Best Mediacom Approved & Compatible Modems in 2024

This is our review of the best modems for Mediacom [Xtream] in 2022. 

Go to the full approved modems list.

As a Network Engineer, I have bought a bunch of modems and tested them against each other to figure out what modem is best for Mediacom.

And I have concluded that the Motorola MB8600 is the best cable modem for Mediacom.

But not all Mediacom customers have the equivalent internet wants and needs. So what modem is best for you depends. 

Thus, I have picked the five best modems from the list for different circumstances. So you can choose the one that fits you. 

Keep reading to learn them. 

Top 5 Mediacom Approved Modems

Here are the three best Mediacom-approved modems. 

1. Best Overall – Motorola MB8600 – Cable modem
2. Best Performer – Netgear CM2000 – Cable modem
3. Best Value – Netgear CAX30S – Modem/Router Combo
4. Best Premium Option – Netgear CAX80 – Modem/Router Combo
5. Best Budget-Friendly Motorola MB7621– Read the review before purchasing 

5 Best Mediacom Compatible Modems 

Here are short overviews of the five best Mediacom compatible modems. 

#1 Best Overall – Motorola MB8600

The Motorola MB8600 is a modem I recommend for any Mediacom internet plan. 

It’s DOCSIS 3.1 modem with Ethernet Aggregation, making it compatible with internet plans up to 2000 Mbps. 

A speed that Mediacom doesn’t even offer to consumers. So fast, you can watch more than 20 4k movies simultaneously. 

But what exactly is Ethernet aggregation?

Well, it’s when you combine Ethernet ports into a single data stream. A feature that is good, but far from perfect. 

First of all, you need a router compatible with this feature. Secondly, you need two IPs for this to work. And to get two IPs, you need to pay Mediacom extra right now. 

I guess this will change once Mediacom offers a plan exceeding 1 Gig, but you never know. 

Nevertheless, the modem is enough for 1 Gig without Ethernet aggregation. And as this is the fastest plan for Mediacom, it will be more than enough. 

Altogether, the Motorola MB8600 is a future-proof modem perfect for you that don’t want to pay a fortune and still get something fast. 

Read the full review of the Motorola MB8600 here. 

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#2 Best Performer – Netgear CM2000

The Netgear CM2000 is the best option for you looking for pure performance. 

Fitted with DOCSIS 3.1 and a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, this modem works for internet speeds up to 2500 Mbps. 

A speed that is so fast no ISP has yet to offer such a cable plan to consumers.

You can look at the CM2000 is like an enhanced version of the MB8600. Newer, faster, and more future-proof.

That said, if you have a slower internet plan, this modem can be a bit excessive. Because you can never get faster internet speeds than you pay for in your internet plan. 

Overall, the Netgear CM2000 is for you that want the best of the best. 

Read the full review of the Netgear CM2000 here. 

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#3 Best Value – Netgear CAX30S

The Netgear CAX30S is one of the two modem/router combos on Mediacom’s approved modems list. 

Luckily, it’s actually pretty good. That is for raw performance anyways. 

During testing, this device reached 743.83 Mbps from 5 feet and 318.13 Mbps from 25 feet. Both tested on the 5GHz band using a Wi-Fi 6 compatible 2×2 device. 

These results are good and would arguably be enough even for Mediacom’s 1-Gig plan. Depending on who you ask. 

I, for one, think that you can use it with it, but be aware that you will not get the entire 1-Gig experience with it. 

The drawback with the CAX30S (and the CAX80, for that matter) is that it severely lacks features. 

It doesn’t have QoS, which allows you to prioritize data or Parental Controls to restrict your children’s activities online. 

Moreover, they only give you 90-days of NETGEAR Armor, an antivirus program made to keep your network protected. After these 90 days, you need to pay for it. 

Overall, the Netgear CAX30S is a modem/router for you looking for performance only. If you want extra features and more control over your network, go with a separate modem and router. 

