If you use Cox internet, you will want to make sure that you are getting the best router for Cox possible.
While Cox might advertise that the router that you can rent from them is the best choice, it is not necessarily a good choice for your network.
Additionally, Cox charges $6.99 a month for a single band router and $9.99 for a dual band router.
Those fees add up quickly and you still might not get the best modem/router that you need.
Reasons To Get Your Own Wireless Router For Cox
Faster Wi-Fi
Using the best router for Cox will allow you to choose the Wi-Fi speed that you want to get from it. The wireless router that Cox offers is limited, so if you get one from them, it is a “you get what you get” situation.
If you buy one for yourself, you will be able to confirm the Wi-Fi speeds that are available, match it up with your package, and get the speeds you wanted.
Save Money On Rental Fees
As we stated above, Cox charges $6.99 a month, or $83.88 a year, for a single-band router. The best modems are dual-band, so single-band is out of the question for most homes.
For dual-band router, Cox charges $9.99 a month or $119.88 a year, which is about the cost of buying a better router that better meets your needs. Instead of paying for an inadequate modem that you don’t get to own, buy your own, better router.
Better Coverage
Getting a router that covers your entire network will save you from having frustrating dead spots throughout your home. Cox has no idea how large your network is or the amount of coverage that you need.
You will be better off buying one of many Cox compatible routers that can actually cover the entirety of your network rather than only some of it. You can look around at routers and see which one can meet the range that you would like it to.
Separate Modem + Router vs. Modem Router Combo For Cox
There are benefits with either buying your modem and router separately or buying a combination unit.
Pros Of Separate Devices:
- Better performance & faster WiFi
- Improved wireless coverage
- More personal choice for each device’s features (MU-MIMO, QoS, Parental Controls)
Pros Of Combo Devices:
- Less expensive than separate units
- Less complicated to set up
- More user friendly
7 Best Routers For Cox (2022)
Device | Speed | Ports | Rating | Check Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Google Nest WiFi Editor's Choice | 2200 Mbps | 2 Ports | 100% | |
2. Netgear RAX80 High Performance | 6000 Mbps | 5 Ports | 99% | |
3. TP-Link Archer A7 Budget Friendly | 1750 Mbps | 4 Ports | 95% | |
4. Motorola MG7550 Editor's Choice (Modem Router) | 1900 Mbps | 4 Ports | 100% | |
5. TP-Link Deco Mesh Extended Coverage | 1200 Mbps | 2 Ports | 97% | |
6. Netgear XR700 For Gaming | 7200 Mbps | 6 Ports | 98% | |
7. Medialink AC1200R Basic Router | 1200 Mbps | 4 Ports | 94% |
1. Google Nest Mesh WiFi Router
Best Router For Cox (Editor's Choice)
Without a doubt, the best router for Cox is the Google Nest system. This is also the best choice for many networks, simply because the Google Nest has all of the features that you could ever want from your router.
Design
Looking at the design of the Google Nest, you should immediately see that it does not look anything like the other routers on the market. Part of this has to do with Google’s design department, but the other difference is that the router’s access points are small and white, making them easy to conceal in most homes.
The antennas for the router are concealed neatly inside of the router. There is no way to access them or move them around, but that does not mean that they are not powerful. The internal antennas are incredibly strong and have a long reach.
While this setup only comes with the one router, it does have 2 Ethernet points available. This allows you to plug in a device directly into the router. If you are planning on getting access points to further extend the reach of your network, you will get additional Ethernet ports with each access point.
Performance
There is a lot that is going well with the performance of the Google Nest. With only the single router, you will easily get 2200 square feet in coverage. This will easily cover the average home network, but if you are working within a space that is large, or if you would simply like to remain on Wi-Fi when you are outside, you can easily turn this single router into a mesh system.
The Google Nest also works with Google Home. This app will let you control the router and what happens to the connected devices very easily and quickly. Google Home will get your network up and off the ground in a matter of minutes as well. It is an incredibly efficient system.
Even though we are suggesting this router for Cox Internet, the Google Nest will work with just about any ISP without trouble. So, if you are concerned that you will not be on Cox Internet indefinitely, you might be able to take your Google Nest with you.
2. Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 Wireless Router
High Performance
If you are looking for a high performance router for Cox, we suggest Netgear Nighthawk RAX80. This is a high powered router that will not disappoint. It is also easy to use with a smart design and LEDs that allow for visual connectivity.
