Motorola MB8611 Cable Modem vs NETGEAR Nighthawk CM2500 Cable Modem

Buy the Motorola MB8611 if your cable plan goes above 2 Gbps down or you want the higher 2.5 Gbps port ceiling and a long track record on Xfinity and Cox. Buy the NETGEAR CM2500 if you want a mid-split modem with two Gigabit ports, link aggregation and phone ports, and you value the app-based setup and firmware updates. Both are DOCSIS 3.1 standalone modems with no WiFi, so the router is a separate decision. Owners of the CM2500 report easy setup once activated but also difficult Xfinity activation for some; the MB8611 is the simpler, more widely proven box.

• Choose the Motorola MB8611 if you have or plan a cable tier above 2 Gbps down and want the single 2.5GbE port with the broadest carrier approval.
• Choose the NETGEAR CM2500 if you want link aggregation across two Gigabit ports, telephone ports and app-managed firmware on a mid-split plan up to 2 Gbps.