The main difference between the Arris Surfboard SB8200 and the Netgear CM1000 is the maximum Internet speeds they support. The SB8200 can handle Internet plans up to 2000 Mbps, and the CM1000 handles plans up to 1000 Mbps.
Additionally, the Arris SB8200 is often less expensive than the Netgear CM1000. However, the CM1000 is compatible with more ISPs. The SB8200 is the best choice, especially if you have an Internet plan over 1000 Mbps (or want to future-proof your home network).
However, if you have an ISP incompatible with the SB8200, the Netgear CM1000 is the better option.
Surfboard SB8200
Overall Winner
- Performance – Winner
- Compatibility – Loser
- Design – Tie
- Setup – Loser
- Value for Money – Winner
Netgear CM1000
More Compatible
- Performance – Loser
- Compatibility – Winner
- Design – Tie
- Setup – Winner
- Value for Money – Loser
I’m Jon, a home networking guru. I’ve tested and owned several modems and made this comparison guide to help you decide if the SB8200 or CM1000 is right for your home.
So, let’s dive in and learn which modem is right for you.
Key Takeaways
- The Arris Surfboard SB8200 supports faster Internet plans, up to 2000 Mbps (2 Gbps)
- The Netgear CM1000 supports Internet plans up to 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) but is compatible with more ISPs.
- The SB8200 uses port bonding to achieve speeds above 1000 Mbps. Port bonding requires two IP addresses and a compatible router.
Motorola SB8200 & CM1000 Compared
| Specs | SB8200 | CM1000 |
| Recommended for | Plans over 2000 Mbps | Plans up to 1000 Mbps |
| Tops Speeds | 2000 Mbps (2 Gbps) | 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) |
| Compatible ISP’s | Armstrong, Breezeline, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Cox, Grande, Mediacom, Midco, Suddenlink, WOW, Sparklight, Optimum, RCN, Wave | Armstrong, Breezeline, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Cox, GCI, Grande, Mediacom, Midco, Suddenlink, WOW, Sparklight, Optimum, RCN, Wave |
| Not supported ISPs | N/A | N/A |
| Ports | Two gigabit Ethernet ports & 1 × Coax port | 1 Gigabit Ethernet port & 1 Coax port |
| Future proof | Future-proof | Reasonably future-proof |
| Ethernet aggregation | Yes, by using two 1 Gbps Ethernet ports | No |
| DOCSIS | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Dimensions | 5 x 2 x 5 inches | 8.8 x 3.5 x 5.9 inches |
| Weight | 23.36 ounces | 15.2 ounces |
| Price | $$ | $$ |
| Warranty | 2 years | 1 year |
| Winner | Loser |
First Thoughts
For most homeowners, the Arris Surfboard SB8200 is the better modem choice since it will future-proof your home network better. It supports Internet plans up to 2000 Mbps and is more affordable. But if your ISP isn’t compatible with it, the Netgear CM1000 is the better choice.
However, the SB8200 only supports Internet plans over 1000 Mbps speed if you use its port bonding feature. Port bonding combines two data streams from your ISP into one. To use this, you’ll need a compatible router and two IP addresses from your ISP.
So, if your ISP only has plans slower than 1000 Mbps, the SB8200’s port bonding feature might not be useful to you. Still, it would help future-proof your network for potential speed increases from your ISP.
Arris Surfboard SB8200 Review
The Arris Surfboard SB8200 is a fast and future-proof DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem. It supports speeds up to 2000 Mbps, so you likely won’t have to upgrade it for several years.
It can support Internet plans up to 1000 Mbps using a single Ethernet connection. But, if your ISP has faster plans available, you will need to use its port bonding (Ethernet aggregation) feature.
Port bonding combines two Ethernet connections into a single, faster data stream. The SB200 can reach up to 2000 Mbps through port bonding.
But port bonding has some downsides– mainly, you need two IP addresses to use it, so you’ll have to pay extra for your Internet plan.
Additionally, you must have a compatible router, which is usually more expensive.
However, if your Internet plan from your ISP is much slower than 1000 Mbps, you’ll never have to worry about port bonding.
