We keep all of our approved modem lists as updated as possible. Our technicians will update each of our lists as soon as a new model is released that works with Xfinity or a model is determined to be “End of Life” or is no longer supported in most areas. Models that still work in most areas will be left on the list. Because of that, please call your provider to check if the model you’re looking at will work in your area to ensure you’ll have no difficulty activating it, when the time comes.

Once you’ve purchased your modem, you can activate it in one of two ways:

1. Self Activation (quickest)

• Plug your xfinity compatible modem or modem router in in the same way as the device you’re replacing
• Wait about 5 minutes for your modem to power on
• Connect an Ethernet cable into the back of your modem, and the other end into your computer or laptop
• Open a web browser page (Safari, Firefox, Chrome all work great, But not Internet Explorer/Microsoft Edge)
• Navigate to any website. You’ll be redirected to Xfinity’s self-activation page.
• Log in to your Comcast Xfinity account & select which services you’re looking to activate (phone, cable and/or internet)
• Comcast’s self activation will walk you through activating, and prompt you with questions about your modem
• Please note that phone activation may require a separate phone call to get activated, especially if it’s a new service

2. Provider Activation (easiest, but takes longer)

• Plug your xfinity compatible modem or modem router in in the same way as the device you’re replacing
• Wait about 5 minutes for your modem to power on
• We recommend writing down or taking a picture of the serial numbers/MAC addresses on your modem so that it’s easier to answer your provider’s questions during activation
• Call Xfinity customer service: 1-800-XFINITY
• They’ll ask a series of questions and have your modem activated in about 30 minutes or so, depending on the services you’ll be activating.

Slow internet can be a huge nuisance, especially in the age of working from home. There are a plethora of reasons why your Comcast internet could be running slower than normal. If your internet is slower than normal, we recommend calling your provider to find out if there’s a service outage in your area, high network usage, or if there is some issue with your equipment. While knowing why the slowdown occurred won’t really help fix it in most cases, it can help you predict how long it will last.

In the case that your equipment is out of date, we highly recommend upgrading to owning your own modem and router. This is a great way to save money, and also can help you prevent network slowdowns due to using an old, outdated rental modem.

Always check with your provider to ensure that the model you’ve selected will work with your specific service plan and be compatible with services in your area before purchasing.

You can definitely use your own modem with Comcast to save money. Making sure the modem is compatible with Comcast’s network and service is crucial. Before buying or using a modem for Comcast’s service, it is advised to check with them to make sure it is compatible.

Our list of Comcast approved modems includes customer ratings, maximum download speed capabilities and other features compiled directly from the manufacturer data sheets. We found that researching which model to buy takes a really long time, and decided that compiling all of that information onto one page for easier comparison made the process go much faster for our customers.

To find the best model for your needs, we recommend checking out what plan you’re on with Comcast, paying specific attention to what speed tier you’re subscribed to (especially if you’ll be needing a gigabit modem), and if you have phone service or not. You’ll also want to make sure that your modem has built-in WiFi unless you are using a separate WiFi router, or don’t use wireless to connect to the internet. After you’ve made your selection, make sure to call your provider or chat with them online to make sure that the model you’ve picked out will work in your area.

If you’re still not sure which model to buy, you can always call your provider. They can see what internet plan you’re on and provide recommendations that would best suit your needs and be compatible with your service plan.

Restarting your Xfinity modem router is super quick. All you need to do is unplug it from the wall for 10 seconds, then plug it back in and wait a few minutes for it to power back on. Waiting 10 seconds after you unplug ensures that the modem is fully powered off. Make sure that if your modem has a battery backup installed, that is also removed when you do this, otherwise your modem will not power off.

Changing the WiFi password is super easy, but the specific instructions depend on the manufacturer of your modem/router. Here are some general instructions that work with most modem routers and routers:

1. Plug one end of an ethernet cable into the back of your modem, and the other end into your PC or laptop. You can also connect to the existing WiFi network, if your device does not have an Ethernet port.

2. Open an internet browser (any browser works except for Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge).

3. Type 192.168.0.1 into the web address/URL bar of your web browser and then hit Enter.

4. At this point you should see a webpage asking for a username and password with the logo of the manufacturer of your device (Arris, Motorola, Netgear, etc.) You may have to google the default credentials for your specific manufacturer, but the majority of devices start out with these credentials.

• username: admin
• password: password

5. Once you’re logged into the settings panel, navigate to the WiFi/Wireless settings area, and find where it lists the “SSID” or network name. This is your WiFi network name, or the name that will show up in your WiFi list to connect to.

6. Next, find where it says “network password” or “pre-shared key”. This is your WiFi password. This will be a case-sensitive password that you’ll use to connect devices to your WiFi. Most devices require at least 8 digits.

7. After you’ve set your WiFi name and password or Pre-Shared Key, make sure to hit save at the bottom of the page. If you were connected to this page over WiFi (instead of ethernet), you may be disconnected from the page since your computer has no way of knowing you’ve changed the password.

8. If your device does not recognize the new network name, try restarting your device and it should show up. You can now connect to your WiFi network with your new network name and password.

Yes! Many of the modems listed here are designed to work with other cable companies in addition to Comcast. Check out the product page for each model by clicking the model number. Our product pages mention which other providers (if any) that model will work with.

Absolutely! Some models that are only compatible in a small number of zip codes are intentionally left off our list to avoid potential confusion or activation issues. We also remove most “End of Life” devices, even though many of those can still be activated and supported in many areas.

Additionally, in cases where a device was just recently released for residential, customer-owned use, we hold off on adding it to our recommendation list until we’ve seen how it performs during activation. We vet each model that we add on here to ensure that it works in most areas and activates easily.