Most often, a cable modem & Wi-Fi router combination is already given to you by your Internet Service Provider as part of your plan. ISPs charge you with a monthly rental fee for using their equipment. Did you know that you can save cash by buying a third-party modem? Yes, you can save from $100 to $170 per year in equipment rental fees.
In this article, we are going to compare two combo units – Motorola MG7550 vs Nighthawk C7000. We will cover their features and see what they have in common and how they differ. For a quick review of the features and functions of the Motorola MG7550 and the Nighthawk C7000, we have included a side by side chart.
Motorola MG7550 |
Nighthawk C7000 |
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---|---|---|
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Max. Download Speed | 686 Mbps | 400 Mbps |
Recommended Internet Plan Speed | 375 Mbps | 400 Mbps |
Wireless Technology | 802.11ac, AC1900 (up to 1900 Mbps) | 802.11ac, AC1900 (up to 1900 Mbps) |
Dual-band Technology | Yes | Yes |
Channel Bonding | 16×4 Channel bonding, DOCSIS 3.0 | 24×8 Channel bonding, DOCSIS 3.0 |
Antennas | 3×3 Antennas | 3×3 Antennas |
Ports and Interface | 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN Ports, WLAN Enable & Disable button, WPS button, Reset, Coax Cable Connector, Power button, Power Jack | 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN Ports, 1 x USB 2.0 Port, Coaxial Cable Connector, reset button, Power Jack |
Wireless Security Protocols | WPA, WPA2, and WPA/WPA2 | WPA, WPA2, and WPA/WPA2 |
Other Features | Advanced firewall, Parental Control, Wi-Fi Boost, DFS, AnyBeam Wi-Fi Beamforming | Double Firewall protection (SPI and NAT), Beamforming, Parental Control, Guest Network Access |
Compatibility | Compatible with all major Internet Service Providers | Compatible with all major Internet Service Providers |
Item Dimensions | 10.90 x 10.20 x 2.80 inches | 9.60 x 8.30 x 1.70 inches |
Item Weight | 2.65 pounds | 1.60 pounds |
What’s included | Motorola MG7550 Modem Router, AC Adapter, Coax Wrench, Ethernet Cable, Velcro Cable Organizer | Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router, Ethernet Cable, Quick Install Guide, AC adapter |
Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Similarities between Motorola MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000
Compatible with Most Cable Internet Providers
ISP compatibility will not be a problem with both the Motorola MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000. Both are compatible with most internet cable providers such as Xfinity by Comcast, COX, and Spectrum. ISPs outside North America are still compatible with both. However, it is better to check modem compatibility first just to be sure.
Cable Modem and Wi-Fi Router
The Motorola MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000 are cable modems and Wi-Fi routers at the same time. As DOCSIS 3.0 modems, both are significantly faster than the previous DOCSIS 2.0 modems. They are said to be 16 times faster than the older generation. Furthermore, both the MG7550 and C7000 are dual-band Wi-Fi routers. This means that your devices can connect to the faster and more stable 5GHz connection. Non-5GHz devices can connect to their 2.4Ghz connection, however. Lastly, both the MG7550 and C7000 have a 3×3 antenna configuration. This type of configuration means that both are capable of transmitting and receiving 3 streams on a single channel. Thus, it is providing you with more performance.
Straightforward Modem Setup
Since both are cable modem & Wi-Fi router combo, it is easier to set up. While separate cable modem and Wi-Fi are great for upgradability, it is more convenient to install both the Motorola MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000, especially for beginners.
Differences between Motorola MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000
Maximum Download Speeds
One of the specifications one must look at a modem router is the maximum download speeds. Bear in mind that the indicated download speed does not mean that you will get that speed because it still depends on your cable internet service. It does tell you, however, if it will bottleneck your internet.
Motorola MG7550
While Motorola recommends that you have 375 Mbps internet service, the MG7550 can reach an advertised maximum download speed of 686 Mbps. Additionally, it is also an AC1900 router, so it has a maximum bandwidth of 1900 Mbps for wireless connections. The MG7550 also can amplify the signal to deliver higher Wi-Fi speeds and extend its range via its Wi-Fi Power Boost. It still complies with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Nighthawk C7000
The Nighthawk has a lower maximum d/l speed of just 400 Mbps. It is also an AC1900 router with 1900 Mbps maximum bandwidth. Both the MG7500 and C7000 have beamforming technology for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz connection. Beamforming focuses the signals directly straight to your device, thus, improving speed and performance.
The Winner Is- Motorola MG7550
Ports
The rear side of most router modems houses the ethernet ports. Modems with USB ports are advantageous, more on that later.