Still, it is good to have the feature and know you can handle future speed upgrades from your ISP. That said, don’t buy this modem if your ISP plans to come out with a fiber Internet plan soon.
Fiber Internet doesn’t use modems, so you would be better off getting a lower-cost modem while waiting for a fiber Internet upgrade.
Overall, the SB200 is reliable, fast, easy to set up, and available for a fair price. And it works with almost every ISP.
Continue reading our entire review of the Arris Surfboard SB8200 for more information.
Netgear CM1000 Review
The Netgear CM1000 is another DOCSIS 3.1 modem that is fast and future-proof. However, it can only support Internet plans as fast as 1000 Mbps or slower.
Unlike the SB8200, it only has one Ethernet port and no Ethernet aggregation/port bonding.
That said, it is still future-proof and suitable for Internet plans of 1000 Mbps or slower. But if (or when) your ISP begins offering faster Internet plans, you must upgrade from this modem to a new one to access the speed increase.
The CM1000 is also more expensive than the SB8200– which has port bonding and can support 2000 Mbps plans.
Still, the Netgear CM1000 is a good modem. It has decent performance for plans slower than 1000 Mbps, a good design, a mostly smooth setup, and is sure to work with your ISP.
In fact, the CM1000 is the most ISP-approved cable modem on the market.
Read our entire review of the Netgear CM1000 cable modem for more details.
Performance – Winner SB8200
Since the Arris Surfboard SB8200 supports faster Internet plans (Up to 2 Gbps with port bonding), it has better performance over the Netgear CM1000.
However, both modems support Internet plans up to 1 Gbps with a single Ethernet connection. So, if you’re not planning to use port bonding (Ethernet aggregation) on the SB8200, you’ll find these modems perform similarly.
After all, most ISPs don’t offer plans faster than 1000 Mbps yet. If you have a plan that is much slower than 1000 Mbps, either modem will work well. In that case, you might think the CM1000 is the better choice, as the SB8200 would be overkill.
However, you should take into the modems’ pricing. The SB8200 is generally less costly or at least the same price as the CM1000. So you might as well get the one with better performance.
Both modems are DOCSIS 3.1 units, which is the newest cable transmission of Internet Protocol (IP) data services standard.
Compared to the previous standard, DOCSIS 3.0, it has better security, speed, latency, and uses less energy.
Most ISPs’ infrastructure is already DOCSIS 3.1, but some smaller regional ones might still use DOCSIS 3.0. But don’t worry; the SB8200 and CM1000 are both backward compatible.
See our in-depth guide for more information on DOCSIS 3.0 and 3.1.
Compatibility – Winner Netgear CM1000
The Netgear CM1000 is arguably the most approved modem on the market- it works with all major ISPs. That said, the Arris Surfboard SB8200 is compatible with most ISPs, too– just not as many as the CM1000.
“Approved,” “compatible,” “works with,” etc., all mean that an ISP or a third party tested and verified the modem work on the network. However, some modems may work with an ISP that isn’t listed on an approved list– simply because it hasn’t been tested yet.
I know of no ISPs that the CM1000 and SB8200 don’t work with. Except for the ones that don’t provide cable internet.
SB8200 Supported ISPs
Here are the ISPs that are compatible with the Arris Surfboard SB8200:
- Armstrong
- Atlantic Broadband
- Comcast Xfinity
- Charter Spectrum
- Cox
- Grande
- Mediacom
- Midco
- Suddenlink
- WOW
- Sparklight
- Optimum
- RCN
- Wave
This is not an exhaustive list, other ISPs may be compatible. Verify with your ISP if you plan to get one.
CM1000 Supported ISPs
The Netgear CM1000 is approved for the following ISPs:
- Armstrong
- Atlantic Broadband
- Comcast Xfinity
- Charter Spectrum
- Cox
- GCI
- Grande
- Mediacom
- Midco
- Suddenlink
- WOW
- Sparklight
- Optimum
- RCN
- Wave
If your ISP is not in this list, it doesn’t mean it isn’t compatible with the CM1000. Call your ISP to confirm.
Design – Draw
The SB8200 and CM1000 both have a modern and visually appealing design. They take up minimal shelf and desk space with their slim vertical designs.
