If you’re looking for a cable modem & Wi-Fi router combination unit the NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000 could be exactly what you need. Therefore, I’m going to write a short Netgear Nighthawk C7000 Review.
Before going any further, if you’re interested – check for the Netgear Ethernet Switch comparison.
The NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000 has 24 different downstream channels and 8 separate upstream channels. In other words, C7000 provides a more stable internet connection during peak hours. The manufacturer says that the Nighthawk C7000 can connect up to 30 wireless devices. I find this a great option, especially for those people having guests often and smart home devices installed in homes.
Cable modem & Wi-Fi router
Most often, you’ll get a combo similar to this by your ISP. These days, a cable modem & Wi-Fi router combination comes as standard home Internet/Network equipment. There are variations, of course, and users can purchase their own hardware if they want. In conclusion, if you choose to purchase a Cable modem, you won’t pay the fee to your Internet Service Provider. However, if you rent hardware, there is a monthly fee expected within your internet bills.
Although this hardware seems expensive, you should do the math and see how much money you can save annually. Yes, you can save money by buying a third-party modem.
Netgear Nighthawk C7000 Review
The Netgear combo has a C7000 Wi-Fi Router & AC1900 Dual Band Cable modem. It is designed to meet DOCSIS 3.0 Specifications. This makes it 8x faster than DOCSIS 2.0. The router provides speeds of up to 1.9 Gbps. With this combination, you’ll have uninterrupted HD video streaming, play games without any interruptions, and enjoy your favorite music online.
It is equipped with 24×8 cable channel bonding, which gives you the fastest download speeds. You’ll get Download/Upload speed even during peak hours. This particular model is ideal for Internet Cable services for 200Mbps and above.
Nighthawk C7000 is Certified with XFINITY from Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, and more. In other words, it is ideal for U.S.A homeowners.
Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo
Not only does it have 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, but the Nighthawk also has a single USB 2.0 port.
In other words, you can use the USB port, and connect USB hard drives or printers. This is possible with NETGEAR’s ReadyShare USB, and it is a convenient way of using home electronics inside your private network.
One of the specifications everybody is looking at is a modem router’s maximum download speed. Bear in mind that the indicated download speed does not guarantee maximum speed. An actual speed depends on your Internet Service Provider and other cable infrastructure in your home. It does tell you, however, if it will bottleneck your internet.
The Nighthawk has a maximum download speed of 400 Mbps. Someone could say it is not that good. In my own opinion, I find this speed sufficient for home use, or even home-office use. In addition, the AC1900 router has 1900 Mbps maximum bandwidth. Netgear C7000 has beamforming technology for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless connections. Beamforming focuses the wireless signals directly straight to your device, thus, improving speed and performance.
Easy to connect
Netgear C7000 connects easily. If you’re unsure, take a look at the user manual and follow the steps.
To connect with WiFi, use the WiFi network name and password on the product label. For a wired connection, use an Ethernet cable to connect a computer to an Ethernet port on the modem router. You have 4 Ethernet ports on the back of your Modem/Router.
What I like the most is how easy is to change the wireless channel on the NETGEAR router. Out of the box, the NETGEAR routers are pre-configured. In addition, this one is pre-configured to use wireless channels that work well for most people. Netgear router automatically selects a 2.4 GHz channel based on your network environment and uses default 5 GHz (or 6 GHz, if it is equipped with WiFi 6G).
It is important to note that C7000 comes with 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and possibly with 6 GHz Wi-Fi frequencies. Differences between these wireless frequencies are the range (coverage) and bandwidth speed. The 2.4 GHz band provides the most coverage but transmits data at a lower speed. Today’s standard is 5 GHz, and I suggest a wireless router with that techoology. The 6 GHz comes as a new and superior technology, but I don’t want to say it is the best and money-worth option for everyday use.
Pros:
- Great speed and very good Wi-Fi range
- You can share a USB hard drive and printer with everyone in the network
- It can attain constant fast internet speeds with its better channel bonding configuration of 24×8
- Easy setup
Cons:
- Internet bottlenecking may occur if your internet plan is higher than its recommended 400 Mbps limit