Best Mesh Router for Spectrum

If you have a smart home, you’d love to add matching new smart devices from time to time. With more connected devices, you need high-speed internet to keep your smart home running at maximum capacity. As a proven Gigabit internet provider, Spectrum is one of the best choices in providing a fast internet connection in your smart home. But it would help if you did a bit of research to find the best mesh router for spectrum.

Do You Need to Replace a Spectrum Router with Your Own?

All Internet providers usually provide a modem and a router as a package. So does Spectrum, but the standard router does not have enough power and speed necessary for rigorous internet usage in most homes today. For instance, the standard Spectrum router would give you several dead spots if you have a big house. In addition, today’s households mostly have a lot of devices needing simultaneous connection. It demands a more robust router capable of providing stable internet signals.

If you can spend a little bit more, go for a mesh router for spectrum. This type of router can provide uninterrupted connections over a wide area with less possibility of dead zones.

How to Use Your Own Router with Spectrum

If it’s a modem-router combo from Spectrum, you need to put it in bridge mode. However, if your Spectrum’s modem and router are two separate devices, then all you need to do is to replace the router with your own.

Usually, Spectrum provides its subscribers with dual-function devices; a modem and router combination. It’s not advisable to connect another router to the device – you’ll create two internet networks in your house. That would possibly lead to issues with transmission and communication. Configuring the device in bridge mode will allow you to use it as a regular modem only.

Spectrum Compatible Routers 2021

When you subscribe to Spectrum, chances are you can easily find compatible routers from the market. However, compatibility alone will not promise the best mesh WiFi router for Spectrum. But, with most routers in the market compatible with Spectrum, you’d have a significant number of eligible routers as you scroll down the e-commerce pages. Looking at various features, we came across some devices to help you find the best mesh router for spectrum internet. Let’s dive in.

NETGEAR Orbi RBK852 – AX6000

With a price tag of nearly $700, this has got to be a premium router. If you’re willing to part with that kind of money, we highly recommend this router. The Orbi RBK852 is a Gigabit router equipped with WiFi 6 technology. With a mesh system in place, it can cover a massive area of up to 5,000 square feet without you having to worry about dead spots. It can also support more than 100 devices with WiFi 6 or earlier WiFi versions.

Its quad-core 2.2HGz processor with 1GB RAM coupled with 802.11ax WiFi connectivity ensures a robust and blazingly fast internet, recording up to 6,000 Mbps. These specifications can easily supply enough signals to your high-spec Spectrum subscription.

Netgear also provides in-house anti-virus protection with Netgear Armor Antivirus and data theft protection powered by the famous Bitdefender. However, the subscription holds a 30-day free trial. But, for hardware protection, it carries a 1-year limited warranty.

A technician who installs routers for a living tried all kinds of WiFi 6 routers available in the market. By far, he finds the Orbi RBK852 is the best. While the price seems to be on the high side, the router offers a phenomenal performance as a mesh WiFi network.

Not only phenomenal as a home router, but it’s also tested on a small business, and the employees loved its spectacular performance. A staff member managed to transfer files at a lightning speed of 6,000 Mbps.

Pros:

• Netgear’s flagship model which offers maximum power, speed, stability, and reliability.
• Robust mesh WiFi system covering up to 5,000 square feet, at a maximum speed of 6,000 Mbps.
• Ax technology with MU-MIMO and OFDMA provides low latency for the immense gaming experience while simultaneously connecting to other extreme usages.
• Tri-Band frequency for easy allocation to different groups of device connections.

Cons:

• Mediocre look
• A bit pricey

ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit Cable Modem & Amazon eero mesh WiFi System (COMBO)

This is a combination offer – a modem and a router. The modem is manufactured by ARRIS and is compatible with most cable internet providers. It’s most suitable for plans up to 2,000 Mbps and offers two Gigabit Ethernet ports.

The router is from eero – it comes in three packs and forms a mesh WiFi network that can cover up to 5,000 square feet. Despite its three-device package, setting up is not as complicated as it looks. With simple procedures, the eero app walks you through in as little as 10 minutes.

Since Apple has stopped producing routers, your various Apple devices need routers capable of managing your beloved Apple gadget. Eero is one of those routers capable of handling connections without much hassle. This router runs well with Apple Homekit.

A ranch owner changed to the eero routers since their previous routers performed inconsistently. The family has 46 devices to test the eero capabilities. They placed the main router in the living room, another in the master bedroom, and a third in the basement. Surprisingly, all three routers performed amazingly, giving total satisfaction to all device owners. None of them had any issue at all.

Another house with a built-up area of 5,000 square feet has three stories and is more than a hundred years old. The plaster walls and other old building materials used made it difficult for WiFi penetration. The family of six had been living with a weak and unstable WiFi connection for years before they decided to change to eero 3-pack devices. They were extremely pleased with the eero’s performance because all three units gave great internet experience in every room filled with numerous online gadgets. And yet, the eero’s still can provide guest network access and device/data security.

