Both contenders are high-speed cable modems made to provide a great experience of HD video streaming, fast downloading, and high-speed gaming.
They meet the DOCSIS 3.0 standard but are also backward compatible with DOCSIS 2.0 (the MB7621 is also backward compatible with DOCSIS 1.1 as well).
Similarities/differences, put simply:
- Both devices have one 1-Gigabit Ethernet LAN port.
- They support the latest IP version (IPv6) for unlimited addresses.
- They are compatible with all major cable service providers, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and other operating systems that support TCP/IP networks.
The Motorola MB7621:
- is cheaper.
- has a core chipset of Broadcom BCM3384 while its competitor is equipped with an Intel Puma 6 chipset.
- has a downstream and upstream bonding channels of 24 and 8 respectively. (Its downloading and uploading speed is 1 Gbps and 246 Mbps respectively).
For Netgear, the Downstream and Upstream bonding channels of CM700 are 32 and 8 respectively.
Its downloading and uploading speed is 1.4 Gbps and 246 Mbps respectively.
Compared to Motorola MB7621, the Netgear CM700 has more downstream bonding channels which means having superior downloading speed. But its core chipset is inferior to MB7621.
Table of Contents
Side By Side Comparison:
| General Specifications | Motorola MB7621 | Netgear CM700 |
| DOCSIS Standard | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Downstream channels × Upstream channels | 24 × 8 | 32 × 8 |
| Speed | Up to 1 Gbps | Up to 1.4 Gbps |
| Built-in Modem Router | No | No |
| Ethernet ports (1-Gigabit Ethernet LAN port) | One | One |
| Network Protocol | IPv4, IPv6 | IPv4, IPv6 |
| Chipset | Broadcom | Intel Puma 6 |
Overivew of both devices:
The Motorola MB7621 is a high internet speed cable modem with no built-in router. It is comprised of one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Broadcom chipset.
It has 24 downstream channels and 8 upstream channels to deliver downloading speeds up to 1 Gbps and uploading speeds up to 246 Mbps respectively. It also has a surge and lighting protection system in it.
Like its competitor, the Netgear CM700 also does not have any built-in router in it. It is comprised of one Gigabit Ethernet port and an Intel Puma 6 chipset.
Its upstream channels and uploading speed is similar to its counterpart. While its downstream channels are 32 which delivers up to 1.4 Gbps of downloading speed.
Design and Hardware
The Motorola MB7621 is a vertically designed cable modem with an elliptical base.
On the other hand, Netgear CM700 is also a vertical (tower-shaped) cable modem but its edges are triangular prism-shaped with a semi-circled shaped base. It is relatively smaller in size and lighter in weight compared to its competitor.
Both of them have Diagnostic LEDs on their front panels indicating their working status.
The Power indicated the ON/OFF status of cable modems. The upstream and downstream LEDs have different colors to indicate if the modem is being connected to a single channel, or multiple channels, or would be considered not connected if no color is being shown.
Internet / Online LED represents if the cable coax is being connected and the internet is being provided by the ISPs.
Ethernet/ LAN LED represent if the connection between the cable modem and router/PC is being established or not.
Both contenders do not have a built-in WiFi router or telephone capability in them. Motorola MB7621 has a Broadcom chipset in it. While its competitor contains an Intel Puma chipset.
Both of them has identical rear panel including an Ethernet port, coaxial cable connector, reset button, power button, and a power input port.
The dark shining grey color and square grading make Netgear CM700 much more attractive than its competitor. Hence from a design perspective, it is a better choice.
But both of them are almost similar from a hardware point of view.
How compatible are these devices?
Including some famous brands like Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Cable One, Comcast, and Cox, both contenders are compatible with all major cable service providers.
They meet the latest Internet Protocol standard IPv6 to enhance the number of IP addresses, security, and data flow efficiency.
They are compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista, XP, 20007, 8, 10, Mac OS, or other OS (Operating Systems) which run a TCP/IP network.
How they performed?
Both of them support the DOCSIS 3.0 standard along with the backward compatibility of DOCSIS 2.0.
MB7621 is also backward compatible with DOCSIS 1.1.
The downstream bonding channels of MB7621 and CM700 are 24 and 32 respectively.
That’s the reason Netgear modem provides relatively more downloading speed (1.4 Gbps) than its competitor. While their uploading speed is similar (246 Mbps) due to having equal upstream bonding channels.
Another important parameter to consider here is the core chipset installed in the given cable modems.
Motorola’s device has a Broadcom BCM3384 chipset in it while quickly deploying more bandwidth and additional channels.
Netgear CM700 is built up with an Intel Puma 6 chipset which suffers from two major issues; high latency and network jitter.
Netgear indeed has an inferior chipset in it, but having 8 additional downstream channels gives it an edge over its competitor when it comes to performance.
Keep in mind that Motorola MB7621 is a better choice if you are looking for a durable cable modem.
| Performance Parameters | Motorola MB7621 | Netgear CM700 |
| DOCSIS | 3.0 / 2.0 / 1.1 | 3.0 / 2.0 |
| Downstream channels × Upstream channels | 24 × 8 | 32 × 8 |
| Downstream data rate | Up to 1029 Mbps | Up to 1.4 Gbps |
| Upstream data rate | Up to 246 Mbps | Up to 246 Mbps |
Interface differences:
Our contenders have 3 kinds of interfaces on the rear panel of them.
The network interface connects the cable modem with internet service providers.
A cable interface or RF (radio frequency) establishes a connection between the cable modem and a router/ PC.
The power interface provides electricity to the cable modem but it is being converted from AC to DC through an adapter that comes along with the cable modem package.
| Parameters | Motorola MB7621 | Netgear CM700 |
| RF Interface | F-type coaxial connector (female 75Ω) | One coaxial cable connection (WAN) |
| Network Interface | One 1-Gigabit Ethernet port (LAN) | One 1-Gigabit Ethernet port (LAN) |
| Power Interface | 100 – 240 AC (Input) | 100 – 240 AC (Input) |
What Warranty they give out?
The warranty of MB7621 is being provided by Motorola for 2 years along with web support from technical specialists.
It is certified by Federal Communications Commission and also by Bureau Veritas Company as well.
CM700 comes along with a 1-year warranty backed by Netgear limited warranty.
Besides that it provides 90 days of support for all of its products including CM700.