COX Communications is currently the 3rd largest telecommunications provider in the USA (with more than 6 million subscribers), offering a broad range of services such as high-speed Internet access (over cable), TV, Telephony etc.
Like many other Internet Service Providers (ISP) in USA (such as Comcast, Suddenlink etc), COX charges a monthly fee if you use their provided modem or modem/router combo device. The monthly fee is currently between around $7 to $11.
For example, if you subscribe to their Panoramic Wifi service, they will provide you a Gateway device (modem + wifi router on the same box) and charge you $10.99/month.
Smart people (like you 😊) choose to buy their own device, which will essentially pay for itself in under a year since there is no recurring rental fee for the device.
In this article I have researched the best modems and modem/router combo devices which are fully compatible with COX for each one of their most popular Internet plans.
Here is the summary of my research:
Combo Devices (Modem+Router on same box)
- Best for Cox Internet Preferred 150 plan – up to 150 Mbps: Netgear C6250
- Best for Cox Internet Ultimate plan – up to 300 Mbps: Motorola MG7700
- Best for Gigablast plan – up to 940 Mbps: Netgear C7800
Standalone Cable Modem Devices (no WiFi)
- Best for Cox Internet Preferred 150 plan – up to 150 Mbps: ARRIS SB6183
- Best for Cox Internet Ultimate plan – up to 300 Mbps: Netgear CM600
- Best for Gigablast plan – up to 940 Mbps: Motorola MB8600
Comparison Table: Best Modem + Router Combo for COX
(up to 150 Mbps)
(up to 300 Mbps)
(up to 940 Mbps)
(1600 Mbps)
(1900 Mbps)
(3200 Mbps)
(up to 150 Mbps)
(1600 Mbps)
(up to 300 Mbps)
(1900 Mbps)
(up to 940 Mbps)
(3200 Mbps)
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 21:09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Comparison Table: Best Cable Modems for COX
(up to 150 Mbps)
(up to 300 Mbps)
(up to 940 Mbps)
(up to 150 Mbps)
(up to 300 Mbps)
(up to 940 Mbps)
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 18:00 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Criteria for selecting the best device
I have taken into consideration the actual recommendations from COX itself for selecting the best approved device models, together with the feedback and reviews from thousands of customers who are using these models.
Here are some important criteria for selecting the best devices:
- Minimum DOCSIS 3.0 and above.
- DOCSIS 3.1 for Gigablast service.
- Minimum 16×4 cable channels (bonded channels). From our research, it seems that ISP providers might stop supporting lower channel numbers (e.g 8×4) in the future.
- Minimum Dual-Band WiFi technology (802.11AC) on the combo devices. Dual-band provides two frequency bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz) which are essentially two different SSIDs (wifi networks) for providing the best in-home WiFi experience.
- Minimum AC1600 WiFi speed which means a max theoretical speed of 1600 Mbps on the wireless network.
- Broadcom Chipset on all recommended models. You will thank me later for this 😊 People who don’t do their research might buy a device with the buggy Intel Puma 6 chipset which causes a lot of lagging and other problems in Internet connection.
- Future Proof. I made sure to recommend devices which have room for expansion in terms of speed and performance. It’s better to buy a modem that supports Internet speeds above your current COX Internet plan in order to have room for expansion in the future.
COX Compatible Modem/Router Combo Models – Brief Reviews
One important advantage of getting a combo model is that you will have just a single device serving both as a cable modem and WiFi router on the same box (thus saving space and also having only one device to manage).
Here are the best ones for each COX plan:
1. Netgear C6250 (for COX Preferred 150 plan)
- COMPATIBLE WITH ALL MAJOR CABLE INTERNET PROVIDERS: Including certification by Xfinity by Comcast, COX, and Spectrum. NOT compatible with Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, DSL providers, DirecTV, DISH and any bundled voice service.
- SAVE MONTHLY RENTAL FEES: Model C6250 replaces your cable modem and WiFi router saving you up to 168 dollars/yr in equipment rental fees.