However, they look quite different. The Netgear CM1000 features a black and gray color scheme, while the SB8200 sports a soft white color. I prefer black, but the color is a personal preference, so I didn’t factor that into my ranking.
Both have cooling vents on the left and right, ensuring they do not overheat. The SB8200 has rounded corners, and the CM1000 has sharp corners that come together at an angle on the top and bottom.
The CM1000 and SB8200 each have standard modem LEDs arranged vertically on the front face. These LEDs indicate power, downstream, upstream, Ethernet, and Internet connection.
The SB8200’s LEDs are brighter than average, which may be bothersome if you use it in a bedroom. But you can disable them in the modem’s setting page.
On the back of the modems, the CM1000 has a single Ethernet connection, one coax connection, a power port, and a reset button.
The Arris SB8200 has the same connections, plus a second Ethernet connection for port bonding/Ethernet aggregation.
Setup – Netgear CM1000
The Netgear CM1000 is the easier modem to set up. It took us less than five minutes to get it going.
That said, the SB8200 was relatively easy to set up too. But we had to restart it a few times to get it to connect to our Internet. This was likely just a fluke, and even with this hiccup, setting it up didn’t take much longer.
The modems each come with easy-to-follow steps–
- Plugin the coax cable from your ISP into the back of the modem.
- Connect your modem to your computer or modem with an Ethernet cable.
- Plugin the power cables and wait until all the lights turn on.
- Lastly, activate the modem on your ISP’s self-activation page– open any web browser to load it. Alternatively, you can call your ISP to activate it. You must tell them the modem’s MAC address, located on its label (on the back or bottom).
To access the Arris Surfboard SB8200 and the Netgear CM1000’s modem pages, type 192.168.100.1 into your browser’s URL bar and hit Enter.
On the modem page, you can view your network’s status, logs, and other information. [1]
For more information, see the setup guides for the SB8200 and CM1000 to review before purchasing.
For more help setting up your cable modem, read our general guide.
Value – Arris Surfboard SB8200
In my opinion, the Arris Surfboard has a better value than the Netgear CM1000.
They are priced similarly, but the SB8200 has the added feature of port bonding/Ethernet aggregation. With port bonding, your home network can have speeds up to double what the CM1000 can provide (2000 Mbps vs. 1000 Mbps).
However, with port bonding, you have to pay for two IP addresses from your ISP and have a compatible modem
Still, both modems are worth the cost for the performance they provide. But since the SB8200 is usually less expensive or the same price as the CM1000 but has extra features, it is the better choice.
So, if you want to future-proof your home network while choosing the most affordable option, look at SB8200.
FAQs
Here are some common questions about the Arris Surfboard SB8200 and the Netgear CM1000.
What’s the main difference between the Netgear CM1000 and Arris Surfboard SB8200?
The main difference between the SB8200 and CM1000 is the speeds they support. The SB8200 supports 1000 Mbps Internet plans with a single Ethernet connection and up to 2000 Mbps plans with port bonding. The CM1000 supports only 1000 Mbps plans and does not have port bonding.
Does the CM1000 or SB8200 work with more ISPs?
Both the Netgear CM1000 and Arris SB8200 are known for their excellent compatibility with ISPs. Neither modems have ISPs on a “not approved” list. However, the CM1000 has more ISPs on its approved ISP list.
Are the CM1000 and SB8200 modems or routers?
The CM1000 and SB8200 are both modems. This means you will need a router if you want to have a Wi-Fi network in your home and connect several wireless devices.
A modem connects to your ISP’s connection and converts the data to your router. The router manages the traffic on the network and makes your Wi-Fi network.
Final Thoughts
Both the Arris Surfboard SB8200 and the Netgear CM1000 modems support Internet plans up to 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) with a single Ethernet connection.
But since the Arris SB8200 supports speeds up to 2000 Mbps with port bonding and is generally the same cost (or cheaper), the SB8200 is usually the better choice.
Additionally, both modems have great compatibility with ISPs. But the Netgear CM1000 is approved with more of them. That said, neither modem has known compatibility issues with any ISP.
