How We Research
Every guide here starts with one question: will this modem work for the person who is shopping for it? For a modem, that depends on your internet provider, your plan speed and whether you also need Wi-Fi.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with your provider and your plan
Your provider decides which modems it allows, and it can change its list at any time.
So we name the provider in each guide where it matters and point you to that provider's own approved list. Please check that list before you order.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at the DOCSIS version, the top speed the maker lists, the fastest Ethernet port, channel bonding and whether the box has phone ports.
For modem-router combos we also look at the Wi-Fi standard, the coverage the maker claims and the number of wired ports. ARRIS, NETGEAR, Motorola and Hitron describe their gear in their own words, so we name the brand for each claim.
3. We look at buyer feedback
We read what buyers report after setting a modem up. We look for patterns, like activation trouble with one provider, boxes that run hot or Wi-Fi that drops.
One angry review doesn't sink a product. A pattern does.
4. We score each product
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A modem that suits a gigabit plan may score lower in a guide written for a slower one.
Scores spread out on purpose. A 10 is rare.
5. We keep guides current
Models get replaced and some listings disappear. We link only to new units and skip renewed or refurbished ones.
We leave out older DOCSIS 3.0 models in our picks, because providers keep retiring them. When we update a guide, the "Updated on" date at the top changes with it.
What our picks are not
Our picks are research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have used every modem we cover, and we don't promise a speed.
The speed you get depends on your plan, your wiring and your provider. Security features are the maker's claims, and we repeat them as claims.