- SPEEDS BY CARRIER: Spectrum (up to 300Mbps), Xfinity (up to 200Mbps), Cox (up to 150Mbps).
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 21:09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you check the official COX approved list, you will see this model listed as supporting up to the COX Ultimate speed plan (up to 300 Mbps).
However, at the Ultimate speed tier, this device will be working at its limits.
On the other hand, if you use the Netgear C6250 at the Internet Preferred 150 plan it will work flawlessly with enough room for speed expansion.
The C6250 is one of the best value-for-money combo devices out there. With a WiFi range covering around 1500 sq.ft area and easily supporting around 25 wifi devices, it’s an ideal model for medium-sized homes.
Being a mature and time-tested product, most people have found this model to be very reliable. Make sure to call COX first when you install it because they might need to register the new MAC address in their systems.
I like also the fact that its equipped with a USB port for connecting a storage device (among other things) so that you can backup files over the wireless home network or even share files with the ReadyShare app.
All in all, the Netgear C6250 is a very good choice for modest bandwidth requirements.
Pros
- Mature and reliable product.
- Great value for money for a combo device.
- USB port.
- Includes parental controls for kids’ safety online.
- Future-proof when used at the COX Internet Preferred 150 plan.
Cons
- Only 2 x Gigabit LAN ports
Check Price and Reviews at Amazon.com
2. Motorola MG7700 (for COX Ultimate Plan)
- Fast 24x8 DOCSIS 3.0 cable Modem Plus a built-in AC1900 Dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) Wi-Fi Gigabit Router with four Gigabit (GigE) Ethernet ports, power boost Wi-Fi amplifiers, firewall security, and more. The maximum modem speed is 1000 Mbps, supporting service speeds up to 650.
- Eliminate up to 156 dollars per year in cable Modem rental fees. (Savings are shown for Comcast Xfinity and vary by cable service provider.) certified by all leading cable service providers including Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter spectrum (no cable Modem is compatible with fiber optic, DSL, or satellite services, available from Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and others.)
- Built-in high-speed router with AC1900 wireless and Power boost - Provides internet access for Wi-Fi devices including smartphones, notebooks, tablets, and more. 4 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports provide wired connections to Windows and Mac computers and other Ethernet-capable devices. A Broadcom cable Modem Chipset provides security from denial of service attacks.
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 21:09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Another best-seller product which will be great for the Ultimate COX speed tier (up to 300 Mbps) is the Motorola MG7700 gateway.
Don’t take my word for it. Just read the reviews of this model and you will immediately understand that this device is both reliable and high-performance (both in terms of WiFi and in terms of cable Internet access).
An Amazon customer recently stated that he uses the MG7700 in his 2600 square feet home with no dead spots in terms of WiFi coverage (of course wireless coverage is influenced by so many factors so in your own case it might be different).
Equipped with sophisticated Dual-Band 802.11AC 1900 Mbps WiFi router, together with “power boost” and “AnyBeam beamforming”, the signal is focused to the wireless clients thus improving coverage in the house.
Many users have replaced their rented ISP router (e.g from COX, Xfinity etc) and have seen significant improvements and a dramatic performance upgrade with the Motorola MG7700.
Pros
- Power boost on WiFi to enhance coverage.
- Firewall security.
- Future proof. Will easily support COX Ultimate 300 Mbps and even more (up to 650 Mbps).
- Equipped with the reliable Broadcom chipset.
- Anybeam beamforming at both frequency bands (2.4 GHz and 5GHz) for improved WiFi performance.
- Two-year warranty.
- Plenty of wired LAN Gigabit ports (4 ports).
