WOW! Compatible Modems

As a WOW! Cable subscriber who has rented the internet equipment, you end up spending $10-15/monthly rental for the lease (around $120-$180 for a year.) On the other hand you can get a compatible equipment for almost $100-120 and own it for rest of the life (be rent-free for 2-3 years.) Isn’t it better?

One of the reasons why a lot of users consider ditching the leased equipment is the costly monthly rental. Another popular reason for buying instead of continuing the lease is, even after paying the rental, they are given an outdated equipment that doesn’t support the high-speed plans!

Checking the modem’s compatibility with your ISP is one of the most important things to do when buying it. But, why just get the compatible devices, when you can get the models that were tested with your ISP & are recommended by networking experts for the same price?

The Best WOW! Cable Compatible Modems [Approved Models]

Not everyone is a networking expert, choosing the equipment that’s highly suitable for your needs could be really difficult (especially when you know nothing about modems & routers.) That’s why to help you find the right one, I tested out the officially WOW approved modems and made this list of best ones.

1. Best Gigabit Modem: ARRIS Surfboard SB8200

The ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 is one of the latest modems in the market. It uses the DOCSIS 3.1 technology for the transfer of data, which allows it to touch super fast internet speeds of up to 10 Gbps. However, all the top tier packages from cable companies are limited to 1 or 1.5 Gbps of speeds, so you will never be able to utilize its full potential.

The companies that have certified this modem to work with their plans are Comcast Xfinity, WOW!, COX, and Spectrum. Basically, you can use it with all those providers that use cable wire for transmission of data. Companies like AT&T and Verizon that use telephone lines are not compatible with it.

WOW! (Wide Open West) users should opt for the 1 Gigabit plan to pair up with this modem. It will cost you around 75 dollars per month, but you will be able to stream movies in HD and play online games on low ping.

There are also 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports on this modem that will allow you to share its internet with other devices using an ethernet cable. Since it does not have an in-built WiFi router, I would recommend you to connect it to one, and you can use the other for your gaming needs. Let it be a console or a PC.

Arris Surfboard is one of the most reliable brands to purchase modems from. The SB8200 has a very high customer satisfaction rate, and you can get it for a price of about 199 dollars. It also, is among the best DOCSIS 3.1 modems!

2. Best For WOW! Internet 1000 Plan: Motorola MB8600

The Motorola MB8600 is another DOCSIS 3.1 modem, but it is not as expensive as the last product that we discussed on this list. It is capable of going up to 6 Gbps on downloads and 300 Mbps on uploads, which makes it ideal for all kinds of plans, and perfect for Gigabit plans.

The Motorola MB8600 has been certified for use by companies such as WOW!, Xfinity, Mediacom, Cable One, and much more. In short, it will work with all the cable providers, but not with DSL, ADSL, and fiber optic providers.

There is a single ethernet port on the backside of this modem, and I would recommend you to connect to a WiFi router. The modem is capable of providing you excellent speeds, and you should make the most out of it.

32 x 8 channels for download and upload ensure that you get a reliable and uniform speed. You can connect up to 30 devices on its internet, and there will be no latency on any of them. However, you will have to use a Gigabit plan for it to work.

Setting up the modem is fairly simple, as everything that you need for its installation has been provided within the box along with the instructions. Just follow them, and you will be done within 20 minutes.

The modem is backward compatible with DOCSIS 3.0, so even if your cable provider does not use DOCSIS 3.1use DOCSIS , you can still use it without any trouble.

You can purchase the Motorola MB8600 for a price of around 160 dollars, and it comes with a warranty of 2 years.

3. Best From Netgear: Netgear CM1000

Netgear CM1000 is probably the most popular modem on this list and is the primary choice for many people. It owes its success and fame to the stable and reliable speed with all the cable providers.

The Netgear CM1000 modem is perfect for plans up to 1 Gbps, which I feel is sufficient for all kinds of activities. Let it be for gaming, streaming, watching movies. This modem will not disappoint you in any way whatsoever.