Design
The RAX80 has a different design than other routers. Instead of antennas, it has fins to broadcast the signal. It also has the Beamforming+, helping to improve the overall range of this router. Combined with the fins, the router has incredible reach.
It has 5 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports so you can hardwire any wired devices. This is a great way to protect the devices that really can’t lose signal. It also comes with personal cloud storage, which can be accessed anywhere using the 2 3.0 USB ports. It’s a rare router that has 1 USB 3.0 port, but this one has 2.
Performance
The RAX80 has a 64-bit, 1.8GHz quad-core processor, ensuring you get all of the power that you could ever want from your router. If you really need the best performance that you can get with Cox, the RAX80 router is not going to disappoint you. In fact, it should be able to keep up with anything that you throw at it.
This router also has MU-MIMO technology, so multiple users at the same time, streaming, or browsing. That means multiple users can be streaming or gaming, even together, at the same time, all without losing any of the power behind it.
The RAX80 has 8 simultaneous streams. Therefore many people on different devices can stream at the same time without losing any speed or experiencing unnecessary buffering.
3. TP-Link Archer A7 WiFi Router
Budget Friendly
Our suggestion for the best router on a budget is the TP-Link Archer A7. Even though this has fewer bells and whistles than other routers, it should still do the job for your network.
Design
The design of the Archer A7 is typical for a router. It is horizontal with three high performance antennas to give your signal an added boost. The power lights are easy to see since they are right on the front of the router. The LEDs will report on the connectivity, which makes it easy to see what is going on with the router.
The Archer A7 comes 4 1-Gigabit ports. These ports allow whatever is plugged into them to be accessed wirelessly within your network, which is especially nice when you are working with a printer. Any other add-ons can also be plugged in and accessed throughout the entire network.
Performance
The Archer A7 can reach up to 2500 square feet, which is larger than the average network. The Archer A7 has speeds that can reach up to 1750 Mbps, providing 3X faster Wi-Fi than other traditional routers do, which is especially impressive at such a nice price point.
It is dual band as well. The 2.4 GHz band boasts 450 Mbps while the 5 GHz has 1,300 Mbps. The two work together to give you adequate performance.
The A7 offers QoS including bandwidth prioritization, ensuring the devices that you want connected with all of the bandwidth they need. It also offers 4K HD streaming capabilities from this router, which you should expect from any modern router on the market and might even work out for some online gaming.
4. Motorola MG7550 Modem Router Combo
Best Modem Router Combo For Cox (Editor's Choice)
Instead of just looking for a router, you could be looking for a modem router combination. If that is the case, we suggest the Motorola MG7550.
Design
The MG7550 has an upright tower design, which can be a big space saver as well as helping keep your modem cool. The tower designs are also easier to conceal and blend in with their surroundings. It is a great benefit to have aesthetically.
The MG7550 comes with four Gigabit Ethernet ports so that you can plug in any device that cannot risk being kicked off your Wi-Fi as well as any device that you would like to be accessed from any device within the network, including printers. The MG7550 has a stable signal, but interruptions can still easily wreck anything you are streaming.
Performance
The MG7550 has the Motorola Power Boost feature with the MG7550, which increases the overall coverage of the network and with speeds up to 650 Mbps, you should have enough power to effortlessly maintain signal throughout your network.
The only downside that we found for this modem/router comb is that the setup is not entirely straightforward.
The MG7550 is a dual band router with both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz bands, allowing you to choose which band you would like to use for which device. Since the 5 GHz band is not as commonly used as the 2.4 GHz, you are more likely to have better luck streaming on the 5 GHz without interference.
Of course the 2.4 GHz travels farther, so you will need to choose bands wisely, but it is nice to have the option between the two.
5. TP-Link Deco Mesh WiFi System
Extended Coverage
For extended coverage, we suggest the TP-Link Deco Mesh system. A mesh system is made up of a series of points that can extend a network to a long range.
Design
The TP-Link Deco system is made up of at least three white discs that act as Wi-Fi points. The nice thing about these points is that you can always add on more points in order to further extend the range of your network. The design is sleek and modern as well, making it a nice addition to the modern home.
The design also means that there is a single network between all of the points, so you can move around a large space without having to change what network that you are using.
Performance
This system also provides a great about of performance. The three access points that come with the system can cover up to 5,500 square feet, which can easily cover the average home network.