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#4 Best Premium Option – Netgear CAX80

The Netgear CAX80 is a bit like the CAX30S on steroids. Faster, newer, but less affordable. Perfect for you with the Mediacom 1-Gig plan looking for the complete Gigabit experience. 

I, unfortunately, wasn’t able to deduce the router’s max speed, as the internet plan I had access to only reached 800 Mbps. 

Nonetheless, the wireless connection did reach 800+ Mbps from 5 feet and 583.15 Mbps from 25 feet. Again, both use the 5GHz band and a Wi-Fi 6-compatible 2×2 device. 

These results are in short excellent. Easily enough for Mediacom’s 1-Gig plan, and likely enough for even more (because I found some people clocking in above 1200 Mbps). 

Nevertheless, just like the CAX30S, the features are severely lacking. No QoS or Parental Controls and minimum other settings. The only thing useful it has is the guest network. 

As I said previously, if you want these features, you will have to use separate devices with Mediacom. Because these two are the only approved modem/router they have. 

Altogether, the Netgear CAX80 is especially for you with Mediacom’s 1-Gig plan. Just don’t get it if you are techy and want more control over your own network. 

Read the full review of the CAX80 here.

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#5 Best Budget-Friendly Motorola MB7621

This modem is not on the approved modem list and will not work for everyone.

I wanted to include a cheaper option since all the DOCSIS 3.1 modems are costlier. Therefore, I have picked the MB7621 as the budget-friendly option.

But as Mediacom is switching to DOCSIS 3.1, this modem might not work in your area. 

Thus, before you buy this modem, you need to contact the support and ask if your area still supports DOCSIS 3.0 and for how long.

The support will try to get you to buy a DOCSIS 3.1 modem instead, but if you hold your ground, they will tell you if it will work for you or not. 

Just note that this modem only works up to the 300 Mbps plan and is being phased out. So you might have to get a DOCSIS 3.1 modem pretty soon anyways. 

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List of All Mediacom Approved Modems

Here is a list of all Mediacom-approved modems. [1]

Brand	Model #	With Router	DOCSIS Version	VoIP Support	Puma Chipset
Arris	CM8200A	No	3.1	No	No
Arris	SB8200	No	3.1	No	No
Motorola	MB8600	No	3.1	No	No
Netgear	CM1000	No	3.1	No	No
Netgear	CM1100	No	3.1	No	No
Netgear	CM2000	No	3.1	No	No
Netgear	CAX30	Yes	3.1	No	No
Netgear	CAX80	Yes	3.1	No	No

Puma chipset is a problematic chip, and avoid modems using it. Yes means it uses it, while no means it doesn’t.

VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. Not a single modem for now on the list works with Mediacom’s Voice Service. You can learn more about it below. 

With router means that the modem is a modem/router combo, a modem with Wi-Fi capability. 

What to Consider Before Buying a Mediacom Compatible Modem

Here is some help on what specifically to consider when buying an approved modem for Mediacom. For a more general guide, check out the modem buying guide. 

DOCSIS & Channels – Modem Speed

Mediacom is now transitioning from DOCSIS 3.0 to 3.1. Therefore, the only modems on their approved modems list are DOCSIS 3.1. 

And for those of you that don’t know, DOCSIS 3.1 is the newer cable internet technology that allows for faster internet and lower latency. 

Because of this change, I strongly recommend buying a DOCSIS 3.1 modem for Mediacom.

This, however, doesn’t make it impossible to buy a DOCSIS 3.0 modem. Because in many areas they will still work for now. 

You just need to contact the support and ask if your area supports DOCSIS 3.0 and how long it will. 

If you have a slower plan, you might want to consider this because a DOCSIS 3.1 modem won’t increase your internet speed. 

If you are uncertain, you can check our DOCSIS 3.0 Vs. 3.1.

