If you are like most people, there are several devices in your home that fight for WiFi connections at any given time. This slows your network, and gives you a shoddy experience. Instead, look into upgrading your system immediately and save some cash too.

The Nighthawk is a 2-in-1 cable modem-router that not only saves power, it also saves space. This modem-router features a WiFi router with a DOCSIS® 3.0 cable modem, which supports most data plans from major U.S. Internet providers.

This is a modem with serious power and benefits. The cable company issued modem is rent-able for anywhere from $5 to $10 a month depending on the policy of the provider. That adds up fast. Cutting these fees saves you a lot of money, as rental fees can range from $60 to $120 a year for only one piece of equipment, not to mention, two. The other worrisome issue is that most of the equipment from an ISP has low speeds and/or quality. The Nighthawk 2-in-1 changes this, however.

The features of the Nighthawk 2-in-1 include:

• A retail price of about $280, which means it pays for itself in a bit more than two years.
• More money savings each month when compared to other modem-routers.
• WiFi speeds of up to 1.9Gbps and modem speeds of up to 960Mbps.
• Compatibility with Google Fiber and other ultra-high speed equipment. Even if you don’t have these capabilities in your area now, they will likely come in the near future.

The Nighthawk also grows along with you and will help to keep your network-setup in top form. In tests performed with the Nighthawk, speeds reached 315Mbps, even though some wired equipment tops out at about 300Mbps. The unit we tested was for Comcast XFINITY, and it is only compatible with this ISP.

As Internet speeds increase, more customers will need a DOCSIS 3.0 compatible modem-router to take advantage of the speed. The Nighthawk does not disappoint in this area at all, and the features were as advertised. We were able to test these speeds when our entire team was working, and on an average day, we would test out at Comcast’s busiest time. It was perfect at work, and we would imagine that it would be just as perfect at home, too.

One of my favorite software packages for the Nighthawk and most Netgear routers is their Genie software. Anyone can use it, and it is easy and simple to use for anyone. This is an excellent 2-in-1 combination software that you can use to control all of your devices, and is custom-made for both the router and modem. You can even use the Netgear Genie on a laptop or smart phone thanks to a downloadable app, which allows you to make changes, reset your system or simply check on how it is running.

If you are looking for a good investment, a modem-router is a good financial choice. This is especially a good decision if currently paying rental fees. You are already paying for your Internet connection, so why not make the investment into it in order to get the best experience possible?

Though there are several 2-in-1 modem-routers on the market, the Nighthawk is certainly my favorite. It is consistent, can be upgraded, and with the addition of Genie software, customizing and troubleshooting are a breeze.

Robert Siciliano is a personal privacy, security and identity theft expert. See him discussing identity theft prevention.