If you’re looking for the best spectrum compatible routers and modems, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we review 8 of the best routers and modems that are fully compatible with Spectrum internet service.
For a monthly fee, Spectrum provides a pre-configured router for its users who have signed up for their internet service.
Renting a Spectrum modem costs $5 a month, which adds up to $60 per year in rental fees. Despite Spectrum encouraging its customers to rent their own approved router/modem, buying your own router is a much better option.
Getting a compatible router and modem isn’t just cheaper, but you also get to choose a router that offers better speeds and overall performance, wider coverage, better control over your home wireless network, and most importantly, you’ll get to avoid the monthly rental fees.
That said, we’ve rounded up a total of 8 compatible routers and modems that will ultimately get the best out of your internet plan with Spectrum.
Table of Contents
8 Best Spectrum Compatible Routers and Modems
#1st Rated
1. NETGEAR Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo C6250
The NetGear Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo C6250 is currently one of the best-selling router-modem combos on Amazon.
If you’re looking for the best compatible router and modem for Spectrum, the C6250 is an excellent choice.
Built for blazing-fast speeds, this router/modem combo is ideal for cable provider plans up to 300Mbps. However, this unit isn’t limited to speeds of up to 300Mbps. You can choose from 200Mbps all the way to 2000Mbps depending on your Spectrum internet service plan.
As an AC1600 unit, this router is perfectly capable of reaching speeds up to 1600Mbps, making it a great choice for heavy-duty streaming, downloads, and large file transfers.
You also get to connect a whopping 25 devices and still achieve blazing-fast speeds on each one of them.
And as a dual-band unit, the device intelligently selects between dual bands in order to maximize speed and reduce interference, especially on streaming and gaming devices.
The NetGear C6250 Modem/router is engineered with 16 x4 channel bonding and DOCSIS 3.0 which provides up to 16 times faster download times and lag-free streaming or gaming.
Additionally, the router is integrated with powerful security features that keep your network safe and secure. It also includes Parental Controls.
Overall, the NetGear Cable Modem Wifi Router Combo is an excellent choice if you’re looking to enhance your WiFi performance and even enjoy a wider coverage.
#1st Rated
2. NETGEAR N600 (8×4) WiFi DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Router (C3700)
The NetGear N600 Wifi Cable Modem and Router is yet another incredible high-speed router-modem that is completely compatible with Spectrum.
The unit offers cable modem speeds of up to 340Mbps and up to 300Mbps + 300Mbps Wifi speeds on both the 2.4GHz dual-band and the 5GHz band.
The simultaneous dual-band helps reduce Wifi interference and maximize speed.
Coupled with 8×4 channel bonding and DOCSIS 3.0 technology which delivers 8 times faster download speeds compared to DOCSIS 2.0, this unit is a perfect choice for streaming 4K UHD videos and movies, high-speed gaming, and other heavy-duty tasks that require a fast and reliable connection.
The router/modem also includes 2 Gigabit Ethernet Ports that allow you to achieve fast wired connections on your PC, gaming box, storage drive, printer, and other devices. The wired connection is ideal for HD video and gaming streaming.
Additionally, the router/modem combo features the highest level of wireless security, including WPA/WPA2, and also allows you to create separate and secure network access for your guests.
Overall, the NetGear N600 Cable Modem and Router is an affordable option for anyone looking to ditch Spectrum’s modem/router rental fees. It’s a high-speed unit that will work really well with your Spectrum internet plan.
#1st Rated
3. ARRIS SURFboard SBG10 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem & AC1600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router
The ARRIS SURFboard SBG10 DOCSIS 3.0 is yet another compatible router and modem for Spectrum internet service users.
The unit is an excellent choice if you have a 400Mbps or lower Spectrum internet plan.
With 16 downstream and 4 upstream channels and one of the fastest DOCSIS technology, DOCSIS, this router/modem is perfectly capable of delivering great speeds to a wide range of devices at home, making it a great choice for heavy-duty streaming.