Motorola MG7550
The Motorola MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000 have 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports at their backs. This means that you can connect four devices directly to the router modem. Tethered devices can now take advantage of the reliability and stability that a wired connection brings.
Nighthawk C7000
Aside from having 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, the Nighthawk as a single USB 2.0 port. You may be wondering why USB port on router modems are advantageous. Using the USB port, you can connect USB hard drives or printers. This is possible with NETGEAR’s ReadyShare USB.
The Winner Is- Nighthawk C7000
Channel Bonding
Channel Bonding is a method of maintaining a constant and great internet speed even during internet peak hours. Both the MG7550 and Nighthawk C7000 have different downstream and upstream channels. Thus, one has a better performance than the other.
Motorola MG7550
The Motorola MG7550 has a channel bonding configuration of 16×4. This means that it has 16 downstream channels and 4 upstream channels. Motorola promises that the MG7550 can reach up to 686 Mbps on its downstream channels and 123 Mbps on its upstream channels. Take note that the d/l and upload speeds still depend on the speed of your cable service.
Nighthawk C7000
The NETGEAR C7000 has a significantly better channel bonding configuration of 24×8. The C7000 has 24 different downstream channels and 8 separate upstream channels. This higher configuration translates to a more stable internet connection during peak hours. NETGEAR says that the Nighthawk C7000 can connect up to 30 devices.
The Winner Is- Nighthawk C7000
Pros and Cons
Motorola MG7550
Pros:
- It is suitable for internet plans of higher than 400 Mbps.
- Although it has an inferior 16×4 channel bonding configuration, internet speed can still be stable during peak hours.
- You get a higher maximum D speed for less the price.
Cons:
- The lack of a USB port decreases the MG7550’s versatility.
- 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.
Final Verdict: MG7550 vs Nighthawk C7000
Both the Motorola and Nighthawk are great router modems that can replace your current modem. The savings you get in a year can buy you either of the devices. Thus, it will save you money in the long run. Although the C7000 has a lower maximum DL speed, the versatility of the USB port that it brings is unmatched. I recommend buying the C7000 over the MG7550.
What Real People Say
William P. Midway, OK
I am a happy camper. I purchased this modem to replace my Comcast modem that was charging me to rent it regularly each month. I see a huge distinction in speed and continuously connected and not dropped like I was with the Comcast modem. The only downside to this modem is no phone connection which to me was not important because we haven’t utilized the landline in 4 years anyhow. I have about 8 devices linked so far to the modem and streaming 3 televisions with no problem. I begin earning money back in 18 months for what Comcast was charging me so I believe it’s an excellent financial investment so far. I’m attempting to cut my cable costs down as much as possible. I’m a big internet user. I pay for speed and I expect it to be there when I utilize it.
The ISP units were flaky. Altered their unit four times and finally said, there has got to be a much better solution to devices that are intermittent by design. Bought this system, and can’t say enough nice things. It works better than the ISP systems, and has not dissatisfied me for one day. Great. Perk: Pays for itself in one year. Thanks Motorola for making a quality item. No need to call tech support. Hope this helps.-
Dennis M. from New York City
There is a reason why this wifi router gets such high evaluations. It is a well-crafted, well-operating router/wireless combination that checks off all features. I switched to this router from the router I was renting from my cable company because the wireless on that system (an Arris router less than 2 years of ages) was so poor and undependable that it was triggering all sort of issues. When I connected this unit and got it initialized, the entire home might easily get the cordless signal, and transfer rates were considerably improved.
Getting it going was a breeze. Tech support? Nah. I merely plugged it into a wall socket, linked my cable line to it, and turned it on. After waiting about 3 minutes or so, I connected a computer system straight to the router to the television, and when I opened an internet browser, it instantly took me to my cable company’s activation site. I visited to my cable television company’s page, and that triggered the system. From that point on, I was linked to the Internet by means of the wifi router.
The only next action was to get up a wireless network, which was also easy. I used the web browser again, went to the wifi router address (given in the instructions) visited with the default qualifications (also on the login page), and named a brand-new wireless network with a password, chosen “conserve,” which was it! – Warren F. Lima, OH
Here’s a neat little trick. You can easily set up two cordless networks, one at 2.4 GHz and one at 5.0 GHz. If you put “2.4” and “5.0” at the end of the name of each of the two networks, you can quickly log into the system of your choice. (2.4 GHz networks are sometimes affected by microwave, and so on, so it’s nice to have a separate 5.0 GHz network established independently: so, if you set up two wireless networks with various names, one ending in “2.4” and the other ending in “5.0,” doing so FORCES your client, i.e, the computer system or tablet, etc, to link at 5.0 GHz if you select that network. Awesome!) You can set individual specifications (bandwidth, power, and so on) for each network as soon as you have actually the networks developed. That leads me to another aspect of this wifi router that is very good. The web user interface on this wifi router is really enjoyable to look at and is set out so that you do not have to be a networking specialist to personalize settings. There is tech support available for a lot of every setting, and if you hover your mouse over an option, a pop-up window comes up and describes the setting. Truly, really good touch.