All the major cable internet providers such as Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, WOW! Have certified this modem to work with their plans. You can pair it with any of their packages, but I would recommend you to use the Gigabit ones only.

It is an expensive modem, and its specialty is to offer high-speed internet. If you are not going to use this feature, you might as well buy a cheaper product.

There is no in-built WiFi router in this modem, so you will have to use its ethernet port to connect to one. It is compatible with all the routers, so you do not have to conduct research in this field. Just pick the one that fits your budget.

You can purchase the Netgear CM1000 for about 160 dollars, which given its features is a bargain. Not many companies sell a DOCSIS 3.1 modem for this price, so kudos to Netgear for doing so.

4. Best For WOW! Internet 500: Arris Surfboard SB6190

Arris Surfboard SB6190 is a DOCSIS 3.0 modem that has 32 downstream and 8 upstream channels. It is ideal for cable plans up to 600 Mbps.

The design of the 4. Arris Surfboard SB6190 modem is a bit chunky and out-dated, but that can be excused, given its low price of 80 dollars. It is there to get the job done, and not look like a piece of art.

Cox, Spectrum, Comcast, and Wow have certified this modem to work with their plans because they all use cable wire to transmit data. It will not work with other companies such as AT&T and Verizon because they use telephone lines, and that requires a different technology.

There is a single ethernet port on this modem, and you can use it to connect to an external WiFi router. There are no other ports, so it is impossible to share its speed with a gaming console or PC via a wire.

Setting up the modem is very simple. Connect your cable wire to the modem, turn the power on, and contact your ISP provider via the web portal for its activation. You will not need any help from a technician or an engineer.

The customer satisfaction rate is one of the best selling features of this modem. It is one of the best selling models of the company, and I am sure it will not disappoint you.

5. Best Modem Router Combo: TP Link Archer CR1900

The TP Link Archer CR1900 is your traditional modem, which is based on the current DOCSIS 3.0 technology. Most companies recommend a product like this, so it is quite safe to purchase.

Unlike all the other products that we discussed earlier, this is not just a cable modem, but a modem-router combo. This means that this single device will act as your cable modem and WiFi router. You will not have to connect it to an external device.

Cable speeds up to 1 Gbps are supported by this modem, which is excellent, given its low price. You can choose any plan from WOW!, and it will work seamlessly with this modem.

The WiFi speed of this modem is as good as its modem speed. You will be able to touch 1300 Mbps on download on 5 GHz plan and 600 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. If you live in a suburban area, I would recommend you to use the 5 GHz plan because it is capable of penetrating walls, so you will not have any dead spots in your home. The 2.4 GHz band would be ideal for people living in apartments in cities.

There are 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports on the CR1900, which means you can use it to connect to an external gaming setup or any other device.

The Tether App by TP-Link ensures that the user can control the modem settings from his/her smartphone. It is available on both Android and iOS.

TP-Link makes some excellent modem and routers, and this device is a combination of both the worlds. CR1900 will be an excellent investment, and you can buy it for around 220 dollars.

6. Best For 200 Mbps: Netgear Nighthawk C7000

The Netgear Nighthawk C7000 is ideal for cable plans up to 400 Mbps. It will work with all the providers that use cable lines to transmit data such as Comcast, Mediacom, Wow, and Spectrum. If your cable provider has not been mentioned here, please contact them for more details.

Thanks to its 24 x 8 channels, you will get a download speed of 400 Mbps and an upload speed of 300 Mbps. These numbers are excellent for streaming movies/tv-shows in Full HD, and playing online games such as COD Warfare, PUBG, Fortnite, and FIFA. These are the games that are reliant on the stability of your internet, and they will work seamlessly with this modem.

Even though the company certifies it for plans up to 400 Mbps only, you can pair it with packages that offer 500 Mbps. You will not face any speed related issues, whatsoever.

There are 4 Ethernet ports and 1 USB 2.0 port on the backside of this modem, so it is safe to say that there are plenty of connectivity options. You can use them to share its internet with other devices.