This also means that if your home has an unusual design or a lot of walls for the path to travel through, the points can be moved around in order to give you the best range possible. Since you can always add another point, your network can always been extended.
The system can handle more than 100 connected devices at a time. But since that is a huge quantity to try to manage, it is important to use the QoS to prioritize what devices should have the most uninterrupted bandwidth.
Even though it can handle a lot, remember the network will always be restricted by the plan that you have with Cox.
6. Netgear Nighthawk Pro XR700 WiFi Router
For Gaming
The top gaming router for Cox is the Netgear Nighthawk Pro XR700. This is a high-powered router that is made to impress you.
Design
The design of the XR700 includes four high-gain antennas from the XR700. These help you extend the reach of your router.
They also can be positioned in the directions that you would prefer to ensure that your signal is reliable. It is a little bit bulky and it does take up quite a bit of space, making it difficult to put on a desk if that was what you were hoping for.
Perhaps the best part about the design is that it was designed by gamers for gamers. That means that all of the important features that you would dream of in a router can be found here. That includes the red accent that sets it apart.
Performance
The XR700 can reach speeds up to 7.2 Gbps, using its 1.7GHz quad-core processor. This is provided that your Cox package supports it. It also has the lowest ping that you can get, which is important if you are playing Fortnite, Call of Duty, or OverWatch. Every millisecond counts in gaming and the XR700 ensures you come out on top with connectivity.
You will also get geo-filtering which will help your router connect to the closest servers and players, giving you efficient response time and allowing you to dominate.
You also can monitor your network and game ping in real time, so you will be able to see what is dragging down your bandwidth and adjust accordingly. The advanced QoS will ensure that no one drains your bandwidth.
7. Medialink AC1200 Gigabit Router
Basic Router
Some networks require only a basic router. If this sounds like you, then we suggest the Medialink AC1200 router as the best basic router for Cox.
Design
This Medialink router has a standard design. It is black with two high gain antennas and lies horizontally. One of the best design features that it offers is that the router lights, which can often be annoying in a dark room, can be turned off when needed.
This router also has parental controls where you can limit the amount of time that your children can be online.
You can also set it to only work on certain days or times to keep your children’s screen time down and controlled. It is easy to set up and there is a good amount of support offered by the company itself if you are having any trouble.
Performance
Considering the low price on this router, you actually do get a good amount of speed. This router boasts Gigabit ports that can provide 1000Mbps with 4K video streaming.
While it does not have QoS or MU-MIMO available, it could still work for online gaming if only one person is attempting to play at a time. It might not work as well if too many devices are trying to stream at the same time.
It also has good range. With Beamforming and 2 high powered antennas, the coverage should reach the entirety of the average-sized network. The antennas can also be moved to point in the direction of the devices that require the strongest signal.
This is just a router, so it will need to be hooked up to a modem in order to do its job. IT should work with any modem.
Factors To Consider When Choosing The Best Wireless Router For Cox
Your Internet Speed Package
While a router might be able to reach certain speeds on the high end of its limit, it is only as good as your package with Cox.
If your speed package is less than your router’s capability, you will never be able to reach the speeds listed. To be sure that you are getting the speeds that you are paying for, you can have the speed tested and figure out why it might be slow.
Size Of Your Home
You should also make sure that the router is built to cover the entirety of your network. The range of a router varies greatly between routers. If you have an apartment or smaller space, the range might not be a big factor.
If you are covering a bigger space, however, you will need to be sure that you have coverage everywhere that you need it. Keep in mind that a lot of walls can also impede the range of your router.
Compatibility
Compatibility is probably the most important thing that you should be looking at when you are shopping for a router for Cox.
If you have a router that is not made to work with Cox, it is never going to work with your internet and you are going to find yourself without internet and incredibly frustrated. Instead, confirm through a list of Cox compatible routers to be sure that you are getting something that will work.
Final Words
To put it simply, the best router for Cox is the Google Nest Mesh WiFi router. This is a versatile router that offers high speeds as well as the capability of handling more than one streaming device at a time. This makes it ideal for most home networks.
If you are looking at a larger space, consider a mesh system, such as the TP-Link Deco system. There are also other routers, such as the RAX80 or Archer A7, that are compatible with Cox that work well, but you need to know what you are looking for and what your network needs.
Hey, it’s James here. I’m the founder and editor here at RiverstoneNet.com. I’m a network engineer during the day and a blogger at night. Let me know if I can help you with choosing a new modem/router or troubleshooting your Internet connection.