ModemGuides FAQ’s

You may not have received an email after submitting your return request due to several possible reasons:

• The email address you entered is not valid
• The message was sent to your spam folder
• You did not completely fill out the form

To correct this and ensure you receive your packing slip, we recommend refilling out the form and submitting again. If you are still unable to find the message, check your spam folder or contact us for a manual return request.

Shipping charges may be refunded depending on the reason for your ModemGuides return. If your shipping charges aren’t refunded, please contact us to determine if you’re eligible for a refund. You may not be refunded for shipping charges if:

• The return was declined by our online return center.
• The return was not due to an error by ModemGuides.

If you placed an order and haven’t received it yet, you can refuse your order when the shipper delivers your package. When we receive the returned items, we’ll credit your account for the price of the items and any shipping costs.

In most cases your refund will automatically go back to the original form of payment used for the purchase. In the event you used multiple forms of payment, your refund may be issued across all payment methods used.

We ship Monday through Friday, every week with the exception of US postal holidays and inclement weather. We ship from our primary warehouse in North Carolina, but also from a few fulfillment centers spaced out through the US.

We currently offer only 1 shipping speed for our orders. Due to the impact of COVID-19, we had to discontinue all shipping options with guaranteed delivery dates since the postal services have become less reliable. If you’re ordering in bulk, we may be able to provide alternative shipping options, depending on your location. Please contact us for additional information.

With the exception of bulk orders and back-ordered products, most orders ship within 1-2 business days of cleared payment. We will let you know via email if your order will be significantly delayed.

Please note that order preparation times, shipping times, and delivery may be slightly slower due to social distancing restrictions, local regulations & other consequences of COVID-19.

We do our absolute best to get orders out as soon as we are able to, regardless of the selected shipping speed despite the limitations of shipping carriers and supply chain disturbances. We completely understand how important it is to have functional internet, especially with everyone’s shift to a digital work and school environment over the past years.

That said, we are not currently able to provide any guaranteed delivery dates due to the inconsistencies with all postal carriers and local/state regulations. We highly recommend holding off on making your appointment with your provider until after you’ve already received your new modem (or at least until you can see the expected delivery date on your tracking number) that way there’s no risk of the modem not being there for your appointment.

Whether you’re getting a replacement due to ordering the incorrect model, or the device you received originally didn’t work out for some other reason, it’s important to us to get your internet back up and running as soon as possible.

Most replacements are shipped same-day and are prioritized to ensure your order arrives quickly. We use 2 to 3-day shipping with Priority Mail or Amazon logistics in most cases, since those are currently the most reliably fast options available.

You can read more about our policies on shipping orders, delivery guarantees, and more, on our shipping & delivery policy page.

At ModemGuides, we take pride in offering devices that are guaranteed to work. We ship expedited replacements if you encounter any issues that prevent activation for models that have been confirmed compatible with your provider.

If you’d prefer to just return your order, we also are happy to issue a full refund back to your original payment method.

To get your Activation Guarantee claim started, all you need to do is contact us, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours or less.

ModemGuides’ Activation Guarantee covers the first 90 days after your order has been delivered by the shipping carrier. All claims must be made within the 90-day window to be eligible for Activation Guarantee service.

Because most device types are not compatibility-based in the same way that modems are, we only apply our Activation Guarantee to Cable modems, DSL modems, and both Cable and DSL modem router combos.

To start an Activation Guarantee claim

1. Please contact your provider to ensure that the model you’ve ordered is truly compatible with your service plan, and has been confirmed to work in your area for other customers.

2. Contact us, letting us know the details about your activation that went wrong, such as the modem being defective, any troubleshooting your provider did to help the situation and any other pertinent details about your modem.

3. Wait up to 24hrs for us to get back to your case (Email only).

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a truly plug’n’play modem. We do have plenty of both cable and DSL models our techs have rated as very easy to set up and install, however you will still always have a couple steps to get your internet connected.

In general, with all modems you can expect to have to plug it in the same way as the device you’re replacing and then call your provider to have them activate it. They usually ask for some of the numbers on the bottom or back of your modem, and the call lasts usually around 30 minutes or so.

Many manufacturers make the WiFi name and password really confusing to find, so we get this question a lot. Here’s an example of a WiFi-enabled cable modem, similar to many of the models we carry.

Here’s an example of an Arris modem’s WiFi information sticker:

In this case, the modem pictured is Dual-Band, so it will actually have 2 separate WiFi networks, both being broadcast at the same time. This helps your network cover a larger range and offers much more reliable, fast signal to your WiFi enabled devices.

WiFi network name #1: 0BDDB9

WiFi network name #2: 0BDDBA

Now that we’ve discovered the WiFi network names – you can see that they’re under the heading “Network Name (SSID)“. You can expect to see this heading wherever your WiFi network name is, even if your device is not made by Arris. Next we’ll cover how to find the WiFi password.

Many people who were able to figure out the WiFi network name on their own, just by looking at their network list may get stumped by the password. Because of the enhanced security features built into most newer modems, the WiFi password is actually called the “Pre-Shared Key” instead. The “unit password” listed towards the bottom of the sticker, is actually just the password to get into the settings panel for the modem (you’ll use this if you ever wanted to change your WiFi name and password from the default). This password will work for both WiFi networks that this model puts out.

WiFi Password: M2C2691B60658

Hope that helps, but feel free to contact us if you’re still stuck or have any other questions!

Absolutely! We’ve put together Modem Compatibility Lists for most major US-based providers for your convenience. Our lists are compiled from a wide range of cross-referenced sources, in order to show the most options for owning your own modem. You’ll see some manufacturers, online retailers & even resellers state that specific models will be able to work with most providers, or outline specific providers that each model does or doesn’t work with.

It’s also worth noting that most smaller providers permit all models meeting a certain criteria, and don’t provide much of a concrete list since there are so many models that would work.

Because of this, we provide a list that encompasses all modem models that are known to work with the company, based on consistent customer reviews, in-house testing, manufacturer data sheets, and service provider official lists.