Panoramic WiFi Gateway is a WiFi router and a modem combined into one device that customers lease with Cox Internet. It features the latest WiFi and DOCSIS technologies to provide high-speed internet connection throughout the home.
This post explores the specs and features of the Panorama Gateway and Panoramic Pods. We also discuss Cox internet plans that you can get Panoramic WiFi with. Let’s start with the Panorama WiFi Gateway.
Cox Panoramic WiFi Gateway
The Panoramic WiFi Gateway is a rental router/modem combo that you can rent for $14 a month. It supports high-speed connections, provides wall-to-wall coverage, and includes exciting features such as Cox’s Elite Gamer.
Here are some notable specs and features of the Panoramic WiFi Gateway.
Specs and Features
Cox Elite Gamer
In the context of gaming, latency or ping is the time it takes for data packets to transmit between your device and the game server. This time depends on the physical distance data packets have to travel to each game server, so the farther the server, the higher the latency.
However, internet traffic doesn’t travel in a straight line. It has to find its way to the endpoint through the network. If this path is longer, the latency will be higher.
Elite Gamer is a new service from Cox that automatically finds a faster path for gaming traffic to the game server. This lowers latency, minimizes ping spikes, and reduces jitter. Elite Gamer can reduce lag by up to 32%, which can amount to a huge competitive advantage in online gaming where every millisecond counts.
If you subscribe to Cox Internet and add Panoramic WiFi Gateway, you get Elite Gamer service at no additional cost.
WiFi 6 Technology
The latest Panoramic Gateway uses the most advanced WiFi technology right now. WiFi 6 features new technologies that improve WiFi performance across the board.
It has more channels than WiFi 5 routers, allowing it to support your Cox Internet plan’s maximum download and upload speeds even when a large number of devices are connected. It also increases range by improving beamforming to provide faster speeds at longer distances.
Among the most notable WiFi 6 technologies is the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access or OFDMA. OFDMA divides channels in a band into subcarriers, reducing latency when a large number of devices are connected by up to 75%.
According to Intel, WiFi 6 has brought wireless connections close to parity with wired connections. The days of using Ethernet for online gaming may be over.
DOCSIS 3.1 Technology
The Panoramic WiFi Gateway uses DOCSIS 3.1, the latest set of specifications for hybrid fiber-coaxial networks being used today. It has a downstream capacity of 10 Gbps and an upstream capacity of 1 to 2 Gbps.
You can get speeds in this ballpark with Cox Fiber Internet. But even if you only have Cox cable internet available in your area, the latest Panoramic Gateway can better take advantage of Cox’s fiber-rich network to deliver faster, more reliable speeds.
Advanced Security
The Panoramic Getaway includes Cox’s Advanced Security service at no additional cost. It’s available for all users and devices connected to your home network.
Advanced Security helps protect you against cyberattacks when you’re accidentally about to visit a potentially malicious website. It also lets you know if you’re about to become a victim of a phishing attack.
Additionally, it blocks connections from unknown sources. If a potentially dangerous source requests access to your smart devices, the connection is terminated automatically. It also scans your network and all connected devices for threats around the clock. You’re notified if one of your devices or a connected device owned by someone else is acting suspiciously.
Updated Gateway Every Three Years
WiFi technology is constantly improving—WiFi 6, DOCSIS 3.1, and even DOCSIS 4.0 are unlikely to be the last. Cox gives you the option to get a new upgraded Panoramic Gateway every three years at no additional cost.
Cox Panoramic WiFi App
The Cox Panoramic WiFi app allows you to easily control your home network and manage the Advanced Security service. You can pause and unpause connections for any device, set nicknames for your devices, see which devices are using the most data, and troubleshoot your network for problems. Advanced Security notifications are also delivered to you directly via the Cox Panoramic WiFi app.
Cox Panoramic WiFi Pods
The Panoramic WiFi Pods are range extenders that work with the Panoramic Gateway to increase WiFi signal strength throughout the home. If you have a large home and the signals from Panoramic WiFi Gateway are weak in some of the areas where you use the internet, you can purchase a Panoramic WiFi Pod for $129.99.
Here are some notable specs and features of the Panoramic WiFi Pods.
Specs and Features
Mesh WiFi Technology
The Panoramic WiFi Pods are not like conventional WiFi range extenders. They use a new technology called Mesh WiFi to extend the WiFi range while eliminating some of the problems that come with WiFi repeaters.
Mesh WiFi technology uses wireless-to-wireless connections between the Panoramic WiFi Gateway and Pods to form a single mesh network. As a result, you get strong signals in areas that would otherwise suffer from poor connectivity.
The key advantage of mesh WiFi technology is that both the Panoramic WiFi Gateway and the Pod have the same name or SSID, but they operate on different channels. There’s little to no interference between the two transmitters—just as if you had two separate routers. However, since the SSID is the same, your devices don’t see two different networks. They see a single Mesh network and switch between whichever access point is closest automatically.
Fewer WiFi Dead Spots
Some objects such as electronic appliances can interfere with and block WiFi signals. When such objects are placed directly in between the router and an area, the area can become a WiFi “blind spot”. This is similar to how light sources cast shadows behind opaque objects—the router being analogous to a light source in this case.
A Panoramic WiFi Pod provides a WiFi signal to the blind spots from a second location. If there’s nothing else blocking the signals, it can eliminate dead spots.
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Bands
Devices in the same room as the router can get faster speeds, partly because the signals are stronger. But most of the boost is because of the 5 GHz band.
Most modern routers use 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. 2.4 GHz signals have a longer range than 5 GHz signals, which are easier to interfere with. But the 5GHz band has a higher bandwidth. When you’re in the same room as the router, your device may switch to the 5 GHz band, allowing for higher speeds.
The Panoramic WiFi Pods have both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This means if you have Panoramic WiFi Pods installed, your devices can now use the 5 GHz band for higher speeds in more than one room. However, Cox notes that Mesh WiFi networks are designed to increase WiFi coverage and not speeds.
Cox Internet Plans for Panoramic WiFi
All Cox Internet plans have a data cap of 1.25 TB, which is more than enough for an average subscriber. But you can get 500 GB or unlimited additional data for an additional monthly fee. Contact Cox Customer Service for special offers in your area.
Here are the Cox Internet plans that you can add Panoramic WiFi to:
Cox Go Fast
Cox Go Fast has a max download speed of 100 Mbps for an everyday low price of 49.99. The everyday low price ensures that the advertised price is the standard price, so you don’t have to worry about a price increase after 1 or 2 years of service. This plan also includes WiFi equipment at no additional cost. There’s no term contract required for this plan.
Cox Go Faster
The Cox Go Faster plan has a 250 Mbps top download speed for an everyday low price of $69.99 a month. There are no term contracts or early termination fees for this plan.
Cox Go Even Faster
The Cox Go Even Faster has a 500 Mbps max download speed for a standard price of $89.99. But you can also get it at a promotional price of 49.99 per month with a 1-year term agreement.
Cox Go Superfast
The Cox Go Superfast plan has a top download speed of 1 Gbps for a standard price of $119.99 per month. But it’s also available at a 12-month promotional price of $99.99 a month with a 1-year term contract.
Conclusion
Cox Panoramic WiFi includes a router/modem combo featuring WiFi 6 and DOCSIS 3.1 technologies, and additional features such as Cox Elite Gamer service and Advanced Security. The Panoramic WiFi Pods further enhance the WiFi experience for large homes by improving coverage using mesh WiFi technology. The Panoramic WiFi service can be combined with all Cox High-Speed Internet plans.