6 Best WOW! Compatible Modems in 2023 [Full List]

Here is our review of the best cable modems for WOW! (Woways) Internet, including a complete list of all Wow-approved modems.

As a Network Engineer, I have bought a bunch of modems and tested them to find the best WOW!-approved modem.

And after much consideration, I have concluded that the best modem for WOW is the Motorola MB8600. Because it’s fast, future-proof, and reliable – all for a good price.  

But everyone has different internet needs and wants, with varying internet plans, homes, and preferences. 

Hence, I put together this list of the six best modems and modem/router combos for your WOW Internet. 

Let’s get started.

Top 6 WOW! Compatible Modems

1. Best Overall – Motorola MB8600 – Cable Modem
2. Best Performer – Arris Surfboard S33 – Cable Modem
3. Best Budget-Friendly – Netgear CM600 – Cable Modem
4. Best Performer – Netgear CAX80 – Modem/Router Combo
5. Best Value – Netgear C7800 – Modem/Router Combo
6. Best Budget-Friendly – Motorola MG7700 – Modem/Router Combo

6 Best Modems For WOW!

Here are overviews of the six best modems for WideOpenWest internet. 

#1 Best Overall – Motorola MB8600

The Motorola MB8600 is the cable modem I recommend for any WOW customer. It’s a DOCSIS 3.1 modem that is compatible with any WOW internet plan.

The DOCSIS 3.1 is good because this makes the modem future-proof. Because WOW! will change to DOCSIS 3.1 in the future. 

The modem also has 4 Ethernet ports, 3 hidden under the yellow sticker. This can be good as it enables the modem to theoretically support faster speeds in the future. 

Because you can bond two ethernet ports together and create one 2G port. Which makes the modem compatible with plans up to 2000 Mbps. 

The biggest drawback is that it’s a bit pricer than a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, and it won’t make your internet faster if you have one of the slower plans. 

But, likely, you will still save many by getting it since you won’t have to change when DOCSIS 3.1 roles out. 

Want to learn more? Read the full review.

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#2 Best Performer – Arris Surfboard S33

The Arris Surfboard is for you that want the best of the best. Because this cable modem is compatible with internet plans up to 2500 Mbps. 

That’s a speed so fast that WOW is yet to offer it to consumers. Enough to watch more than 20 4k movies at the same time. 

Such speeds are possible because the S33 has a 2.5G Ethernet port instead of the usual 1G port. 

This incredible speed capacity also makes the cable modem extremely future-proof, so if you want to buy a modem and then forget about it – then it’s perfect. 

That said, the S33 can also be excessive because remember, you can only get as fast internet as you pay for in your internet plan. 

Therefore, I especially recommend it for you with the WOW gigabit plan that wants to buy a modem and not think about it anymore. 

For more info, read our full review of the S33.

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#3 Best Budget-Friendly – Netgear CM600

The Netgear CM600 is a good option for you with the WOW Internet 500 plan or below.

The cable modem is DOCSIS 3.0 with 24×8 channels. This makes it fast enough for a normal home with around 4-6 people.

However, due to being DOCIS 3.0, the CM600 is incompatible with WOW’s Gigabit plan. And thus, also not future-proof.

This makes it an option for you that wants to save money now, but a DOCSIS 3.1 modem might be cheaper in the long run. 

But, if you are moving or switching to fiber in the future, then the Netgear CM600 is a suitable option. 

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#4 Best Performer – Netgear CAX80

The Netgear CAX80 is the best modem/router combo for WOW’s Gigabit Internet plan. 

During testing, I couldn’t find out how fast the device was as I only had access to an 800 Mbps internet plan.

But it did reach 800 Mbps from 5 feet, 583.15 Mbps from 25 feet, and 298.47 Mbps from 50 feet, all using the 5GHz band. 

This is one of the fastest speeds I have ever gotten from a modem/router combo and is one of the few combos I can recommend for an internet plan up to 1000 Mbps. 

The router isn’t only fast, but it also has a good range, reaching about 100-110 feet. This is enough for any but the largest homes if it’s placed somewhere closer to the middle of it. 

However, a drawback with the CAX80 is that it lacks both QoS and Parental controls. 

So you can’t prioritize data on the network or control what your kids can and can’t do on the internet. 

Something I think it should have considering its price.

Moreover, it’s honestly a bit excessive for many reading this, so I only recommend it for people with at least WOW’s 500 Mbps plan. 

If you want to learn more about the CAX80, read the full review.

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#5 Best Value – Netgear C7800

The Netgear C7800 is a good modem/router combo for you with the WOW 500 Mbps plan or below.

During testing, it reached 513.64 Mbps from 5 feet, 309.15 Mbps from 25 feet, and 155.21 Mbps from 50 feet.

This is enough for a family of around 4-6 people to use the internet without issues. 

The cable modem in the combo is DOCSIS 3.1. This makes it both future-proof and very fast. Actually fast enough for the WOW Gigabit plan. 

But since the router only reached around 500 Mbps, I don’t recommend you use it with the 1000 Mbps plan.  