Cons
- A little bit expensive (however you will save in rental costs)
Check Price and Reviews at Amazon.com
3. Netgear C7800 (for COX Gigablast Plan)
- Compatible with all major cable internet providers with internet speed up to 1Gbp. Currently certified with Spectrum and Cox (up to 1Gbps) and Xfinity (up to 800Mbps). Future speeds with these service providers may change over time. Not compatible with Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, DSL providers, DirecTV, DISH and any bundled voice service
- Save monthly rental fees: Model C7800 replaces your cable modem and Wi-Fi router saving you up to Dollar 168/year in equipment rental fees
- Get up to 3000 square feet wireless coverage and 45 devices connected with AC3200 speed (up to 3200 Mbps)
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 21:09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Netgear Nighthawk C7800 runs using the latest cable communication standard which is currently the DOCSIS 3.1
Actually, only DOCSIS 3.1 devices can support Gigabit Internet speeds from ISPs.
The C7800 is one of the very few combo DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit modem/routers in the market and certainly is the only one of its kind with AC3200 WiFi speed.
COX fully supports this model on its Gigablast plan.
This device is suitable for large homes with multiple devices streaming HD-quality videos, playing demanding online gaming or having multiple devices downloading and using the Internet at the same time.
According to the vendor, the Netgear C7800 is capable to cover up to 3000 sq ft area and support 45 connected wifi devices.
With 4x Gigabit wired LAN ports and two USB 3.0 ports you get plenty of options for connecting computers, gaming consoles, USB storage devices, printers, Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices etc.
In addition to its stellar performance metrics (on both cable Internet connection and WiFi) the C7800 can do wonders also with its software features.
For example, you can create your own cloud storage service (accessible via HTTP or FTP), setup a media server for playing multimedia files (movies etc) in your home network, setup parental controls for your kids and much more.
Since you already have a Gigablast high-speed Internet connection, you must get a matching high-performance router/modem combo to support this speed. The Netgear C7800 is the ideal model for such a network setup.
Pros
- Excellent Dual-band AC3200 (up to 3200 Mbps) WiFi speed.
- Can support multi-gig Internet speed (up to 2 Gigabits).
- Works on the latest cable standard DOCSIS 3.1
- 2x USB ports allow for connecting storage and other useful gadgets.
- Perfect for heavy-duty traffic (4K HD streaming, gaming etc).
- Great software features.
Cons
- Expensive (however you will save in rental costs)
Check Price and Reviews at Amazon.com
COX Compatible Modems – Brief Reviews
In this section we’ll discuss the best standalone cable modem devices which work well with COX.
Standalone cable modems are “dumber” devices (compared to the previous combo models) and have as main purpose to convert cable signals into Internet data. The main characteristic to look for in cable modems is to be reliable with solid connectivity performance.
Note that the models below do not include WiFi functionality so you will need to have a separate WiFi router in order to support your home clients (smartphones, laptops etc).
NOTE:
A great WiFi router option which ranks high overall in all aspects (WiFi coverage, speed, software features, stability etc) is the NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S (R7800). This model will be capable to support all COX speed plans in case you buy a separate modem and router boxes.
Make sure to update the firmware on your R7800 to version 1.2.0.62 or later and you will have a rock-solid device in your home.
So let’s see the three recommended standalone cable modems for each COX Internet service:
1. ARRIS SB6183 (for COX Preferred 150 plan)
- Tom's guide #1 cable Modem choice 2 years in a row. Compatible with major U.S. Cable Internet Providers including Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity & others. Not compatible with ATT, Verizon, CenturyLink or other DSL or Fiber internet providers.
- DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem best for cable internet speed plans up to 400 Mbps
- 16 downstream x 4 upstream DOCSIS 3.0 bonded channels
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 18:00 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Although this model is recommended by COX to be used at its Ultimate 300 Mbps plan, I would say its better to be used at the lower level Preferred 150 Mbps plan. This will allow the modem to work way below its speed limits and also have room for future speed expansion.
The SB6183 uses the reliable and rock-solid Broadcom chipset which does not have the bugs of other Arris modems which use the Intel Puma 6 chipset.
There is not much to say about this Arris modem except that its one of the most mature, reliable and value-for-money cable devices out there.
It is fully supported by COX (for both the Preferred 150 and Ultimate plans) and with its compact design it will serve you well for many years.
