You can use your modem or the Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway to access Cox internet, and we’ll do a Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi review to see if the equipment is worth renting.
The ISP offers four internet plans, but only the Essential 100 plan comes with Panoramic Wi-Fi equipment.
So you’ll need a modem for the other faster plans. Let’s get right into the review to see what the Panoramic Wi-Fi modem offers.
Table of Contents
- What is Cox’s Panoramic Wi-Fi System
- Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Gateway Device Options
- Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wall-to-Wall Coverage
- Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wi-Fi Pods
- Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Elite Gamer
- Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wi-Fi App
- Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wi-Fi Add Ons
- Conclusion
What is Cox’s Panoramic Wi-Fi System
Cox’s Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway is a modem-router combo with the following features.
- Extended (wall-to-wall) coverage
- Free equipment upgrades
- Home network security
- A faster online gaming path
But the device is only available for rental, so you cannot buy it. However, renting has its benefits.
For instance, Cox Communications will always ensure you get the latest firmware & software. And they’ll replace the hardware if it becomes obsolete or breaks.
A powerful modern router with multiple antennas
Another advantage is Cox can only support a home network if customers use the Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway.
So you’ll only get the best experience, support, and fastest speeds if you use the renting option.
With these benefits, leasing the equipment might be better than using yours.
Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Gateway Device Options
The Panoramic gateway devices come in three options. All are modem-router combos and support the DOCSIS 3.1 cable protocol.
But they have the following differences.
PW6
This gateway is ideal for the Essential, Preferred, and Starter plans because it supports the Wi-Fi 5 protocol, making it a dual-band router. It can handle 1 Gbps maximum throughput and features two Gigabit Ethernet ports, plus two telephone ports.
The device is phone battery backup compatible, and you can connect it with pods to extend the network.
PW7
PW7 can handle faster speeds because it has a throughput of 2.5 Gbps. And although it is a dual-band gateway, the device supports the Wi-Fi 6 protocol, hence the fast speeds.
A Wi-Fi 6 router
Additionally, the device has four Gigabit Ethernet ports, but the telephone ports are the same as those in the PW6.
However, the device is not phone battery backup compatible.
PW8
This gateway is the best option because it features a tri-band router that supports the Wi-Fi 6E protocol.
Therefore, it is ideal for the fastest internet plans (Gig/Multi-Gig). It has the same 4 Gig ethernet ports on the PW7 and two telephone ports.
Additionally, it can pair with the pods for network extension. However, the device is not phone battery backup compatible.
Gigabit Ethernet ports on a router
Renting either of the options above costs only $14 monthly, and you’ll be eligible for equipment upgrading every three years at no extra cost.
Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wall-to-Wall Coverage
All Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway devices support whole-home Wi-Fi coverage.
The company’s professional installation includes a Wi-Fi signal strength assessment to ensure wall-to-wall coverage in your home.
So the technicians will identify all dead zones and recommend the best solutions to eliminate these zones.
Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wi-Fi Pods
One of the solutions technicians can recommend for eliminating dead zones is to include Wi-Fi pods in the network.
The current generation (2.0) costs $129.99 and is a tri-band range extender with a capacity of 400 + 867 + 1734 Mbps (AC3000 Gigabit Wi-Fi).
The compact unit measures 1.5 x 3.8 x 3.4 in. and has two 100Mb ethernet ports plus a 1-Gig ethernet port.
A Wi-Fi range extender
Since this second-generation pod is faster and provides more coverage than its predecessor, one should be enough for most homes.
And combined with the gateway, the two devices form a robust mesh network.
The device is easy to install because you only need to use the Panoramic Wi-Fi app to set up, personalize, and safeguard the network using the advanced security feature.
Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Elite Gamer
Every Cox Wi-Fi subscription includes one Elite Gamer connection, but you can purchase three additional dedicated links.
Elite Gamer finds the fastest path to game servers when playing online video games, which reduces ping spikes, lag, and jitter.
The result is quick-response gaming that sharpens your winning edge.
An online gamer playing a first-person shooter video game
So you and your team will always be ahead of the competition in multiplayer online games.
Additionally, Elite Gamer connects you to the community with public leaderboards to show you which games your friends play.
It is vital to note that the service is free (for one connection) if you are a Cox high-speed internet customer with the Panoramic modem.
You’ll have to pay $6.99 monthly if you have a different modem.
Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wi-Fi App
The Panoramic Wi-Fi app enables hassle-free home network management, and these management options include the following.
Device Organization and Management
With the app, you can name family devices for easy control.
Once labeled, you can set device controls and limits or personalize the settings to encourage healthy habits online.
These management options include:
- Device pausing
- Downtime scheduling
- Active time alerts
- Unassigning or removing a device
- Parental controls
- Set limitations for Wi-Fi-hogging users
A woman running a router management app on her phone
Device Protection
Turning on the advanced security feature protects your network from online threats, and you’ll receive automatic alerts on threat detection.
Troubleshoot Device and Network Issues
The app enables you to restart the gateway, activate/add the gateway, and troubleshoot any connected device.
It features an internet health check tool for testing and troubleshooting because it runs outage and signal strength tests.
Getting Vital Notifications
You can receive real-time network access and network activity notifications via email, push, or SMS on your mobile device. They are optional, so you can opt out if they are overwhelming.
The app is available in the Apple App and Google Play Store, and setting it up is easy.
Just download it, sign in with your Cox ID & password, name your network, create profiles for family members, then assign devices to the family member profiles.
Once set up, you can view every device’s network activity usage daily while personalizing the settings.
Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Review: Wi-Fi Add Ons
Since the Panoramic Wi-Fi equipment gives you a fast and robust wireless network, you can utilize it to build a smart home using the following add-ons.
Contour Stream Player
You can get this wireless 4K stream player for only $5 monthly with no cable TV commitments.
The player includes a voice remote for quick content searching from all the streaming apps.
And you can access free entertainment from services like Pluto, Xumo Play, and Tubi TV.
A TV displaying content from a streaming service (video on demand)
Cox Homelife
Homelife is Cox’s Smart home system that requires Panoramic Wi-Fi as its backbone, and you can control it using the app.
The system helps you monitor everything happening around the home, enabling you to keep an eye on deliveries, pets, and visitors on the go.
A tablet running a smart home management app
The kit includes one HD camera, continuous video recording for four cameras max, and EasyConnect installation. This setup increases your internet plan subscription cost to these rates.
- Essential 100 – $64.99
- Preferred 250 – $78.99
- Ultimate 500 – $98.99
- Gigablast – $128.99
You can include add-ons like camera mounting, additional cameras, and an equipment service plan for an additional cost.
Conclusion
We all know that renting ISP equipment is always more expensive in the long run.
But the Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi router might be a good deal if you want more than just the internet.
It unlocks other features like a fast, low-latency connection for gaming. You must pay extra for this feature when using a different modem.
The gateway also gives you tools for smart home conversion and streaming at a relatively low price.
But as stated earlier, these features are irrelevant if you only want Cox internet. So consider your requirements first to determine if you need the hardware.