With its wide coverage, this unit will eliminate any dead zones in your house so you can enjoy fast speeds in any room.
The device comes with one of the fastest WiFi protocols, the 802.11ac as well as 2 Gigabit Ethernet Ports for fast, uninterrupted wired connections. This makes it perfect for connected gaming devices, PCs, gaming consoles, SmartTVs, and other devices.
The unit does not have a USB port though, which can be inconveniencing if you want to share files or other content across multiple devices on your network.
Overall, the ARRIS SBG10 is an excellent combo that will have you enjoy a high-speed internet experience. It’s totally compatible with the Spectrum Internet Service and other major U.S cable internet providers.
It’s easy to set up, plus you can quickly and easily set up and manage your network with the SURFboard Manager App.
#1st Rated
4. MOTOROLA MG7540 16×4 Cable Modem Plus AC1600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Gigabit Router
The Motorola MG7540 is a combination of a 16×4 DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem as well as a built-in AC1600 Dual Band WiFi Gigabit Router.
If you’re looking for a high-speed router or modem for your Spectrum internet plan, the MG7540 is an excellent choice.
This unit is recommended for cable internet service speeds of up to 375Mbps. The AC1600 Dual Band Gigabit Router delivers a maximum WiFi speed of up to 1600Mbps and also comes with 4 high-speed Gigabit Ethernet Ports for ultra-fast wired connections, making it ideal for streaming ultra high definition videos and movies as well as high-speed gaming.
As a dual-band router, you get to enjoy high-speeds and less interference by choosing between bands. The 5GHz band is often the least congested band and therefore experiences less interference.
For data-intensive tasks online gaming, video content streaming or downloading, the 5GHz band is a suitable choice for the lag-free, uninterrupted streaming experience.
The router/modem also features the powerful AnyBeam WiFi beamforming technology at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands which basically focuses the WiFi signal on all your connected wireless devices so each device receives the best possible speeds. This ensures ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage too.
It’s also engineered with DOCSIS 3.0 technology which delivers up to 16 times faster speeds compared to the older version, the DOCSIS 2.0.
Also included are 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports that provide a blazing-fast wired connection to your PC, gaming box, streaming TV devices, HDTVs, and other Ethernet-capable devices.
The unit is also available in other variations like Router (plus Fire TV Stick 4K, Bluetooth and LE), Router (plus Streaming Stick plus Bluetooth 5.0 plus LE), and Router (plus Media Player).
Overall, the Motorola MG7540 is one of the best Spectrum compatible router and modem combo that delivers the fastest speeds to all of your connected devices while completely eliminating lag and interference.
It’s a budget-friendly router-modem too.
#1st Rated
5. Linksys EA8300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router for Home
With the Linksys EA8300 Tri-Band WiFi Router, you can connect up to 15 plus spread across a 1500 square foot home
With the Linksys EA8300 Tri-Band WiFi Router, you can connect up to 15 plus spread across a 1500 square foot home or apartment and still enjoy ultra-fast Tri-band speeds of up to 2.2 Gbps on the 5GHz band, 867Mbps on the 5GHz band still, and another 867Mbps on the 2.4GHz band.
With such speeds, the Linksys EA8300 Tri-Band router lets you enjoy uninterrupted entertainment by boosting your internet speed while minimizing interference.
The router also uses the Smart Connect feature that intelligently selects between bands for devices that demand high-speed, lag-free, and uninterrupted connections.
These include high-speed gaming and 4K UHD movie/video streaming. Your downloads and file transfers will also be significantly faster.
asically, this feature ensures the best possible WiFi performance even when multiple streaming devices are connected.
The router features the revolutionary Mu-Mimo technology that delivers a blazing-fast wireless connection to multiple connected devices simultaneously.
This simply means that you’ll be able to stream, play games online, browse the internet, and perform other tasks across multiple devices and still enjoy blazing-fast speeds.
For faster and reliable wired connections, the router also comes with 4 Gigabit Ethernet Ports which are 10 times faster than the standard Ethernet ports.