Range wise the C7800 also performed pretty well, reaching about 80-90 feet. This is enough for any but the largest homes. If the device is somewhere closer to the middle of the house. 

The largest drawback with the C7800 is its lack of features. Because it doesn’t have things like Parental Controls or QoS. This means you can’t restrict your kid’s activities on the internet or prioritize bandwidth.

Overall, the Netgear C7800 is a good medium-tier modem/router combo. Perfect for you looking to get value for the price that doesn’t need the extra features. 

If you want to learn more about the C7800, read our review.

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#6 Best Budget-Friendly – Motorola MG7700

The Motorola MG7700 is perfect for you with WOW’s 200 Mbps plan and maybe even you with the 500 Mbps plan. 

I say this because, in testing, it reached 441.28 Mbps from 5 feet and 126.12 Mbps from 25 feet, using the 5GHz band. 

This makes it more than enough for the 200 Mbps plan and feasible with the Internet 500 plan. 

Because the two bands have a max bandwidth of around 1900 Mbps, this should be enough to provide devices in the house with more than 500 Mbps.

Even though I was unable to confirm this during the testing. 

The router has a pretty good range, reaching upwards of 90 feet. So it should be enough for a medium-sized house.

The drawback with the Motorola MG7700 is that it lacks DOCSIS 3.1, which means that you can’t use it for the Gigabit plan and that you will have to change it when WOW switches to DOCSIS 3.1. 

The router also doesn’t have that good Qos or Parental controls. Thus, it’s hard to prioritize data on the network and restrict your kid’s activities on the internet. 

Altogether, the MG7700 is a good cheaper modem/router combo for WOW, as it provides reliable and pretty fast internet for a good price. 

To learn more, check out our review of the Motorola MG7700.

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Complete List of All WOW! Approved Modems

Here is a list of all the WOW! compatible modems. [1]

Brand	Model #	With Router	Channels	DOCSIS	Puma Chipset
Netgear	C6900	Yes	24x8	3.0	No
Netgear	C7000	Yes	24x8	3.0	No
Netgear	C7000v2	Yes	24x8	3.0	No
Netgear	C7500	Yes	24x8	3.0	No
Netgear	C7800	Yes	32×8	3.1	No
Netgear	CBR40	Yes	32×8	3.0	Yes
Netgear	CM600	No	24x8	3.0	No
Netgear	CM700	No	32×8	3.0	Yes
Netgear	CM1000	No	32×8	3.1	No
Netgear	CM1000v2	No	32×8	3.1	No
Netgear	CM1100	No	32×8	3.1	No
Netgear	CM1200	No	32×8	3.1	No
Netgear	CM2000	No	32×8	3.1	No
Netgear	CAX80	Yes	32×8	3.1	No
Motorola	MB7621	No	24×8	3.0	No
Motorola	MB8600	No	32×8	3.1	No
Motorola	MB8611	No	32×8	3.1	No
Motorola	MG7700	Yes	24×8	3.0	No
Motorola	MG8702	Yes	32×8	3.1	No
Motorola	MG8725	Yes	32×8	3.1	No
Arris	CM8200	No	32×8	3.1	No
Arris	DG2460	Yes	24×8	3.0	Yes
Arris	SB6190	No	32x8	3.0	Yes
Arris	SB8200	No	32x8	3.1	No
Arris	S33	No	32×8	3.1	No
Arris	SBG7400AC2	Yes	24×8	3.0	Yes
Arris	SBG7580-AC	Yes	32×8	3.0	Yes
Arris	SBG7600AC2	Yes	32×8	3.0	Yes
Arris	SBG8300	Yes	32×8	3.1	Yes
Arris	G34	Yes	32×8	3.1	Yes
Arris	G36	Yes	32×8	3.1	Yes
ASUS	CM-32	Yes	32×8	3.0	Yes
Linksys	CG7500	Yes	24×8	3.0	Yes
Linksys	CM3024	No	24×8	3.0	Yes
TP-Link	CR1900	Yes	24×8	3.0	Yes
TP-Link	TC7650	No	24×8	3.0	Yes

Puma chipset is a problematic chipset linked with latency issues. Even though many problems with it are solved, I would recommend avoiding modems using it.

What to Consider Before Buying a WOW-Approved Modem

Before buying a WOW-approved cable modem, you should consider a couple of things. This, to make the best possible choice for you. 

For a more in-depth guide, check out our modem buying guide.

WOW Compatible Modems

For a modem to be compatible and approved for WOW, it needs to be at least a DOCSIS 3.0 with 24×8 channels or more. 

It can also be any DOCSIS 3.1 modem. 

Currently, there are DOCSIS 2.0 and DOCSIS 3.0 with 8×4 or 16×4 channels on their network. But moving forward, they do now allow any new such devices. [2]

This is because they are end-of-life devices that cannot deliver the speeds WOW offers its customers.

The list above has many available modems that fit these requirements, but some might be missing. 

DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1

DOCSIS is the telecommunication technology that cable internet uses to deliver data to your home over coaxial cables. 

