Netgear CM400 - Reviews, Prices, Specs and Alternatives

One of the best things about purchasing a cable modem is that it cuts costs on device rentals and generally is an upgrade to the stock equipment they provide. Netgear is no stranger to this and they have been supplying modems to every corner of the market. The Netgear CM400 may be on the low end of the spectrum, but lets see if its worth the price.

This is a modem, meaning you will have to buy a separate router to maximize your internet's performance. Surprisingly, the most noticeable thing about this modem is that it has no power button, but it does have a reset button for troubleshooting purposes. This being said, you will need to unplug the CM400 to power it down. There is a Gigabit Ethernet port that can be attached to a router so this wont bottleneck your network.

Performance wise, its all right. The CM400 has a maximum download speed of 343 Mbps and download speed of 131 Mbps, this is considering network overhead, congestion, or other interference common with cable internet. It is DOCSIS 3.0 compatible and the CM400 can do channel bonding, meaning it can pack many data channels into one download or upload stream simultaneously.

At just below $40, this is a good modem to replace your ISP one. Although for a slightly bigger investment you can get newer Netgear releases that combine a modem and router in one; this will further cut down costs and reduce cluttered wires further. But if you stumbled on this one, is good value for money.