Check Price and Reviews at Amazon.com
2. Netgear CM600 (for COX Ultimate Plan)
- COMPATIBLE WITH ALL MAJOR CABLE INTERNET PROVIDERS: Including certification by Xfinity by Comcast, COX, and Spectrum. NOT compatible with Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, DSL providers, DirecTV, DISH and any bundled voice service.
- SAVE MONTHLY RENTAL FEES: Model CM600 replaces your cable modem saving you up to $168/yr in equipment rental fees.
- BUILT FOR FAST SPEED: Best for cable provider plans up to 960 Mbps speed.
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 18:51 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Netgear CM600 has 24×8 bonded channels allowing it to run up to 400 Mbps download speeds. This means that it can run really well on the COX 300 Mbps Ultimate plan with some room for expansion.
This is another Broadcom based device and has been one of the best-seller cable modems in the market for many years.
A user of the CM600 stated that “Since purchasing this modem, I have had no random cable dropouts from my ISP.” Actually, this is the consensus of many other users who are using the CM600.
As mentioned above, being reliable with rock-solid connectivity is the main desirable characteristic for cable modems. The CM600 will not let you down on this aspect.
Check Price and Reviews at Amazon.com
3. Motorola MB8600 (for COX Gigablast Plan)
- Top Internet Speeds for all Multi-gigabit Speed Tiers - Wirecutter recommends this model as the best cable modem for people using Gigabit Internet plans. Built-in DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 3.0 32x8 capabilities give top Internet speeds for all cable Internet services.
- Save Money - Eliminate up to 168 dollars per year in cable modem rental fees (Savings are shown for Comcast Xfinity and vary by cable service provider.) Approved by Comcast Xfinity and Xfinity X1, Cox, and CableOne for all speeds including Comcast Gigabit services and Cox Gigablast. Not compatible with RCN. No cable modem is compatible with fiber optic, DSL, or satellite services, available from Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and others.)
- Flexible Compatibility - Pair with any Wi-Fi router you’d like, including Whole Home Wi-Fi or Mesh routers like eero, Google Wi-Fi, and Orbi. A 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet port allows connection of any SINGLE device with an Ethernet port including a router, Windows or Mac computer, HDTV, or game station. This cable modem does not have a built-in wireless router or telephone call capability.
Last update on 2023-12-07 at 21:09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last but not least in our recommended modems is the Motorola MB8600.
Like the other models in the market, in order to support gigabit internet speeds the modem must run on DOCSIS 3.1 cable standard.
This is fully supported on COX Gigablast and runs with 32×8 bonded channels and OFDM 2×2 channels. Moreover, it is also backwards compatible with DOCSIS 3.0 speeds as well.
What I like about this device is that it supports Link Aggregation (it has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports) and can support multi-gig Internet speeds (max. 3.8 Gbps) for future proof.
This modem has the Motorola name printed on it but it’s actually manufactured by Zoom Telephonics which is a USA company (based in Boston) that designs and manufactures high-quality networking and communication products.
The Motorola MB8600 supports the Active Queue Management (AQM) technology, which reduces Internet latency.
Moreover, its chipset is also based on the Broadcom brand (BCM3390), just like the previous models above, thus ensuring stable and bug-free operation.
The MB8600 is easily one of the most advanced and reliable DOCSIS 3.1 modems you can buy right now.
Great article. Do you know if any of these support Cox Contour 4K wireless service Cox says I can only use their Panoramic Gateway.
Larry,
From what I see, it seems you will indeed need their own Panoramic Gateway (I think its a matter of Cox sales policy and not a technical limitation).
Hi
I am trying to locate a WIRED MODEM / ROUTER , COMCAST XFINITY , COMPATABLE , WITH 4 OR MORE ETHER NET PORTS, PLUS SEVERAL COAX MOCA PORTS.
Tall order, just trying to get in the park.
Thanks!
BTW , My 34 yr old son’s name is Harris!
Some people confuse signal booster with most commercially sold retail wifi range extenders. Signal boosters are usually attachments to your router or computer devices to amplify or increase the signal strength. Range extenders are typically stand-alone devices that repeat the signals of your network.