With a range of 1800 sq feet, this modem is sufficient for covering your entire home. You will not have to install any amplifiers or signal boosters in any region of your house.

The starting price of the CR1900 is 180 dollars, and it comes with a warranty of 2 years.

7. Best 16×4 Modem: TP Link Archer CR500

The TP Link Archer CR500 is one of the most complete modems on this list. It works on DOCSIS 3.0 technology, which is the latest and most reliable form of data transmission. You will be able to touch speeds up to 686 Mbps, which makes it ideal for cable plans to 600 Mbps.

Apart from being a cable modem, this is also a WiFi router. It is a single device for all your internet related needs. Let it be cable internet, WiFi, or Gigabit internet sharing. The Archer 500 can do it all.

The build quality of the modem is excellent. It feels premium in hand, thanks to its metal body. Its unique heat holes make it look stylish and futuristic.

You can use this modem with all the major cable internet providers such as Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, and Wow. It will work with all of their plans, except the gigabit ones.

There are 4 Ethernet ports on this modem, which allow it to share the internet with other devices. You can use all of them simultaneously, but it will be hard to manage the cables.

Setting up the modem and router is fairly simple. Connect all the wire to the right places, and turn on the power. Then give a call to your ISP for activation, and it will start working. All these instructions can be found in its manual too.

The cost of the Archer 500 is 98 dollars, which is quite surprising given its specifications. Companies like Netgear and Arris will charge you over 150 dollars for the same device, so it is quite a bargain.

8. Best For WOW! Internet 100: Netgear CM500

The Netgear CM500 is an inexpensive alternative to all the products that we have discussed till now on this list. It has 16 downstream and 4 upstream channels that will provide you a decent speed of 300 Mbps. So, you can easily pair it with cable plans up to 200 Mbps.

Wow has a package named “Internet 200” which costs around 45 dollars monthly, and I would recommend you the same for this device. It will work with perfection, and you will get the speed that you signed up for.

Apart from Wow, you can also use this modem with Comcast Xfinity, Mediacom, and COX. So, if you have plans to upgrade to any of these companies in future, you will be able to do without changing your device.

There is no WiFi router in the CM500, so you will have to get an external one. It is compatible with all of them, so you can purchase one without any restrictions.

For 60 dollars, you can not get a better device than this modem. It will save you from the monthly rental fee that you currently pay to your cable money, and this amount will total up to 150 dollars in a year. So, it will pay more than or itself within the first year of purchasing it, which makes it an excellent investment.

You can buy the CM500 for about 63 dollars, and it comes with a warranty of 2 years.

9. Best Value For Money: Motorola MB7420

The Motorola MB7420 is a budget-friendly DOCSIS 3.0 modem. It uses 16 channels for downloading files and 4 for uploading them, which makes it ideal for 500 to 600 Mbps cable plans. The only packages that it will not work with are Gigabit ones.

Wow has 3 plans that will work seamlessly with this modem, and they are the 100, 200, and 500 Mbps ones. You can choose any one of them to pair it up with.

There is a single Ethernet port on this modem, which is to be used to connect to an external WiFi router. Motorola does not ship one within the box, so you will have to purchase it separately.

Plenty of major companies have certified this product, and some of them are Time Warner Cable, Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum, Brighthouse, and Wow. You can shift between any of these companies in the future without changing the modem.

The speed of this modem is excellent, as you will be able to watch content in HD without any buffering. However, there might be some speed-drop issues when you share its internet with other devices such as a PC or console. My advice will be to get a high-speed plan if you intend to use multiple devices with this modem.

You can purchase the MB7420 for about 59 dollars, and it comes with a warranty of 2 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

All the devices that are discussed here are equally good. So, select the one that fits your budget and place the order. Just keep in mind that a fast modem will not guarantee you a fast internet, as the company controls the speed (WOW, Spectrum, Comcast, etc.)

For example, you will not get a Gigabit internet, if you have not subscribed for it, even if you have a Gigabit modem. So, if you want the superfast download and upload speeds, get the fastest modem, and pair it up with a Gigabit plan. It is the only plausible way.