There is also a USB 3.0 port that allows you to connect shared storage devices, printers, and other devices to your network at a faster rate compared to older USB ports.
With the Linksys App, you get to easily control and manage your home network anywhere in the comfort of your phone.
The app even features Parental Controls that allow you to restrict content, control internet usage, and even pause internet usage on your kids’ devices.
The router is fully compatible with Spectrum so you can ditch that rental router from Spectrum for this affordable option. It also comes with countless advanced features compared to most router models.
#1st Rated
6. NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo C7000
The NetGear Nighthawk C7000 is a high-speed cable modem router-combo that has cable modem speeds of up 400Mbps and up to 1900Mbps for the WiFi router.
This combo is able to deliver ultra-fast wireless speeds to all your connected devices within 1800 square feet, which is quite impressive.
The modem is engineered with the DOCSIS 3.0 technology and 24×8 channel bonding for fast WiFi performance even in a heavily congested network.
The NetGear Nighthawk Modem-Router also offers wired connections through the 4 high-speed Gigabit Ethernet ports. They are great for connecting PCs, gaming consoles, printers, HDTVs, and other streaming devices.
A wired connection tends to be faster and more reliable, which is why most gamers often prefer it.
The unit also comes with USB 2.0 ports for additional external storage and file transfers between devices on the network.
As far as security is concerned, this router/modem supports some of the most powerful wireless security protocols such as WEP and WPA/WPA2 which protect your network against online threats. It also includes Parental Controls.
Overall, the NetGear Nighthawk Cable Modem and WiFi Router is an excellent upgrade from the Spectrum rental modem/router and it’s affordable as well.
NB: This unit is a pre-owned product that has been professionally inspected, tested, and even cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
#1st Rated
7. TP-Link AC1750 Archer 7 Smart WiFi Router – Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router
The TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router is another high-speed router that is fully compatible with Spectrum.
The Archer 7 is one of the fastest routers in the market, offering ultra-fast speeds of up to 1750Mbps.
This is a combined speed of 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band and 450Mbs on the 2.4GHz band. This makes it an ideal high-speed router for heavy-duty 4K streaming and high-speed gaming.
It significantly reduces buffering too, not to mention providing up to 2500 square feet of WiFi coverage. The 2500 square feet coverage is suitable for a medium-sized home or apartment.
The router’s powerful and reliable WiFi performance allows it to easily handle up to a whopping 50 plus devices. This is all thanks to its powerful CPU which ensures high-speed processing, bandwidth prioritization with the revolutionary QoS technology, and solid hardware which is backed by advanced technology.
The router also supports WPA/WPA2 wireless security protocol that keeps your network and devices safe and secure from online threats.
The TP-Link router works well with Alexa, is easy to set up and manage, and most importantly, it’s an affordable option compared to most routers in the market.
#1st Rated
8. Askey RAC2V1K 802.11ac Wave 2 Wireless Router (Modem Connectivity Required)
And last but not least, we have the Askey RAC2V1K Wave 2 Wireless Router. It’s fully compatible with Spectrum Internet Service and actually requires modem connectivity to work.
Designed for high-speed WiFi connection, this dual-band router is designed to deliver the fastest WiFi speeds to all connected devices- no lagging or buffering whatsoever.
This makes it perfect for high-speed gaming and 4K video/movie streaming. For enhanced gaming performance, this router allows you to obtain support for port forwarding.
The router also includes 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports for speedy wired connections. You can connect your PC, gaming consoles, HDTVs, and other streaming devices to these ports and enjoy lag-free connections.
Overall, the Askey wireless router is an excellent replacement for the Spectrum rental router/modem. It may not be as popular as some routers in the market but it does do the job right. It’s budget-friendly too.
Best Spectrum Compatible Routers and Modems- Bottom Line
You don’t need to rent a Spectrum router/modem while you can easily get a high-speed router/modem to boost your selected Spectrum internet plan.
Go ahead and take your pick from the above 8 best Spectrum compatible routers and modems.