For WOW, you can decide between DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1. The difference is that DOCSIS 3.1 is faster and never, and DOCSIS 3.0 is slower but cheaper. 

Both options have their benefits and drawbacks, but for WOW, I recommend DOCSIS 3.1. 

The reason for this is that a DOCSIS 3.1 modem will future-proof you for speed increases or for when WOW upgrades their network. 

That said, DOCSIS 3.0 is not a bad option if you don’t plan to upgrade your internet plan anytime soon. 

DOCSIS 3.1 Benefits

• Future-proof
• Lower latency
• Faster

DOCSIS 3.0 Benefits

• Cheaper
• Usually enough 

For a more in-depth overview, check out our article on DOCSIS 3.0 vs. 3.1.

Channels [Only For DOCSIS 3.0]

If you get a DOCSIS 3.0 modem for Wowway, you also need to consider the channels. 

Channels decide how much data a DOCSIS 3.0 modem can handle, with more channels equaling more speed. 

For WOW, you need to have either 24×8 or 32×8 channels. 

I recommend you to get a modem with 24×8. Because some DOCSIS 3.0 modems with 32×8 channels are problematic. Occasionally having high latency and other issues. 

Moreover, 24×8 modems are often cheaper than 32×8 modems. And for WOW, you can’t use them for any faster internet plan than the 500 Mbps one anyways. 

Modem Speed

So, to summarize.

You don’t need the top-performer listed above if you only have the WOW 200 Mbps plan. But you can instead go for the budget-friendly option.

However, if you have WOW’s Gigabit plan, you need to get a DOCSIS 3.1 modem.

Pick a Wow-compatible modem that fits your plan, and note that the maximum speed is not the real-world speed a modem and router has. The real-world rate is substantially lower.

Below is a table where you can see what DOCSIS version and channels are necessary for each WOW plan. 

Internet Plan	DOCSIS	Channels
Internet 100	3.0 or 3.1	24×8 or 32×8
Internet 200	3.0 or 3.1	24×8 or 32×8
Internet 500	3.0 or 3.1	24×8 or 32×8
Internet 1000	3.1	N/A

Modem/Router Combo Vs. Separate Devices 

You also get to decide if you want a modem/router combo (gateway) or separate devices. 

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

There are some pros and cons with both options. But as a Network Engineer, I recommend getting separate devices. 

This is because separate allows you to change one if it breaks or needs an upgrade rather than both. It also offers better performance and more control. 

This is not to say that combos are useless. They take less space, have a cheaper upfront cost, and are often easier to set up. 

In the case of WOW, a gateway is an option because there’re many good ones to choose from. So if you feel that you want one, you can get it. 

Separate Pros

• Better performance
• Can change one device instead of both
• More network control

Combo Pros

• More convenient
• Often easier setup
• Cheaper upfront cost

If you want a more detailed guide on the pros and cons, check out modem/router combo vs. separate. 

WOW! Phone Service

If you have WOW’s Phone service, you have to lease a modem from them. Because they haven’t approved any modems with eMTA support. 

This leaves you with two options. Either rent an eMTA modem for your Phone service and get an approved modem for your internet. 

Or use the eMTA modem for both the internet and the Phone service. 

For most, getting an eMTA modem for both internet and phone service will be enough, but you should know that it’s an option. 

Rent Vs. Buy WOW! Compatible Modems

The cost of renting a modem from WOW! is $14 a month. Up from the previously $10 a month. 

This is not the most expensive rental fee, but still pretty high. Costing $168 per year, which is enough to buy a new modem every year. 

Therefore I strongly recommend most people to buy their own modem, as it gets much cheaper in the long run. As well as giving you an enhanced network performance and more control. 

Reasons for renting do, however, exist. If you are going to switch to fiber in a couple of months, it might be cheaper to rent those months than to buy. 

If you want a more detailed guide on the benefits and problems with each option, check out this overview. 

WOW! Internet Plans

WOW! has four main internet plans, and depending on which one you have, I recommend different devices. Here you can see each internet plan and what devices I recommend. [3]

Plan	Download Speed	Cable Modem	Gateway
Internet 100	100 Mbps	CM600	MG7700
Internet 200	200 Mbps	MB8600	MG7700
Internet 500	500 Mbps	MB8600	C7800
Internet 1000	1000 Mbps	S33	CAX80

How to Set Up a WOW! Modem

To set up a WOW-approved modem:

1. Pick a location with good air circulation. So the modem doesn’t overheat. If you have a gateway or a router, also try to place it in the middle of your home to improve Wi-Fi coverage. 
2. Connect the coax cable and the power cord. Also, connect your modem and router with an ethernet cable if you have separate devices. 
3. Contact WOW! and give them the device’s MAC address for third-party devices. This is for activating your internet. Call them, and they will guide you through the process. 
4. Follow the instruction manual that comes with the modem/gateway. 

You can find WOW!s guide here if you want a more comprehensive version. 

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about WOW! and third-party equipment.

Our Verdict

After much testing and consideration, I have concluded that the best modem for WOW is the Motorola MB8600. 

Because it’s fast, future-proof, and goes for a reasonable price.