Compatible with Mediacom

When buying a modem for Mediacom, you must make sure it is at least a cable modem and, preferably, a Mediacom certified DOCSIS 3.1 modem.

Buying a cable modem that’s not on the list of approved modems will most likely work if it’s either DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1 but can also not work. 

If you want to, you should contact Mediacom and ask if that particular cable modem will work for your plan and area. 

However, modems from the list are Mediacom tested and guaranteed to work on their network.

Therefore, I recommend sticking to modems from the list. 

Modem/Router Combo Vs. Separate Devices

When you buy a modem, you get to decide if you want a modem/router combo (gateway) or a separate modem. 

A gateway is a modem and a router as one device, while separate has them as two devices. 

Both options have merits, but as a Network Engineer, I recommend separate for Mediacom. 

The reason I recommend this is twofold. The first is that separate allows you to change one device if it breaks or gets outdated and gives you better performance and more control. 

The second reason is that Mediacom only has two gateways on their approved modem list. Both of which are pretty good. But also expensive and severely lacks extra features. 

If you want to learn about the pros and cons of each option, check out Modem/Router Combo vs. Separate Modem And Router.

Mediacom Voice Service

If you have Mediacom Voice service, you can use your own eMTA modem even though no modem on the approved modems list has voice capacity. 

For this, you need to contact Mediacom support and ask which phone modem your area supports. 

If you are unlucky, no good modem with eMTA support will work for you. 

If that’s your case, you can say to the support that you want to split your phone and internet modem. 

This way, you can choose any cable modem approved for Mediacom and use that for your internet and the other voice modem for your phone. 

You can learn more about this in our article on the best voice modems. 

Wi-Fi Standard

Today, there are two main Wi-Fi standards in use, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. 

Wi-Fi 6 is newer, generally faster, better at handling more devices, and more secure. While Wi-Fi 5 is cheaper and often enough. 

Suppose you get a modem/router combo approved for Mediacom. Then you need to get a Wi-Fi 6 device. Because no Wi-Fi 5 modem/router is for Mediacom approved. 

This means that if you have a slower internet plan, i.e. 300 Mbps or below, you are getting something a bit excessive.

Therefore, you might want to use separate devices. Especially on slower internet plans. 

Here are two good Wi-Fi routers for separate devices on Mediacom. For more options, read our article on the best routers for Mediacom.

Buying Vs. Renting a Mediacom Approved Modem

You can rent a modem from Mediacom for $12 per month, a router for $10 per month, and for every extra access point, you pay 2$ per month. [2]

Thus, you can spend upwards of $26 each month or $312 per year. 

Therefore, I’m a strong proponent of buying network equipment.

But there are two options. Either buy it directly from Mediacom for $199 or from a third-party source. 

I recommend buying it from a third-party source as it is cheaper and often better.

Even though the modems you get from Mediacom are not bad.

I will, however, note that I do make a small commission if you buy a third-party modem. So I’m somewhat biased. 

If you want more information, check out Rent Vs. Buy Your Modem & Router. 

Mediacom Internet Plans

Here are Mediacom’s internet plans and what cable modem and gateway I recommend for each one. [3]

Mediacom Internet Plan	Recommended Modem	Recommended Gateway
Access Internet 60 Mbps	Motorola MB8600	Netgear CAX30
Internet 100 Mbps	Motorola MB8600	Netgear CAX30
Internet 300 Mbps	Motorola MB8600	Netgear CAX80
Internet 1 GIG	Netgear CM2000	Netgear CAX80

FAQ

Here are some common questions regarding Mediacom and its equipment. 

Our Verdict

When buying a modem for Mediacom, your best bet is to buy a DOCSIS 3.1 modem. Because DOCSIS 3.0 modems might not even work for you, and even if it does, it is being phased out.

And after much testing, we have concluded that the best modem for Mediacom is the Motorola MB8600.

Because it’s a fast, reliable, and future-proof modem for a fair price.