Pros:

• One of a kind one-buy-gets-all; you get a complete set of modem and router (not one router, but three eero routers)
• Widespread mesh WiFi system with three-pack routers, ensuring full coverage to a large area of 5,000 square feet.
• Runs perfectly with all Apple devices.
• Unsurpassed manufacturer stability since Eero is now under the parent company of Amazon.

Cons:

• Absence of antennas.
• Two-band frequency is a bit outdated.

ARRIS SURFboard SBG10 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem & AC1600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router (2-in-1)

The previous review was about a combo buy of two separate devices. If you wonder why you need two different devices to get an internet connection, then here is a device that can do two jobs – a modem and a router in one device. If you further break it up, it’s a 3-in-1 device: a modem, a WiFi Router, and an Ethernet router—all these at one low price of a little more than a hundred dollars.

The SBG10 DOCSIS 3.0 dual-band frequency has WiFi 5 technology delivering a maximum speed of 1,600 Mbps. While this is not the greatest, it provides enough power and speed plus two Gigabit Ethernet ports. It’s suitable for Spectrum subscribers who have a plan not exceeding 400 Mbps.

A buyer who had just terminated monthly rental to the internet provider found this all-in-one device way better than the standard ISP’s router and modem. Firstly, he didn’t have to connect several devices, and a single machine worked perfectly. He thought that paying for the SBG10 DOCSIS 3.0 would save him some money. He would’ve spent more on a year’s rental than he paid for the modem/router set.
Another buyer similarly found some savings when he purchased this modem/router device in place of the monthly equipment rental fee to the ISP. He further found that setting up the device was super easy with the Surfboard apps. In just 15 minutes, everything was ready to use without rebooting all the connected devices.

A spectrum user did precisely the same by replacing the equipment rental with this one-buy device. However, Spectrum requires you to call them for approval, and after 15 minutes, they manage to register your new device into their system. He later recognized that the 2.4 GHz band gave a more extended signal range, better for cellphone use. He used the faster 5 GHz signal to connect closer devices that require robust internet connections.

Pros:

• All-in-one set; you don’t need to buy separate devices.
• One-time buy can cover the cost of paying an annual equipment rental fee to the ISP.
• Fast setup in only 15 minutes.
• The more extended signal range for a 2.4 GHz frequency.

Cons:

• May encounter difficulties in repairing since it is a 3-in-1 device
• The 5 GHz frequency provides for a very short distance.

Google Nest WiFi – AC2200

Google manages to take advantage of its popularity as the most used search engine by manufacturing its versions of mesh routers. Although this is only a single router, it sets up a mesh WiFi network when plugged into a modem. You can add as many Google nest WiFi routers as you wish to blanket your large home with seamless and spotless internet connections.

When you have a Google Nesh WiFi network, you can experience uninterrupted coverage of up to 4,400 square feet. The powerful router can handle up to 200 connected devices simultaneously. Now you don’t have to worry about connecting multiple 4K streaming devices or gaming consoles anymore. The Ethernet ports that come with each router do help in channeling a dedicated set of devices.

A user upgraded from the original standard Google WiFi router to the Google Nest WiFi AC2200 for stronger antennas and more extensive coverage. Although his apartment is only 1,000 square feet, he could not get a decent signal at his home office before the upgrade. Upon setting the new Google mesh WiFi system, he had no dead spot issue whatsoever.

A delighted new user of the Google Nesh WiFi router did not understand why many users had problems setting up the network. The confusion might come from getting two or more routers. He suggested ordering only one set of Google Nesh routers and placing it as the main node. If you have a large house, you only need to add more routers working as auxiliary nodes. These so-called extenders can widen your coverage and provide a consistently fast and powerful signal for the entire house.

Pros:

• Manufactured by Google – a giant IT company.
• Lowly priced for a powerful and speedy mesh WiFi system – as the main node in this case.
• Open options for extenders befitting your every need
• Friendly to connecting with mobile devices around the house.

Cons:

• Specific smart devices are not compatible with the Google Home app.
• Monitoring controls must only use Google cloud service.

Some Comparisons

The NETGEAR Orbi RBK852 – AX6000 offers the best experience with all the prominent features. It’s like a Mercedes of a router; smooth and shiny body, big-capacity quad-core processor, powerful and fast performances. But, like a Merc, it’s also pricey. If you’re on a tight budget, go for the Google Nesh WiFi, which is closest in matching the prominent features of the Netgear’s router, but you can bring home a fraction of the cost. However, if you require a modem and router combo, the Arris Surfboard modem and Eero 3-pack router combo is a steal. Otherwise, the modem/router built in a single device, the Arris Surfboard, is available at a third of the combo price.

FAQs:

Conclusion

Spectrum usually includes a modem in your subscription, but you have a choice to have the router, or you can get your own. However, it is widely accepted that Spectrum’s included modem and router are not giving enough power and speed of what everybody needs. When you choose the best mesh router for Spectrum, you can instantly see a considerable difference. You would have a better speed and range of the internet connections. You don’t have to worry about having dead spots, lagging and buffering streaming, or losing signals for devices far from the main node.