WOW! Compatible Modems List

• WiFi Built-in
• Built-in landline telephone
• Battery backup for emergencies
• Dual Band or Single Band WiFi
• How many Ethernet ports
• Wireless network range
• Easy to install
• Parental Controls

• Guest network capability
• Enhanced security features
• Eco Friendly / Energy Efficient
• WPS / Push’N’Connect
• USB Ports for media sharing
• Max LAN wired speeds
• Channel Bonding
• Max WiFi speeds

While you may not know the purpose for all of these terms, some are probably pretty familiar. Guest networks, easy install and Ethernet ports are all commonly used terms that you’ve likely seen around on various product pages or heard from the tech support person when you call your internet provider. These are pretty important, but it’s also important to have a basic understanding of what all these other terms mean.

• WiFi Built-in: AKA “Modem router combo” devices have wireless internet built-into the modem, in addition to wired internet. You can connect smartphones, repeaters & other wireless-only devices.
• Built-in Landline: This means that the modem has a built in phone port. Usually devices with this feature come with more than 1 phone port that can be used to set up a landline phone.
• Battery Backup: Somewhat uncommon, but really nice to have, backup batteries can be used to keep your phone working, even when you lose power. This can be super useful if you have a medical emergency, or need to contact family while your power’s out. One drawback is that most modems with this feature only support up to a 16hr battery. You would likely get more mileage out of a larger battery backup that has larger capacity.
• Dual-Band vs Single Band WiFi: Dual-band wireless basically means that your WiFi puts out 2 separate wireless networks that you can connect to. These networks are broadcast as slightly different frequencies in order to offer better coverage and range in your home. Single-band devices are pretty good, but can be a bit limited/slower due to their lack of range.
• Easy to Install: Many modems and routers on the market today come with a built-in installation wizard that can be used without needing to download it from an included CD. Netgear products are notoriously easy to setup for this reason, and it seems that other manufacturers are finally following this trend.
• Parental Controls: This can vary depending on the manufacturer and other features that your modem has, but most devices that come equipped with parental controls allow you to turn off the internet for specific devices in your home, block certain websites or profanity on the internet and some even allow you to set internet access schedules to keep your kids on-task during homework or bedtime routines. You’ll need to look into the specifics of what each modem offers for their parental control features since it’s different for each device.
• Guest Network Access: If you’re running a coffee shop, airbnb, or just have guests over frequently and don’t want to share your WiFi with them completely for whatever reason, this is for you. Sharing your Wireless info with randoms can be a big security risk, since the majority of our banking, and personal information is stored online in some capacity. Having a guest network helps eliminate some of the risk associated with sharing your internet password.
• Eco-Friendly/Energy Efficient: Has the modem you’re looking at been checked out to see how energy efficient it is? Most modem’s don’t consume that much energy, but it can definitely add up over the course of a year. Buying your modem from ModemGuides.com is, in itself, Eco-Friendly since you’re buying a renewed/reconditioned modem and saving it from being scrapped or sent to the landfill.
• WPS / Push’N’Connect: This goes along with the easy to install part of the modem. WPS stands for Wireless Protected Setup, which is a button on most wireless modems that allows you to connect your other wireless devices without having to enter in a long password. Using this button generally only works on printers, scanners, some laptops and other more officey equipment, but it can save you a ton of time and frustration of entering and connecting each device individually. We’d rate this feature as “not required, but nice to have”.
• USB Ports: Another “nice to have” feature, USB ports allow you to connect an external hard drive to share media between other devices on your network. Having this port also makes file transfers super quick and easy. Generally there are only 2 variations of these USB ports right now: USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. All you really need to know is that the 3.0 is much faster than 2.0, so if you have the option to, go with the 3.0.
• Max LAN data rates: This is how fast your modem can go when just using wired Ethernet. On other websites, it’s really hard to find this information for some products, so we did all the work for you. On ModemGuides products, simply click over to the “More Information” tab of any modem product page, and you’ll find both the Max LAN data rate and the Max wireless rate as well, if applicable. Keep in mind that these are the maximum speeds that the modem can achieve in the ideal environment, so it’s pretty likely that the speeds you’ll actually see will be 10-20% lower, depending on your setup.
• Channel Bonding: This is one of the more important features on your modem that you need to consider since it directly relates to the speed of your modem, and many cable companies are particular about what channel bonding type they allow. Make sure to check in with your provider about this before placing an order anywhere.

Once you’ve figured out what features are important to you, or would be ideal to have in your WOW cable modem, you can then check out our list of WOW approved modems, and find the model that best fits your service plan needs. Calling WOW can also be a great way to get a better idea of what service requirements they would recommend for your specific internet service plan and location. You may have some features in your area that you’re not currently aware of that would be really convenient to add to your plan with the freedom of owning your modem! We always recommend calling up your provider before you place an order, just to check your work before placing an order with any company.