The user interface makes it a pleasure to use, the first time I can ever state that of a wifi router, and I’ve installedlots of them throughout the years. It makes the Arris wifi router I was utilizing appear like it came from the Bronze Age. Motorola has a winner here. This thing is constructed so well. Complete Wifi signal strength throughout your house. 240Mbit speed (paying for 150Mbit). It has the whole left, right and leading covered in vents … Which is how all cable modem wifi router must be made. A heat sink is on the primary processor, 3 thermal sinks on the radios and chip (undetermined). 3 Internal Dual Band Antennas which are perfectly laid out. Modem boots in 30 seconds or less. Typical Docsis 3.0 cable modem take 2-3 minutes to boot. The interface is easy to browse. The base is stable and large. The LED’s are an enjoyable brightness. The develop quality is excellent.
I don’t see any cons other then the power cable having a bump at the plug which triggers the brick to wobble and possibly come lose. The Signal to Noise is 41-43 which is remarkable. Way they are utilizing a high quality radio for the cable television communication to the ISP. Zero errors and fixed octets. Perfection! Pity they don’t make an EMTA version. Comcast holds a monopoly on them … Because they want that $10 a month. Arris is the only suppler that you can find, that works with phone support. However their docsis 3.0 cable modem are no where near as good as this.
There is a reason why this wifi router combo gets such high evaluations. I switched to this wifi router from the wifi router I was leasing from my cable television company due to the fact that the wireless on that system (an Arris router less than 3 years old) was so bad and undependable that it was triggering all kinds of problems. After waiting about 5 minutes or so, I linked a computer system straight to the wifi router with an Ethernet cable television, and when I opened up an internet browser, it immediately took me to my cable business’s activation website. From that point on, I was linked to the Internet through the wifi router combo. The user interface makes it a pleasure to use, the very first time I can ever state that of a wifi router, and I’ve installed plenty of them over the years, including a netgear nighthawk ac1900
Oliver J – Camden, NJ
All right looks like we got another Netgear nighthawk ac1900 wifi router combo in the house! Because who doesn’t love the internet am I right? So today we’re looking at a wifi five ac 1900 smart wi-fi router from Netgear and it’s rated for gaming and streaming and 100 faster for mobile devices. I guess so, I mean wifi five versus four it’s kind of a big leap and then there’s six two but this is five so we’re staying in the past a little bit.
So just like all the recent netgear wifi router combos they support the nighthawk app which allows you to install the wifi router combo in about five minutes just by plugging it into your docsis 3.0 cablemodem going through the app on your phone, and being ready to go just like that. Smooth sailing… it supports netgear nighthawk ac1900 armor cyber security to keep you safe online although that does require a monthly subscription fee. We have circle smart parental controls to keep the young ones protected online. As well a usb 2.0 port so you can actually plug in a printer or a hard drive so you can share it on your network. It even allows you to access your network from anywhere around the world through the internet in a safe manner so you can control things and change settings and do all that different stuff. Just don’t expect to be able to use the internet on your wifi network in China when your router is in the United States because that’s impossible right?
And of course it supports all the other features such as guest networks and everything else other routers support. Now as far as the packaging goes it looks very nice and it does let us know it has a one gigahertz dual core processor for extreme speed and range although to be fair in my experience with netgear nighthawk ac1900 routers it never reaches the range that they claim. So hopefully this one does. It is very simple: inside the box quick start guide setup is as easy as one two three. A power adapter so as you can see this is pretty much as easy as it gets when it comes to routers. Hopefully it functions as easily as possible and works as good as your docsis 3.0 cable modem.
This is a router all right we got three antennas to give us maximum range hopefully. When you’re peeling this off don’t forget your default network name and password is right here on the sticker. Now over on the front we have a bunch of leds including a power led, an internet led, 2.4 gigahertz and 5 gigahertz, a usb 3.0 led, a usb 2.0 led, and four ethernet ports along with a wi-fi on and off button with an led light underneath. A wps button with an led light is found underneath. I’m not really sure why there would be a wi-fi on and off button on the router itself because if somebody wants to mess with you they’ll press it and be like why isn’t my internet working?
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