
If your internet plan is over 300 Mbps, you need a 24×8 modem or better. If you have service ranging from 100 to 300 Mbps, a 16×4 modem is enough.

The median internet speed in the US is around 193 Mbps (as of December 2022), and the fastest cable tier most major ISPs offer is between 1 Mbps (aka gigabit). The right cable modem is the one with the right number of channels for your service tier. This means that if the ISP offers only 16 downstream channels in your area, using a 24×8 modem won’t improve performance. With DOCSIS 3.0, the more channels your modem has, the faster the speed, provided your ISP supports those channels. Modem channels appear on the box as a number, such as 16×4, 24×8, or 32×8.

And they may not even let you bring your own modem once they do roll out gigabit service.

The added expense of a DOCSIS 3.1 modem isn’t worth it until you’re on one of these new (and pricey) plans-especially since your ISP may roll out gigabit over fiber rather than cable. You need a DOCSIS 3.1 modem to guarantee gigabit speeds from most cable ISPs, and some ISPs like Sparklight recommend DOCSIS 3.1 modems for new cable modem activations.ĭon’t get a gigabit modem unless you already have gigabit service or know it’s available. If you have a gigabit or multi-gig internet plan and your ISP allows you to use your own modem, the Motorola MB8611 is the best of the DOCSIS 3.1 modems that are widely available right now, thanks to its relatively low price and two-year warranty.
