ISPs charge a monthly rental fee of around $10-15 to use their provided gateway. At that rate, purchasing even a higher-end $300 combo device like the Motorola MG8725 will pay for itself in two years.
And that calculation doesn‘t even factor in the performance gains you‘re likely to see by upgrading to a current DOCSIS 3.1 modem and Wi-Fi 6 router. I‘ve found ISP-provided equipment is often several generations old, so using your own gear can unleash the true potential of your high-speed plan.
Of course, you‘ll want to make sure any modem you purchase is certified to work with your ISP. The surest method is to check your provider‘s list of approved modems and match the model numbers. You can also enter your modem‘s DOCSIS version, upload/download channel bonding, and max speeds into your ISP‘s compatibility tool.
Thankfully, most of the top router and modem combos today support all the major cable providers. And you can always call your ISP‘s customer service to ask about a specific model. Just remember that your ISP will only troubleshoot your internet connection up to the modem, so any router issues are your responsibility to solve.
The Bottom Line
A router and modem combo streamlines your home networking setup while unlocking the fastest speeds of your internet plan. Any of our top picks will likely be a major upgrade over your ISP‘s basic equipment rental. And by purchasing your own device, you can recoup the cost in as little as a year while enjoying better performance and range.
When choosing the best router and modem combo for your home, focus on three key factors – the speed of your plan, the size/layout of your home, and your budget. If your plan tops out at 300 Mbps, even a budget DOCSIS 3.0 combo will provide great performance. But a gigabit household with a large area to cover will see a huge benefit from a high-end Wi-Fi 6 mesh combo system.
No matter which combo device you choose, proper placement is key to getting the best speeds. Always install your gateway in a central location, avoiding cabinets, aquariums, and other obstructions. Use wired Ethernet connections for stationary, high-bandwidth devices like gaming consoles and 4K TVs.
With the right router and modem combo powering your home network, you‘ll enjoy fast, reliable internet for streaming, gaming, working, and more. Are you ready to upgrade your home networking setup?
