10 Best Xfinity Compatible Routers in 2021 [For All Comcast Packages]

Are you looking for a reliable router that is compatible with Xfinity? Whether you are on high-speed gigabit plans like Xfinity Gigabit Pro, Gigabit Speed or medium speed plans like the Xfinity Extreme Pro, Blast! Pro, Performance Pro or even the slowest Performance starter plan, the routers in this list will work without any trouble.

Not just Xfinity, but almost all the cable internet providers including Cox, Spectrum, Midco, Optimum, etc, would insist on using the equipment on rental as that helps them earn money. However, it’s not worth renting the equipment because in less than 2 years, the equipment would’ve paid for itself.

Besides, the routers or modem/router combos offered in the rental won’t be suitable for specific purposes or use-cases. For instance, if you’re living in a two-storey apartment or house, then you shall experience coverage issues. That’s why many people end up purchasing a router of their own after facing issues with the rented router for 3-4 months.

Also, if you think that your wireless connection is not giving you the speed that you pay for, it is possible that this is because of a dated router. No matter how fast of a connection your ISP gives you, ultimately the speed will be determined by the router and the modem. That is why it is worth investing in a router.

Now, the next question would be – won’t it too much of a hassle switching from my rented equipment to this new one? The answer is no. It will literally take you minutes, or half an hour tops, to change your router. Each of these devices comes with detailed instructions on how to set them up, and some of them even have a CD detailing the process step by step

So, what are you waiting for? Find out the best routers for Comcast and place your order today.

10 Best Router for Comcast in 2021

1. NETGEAR Nighthawk (RAX200) - AX11000

The NETGEAR Nighthawk is a great Wi-Fi router that is compatible with Comcast and a variety of other internet service providers, including fiber, satellite, cable, and DSL.

It comes with a combined speed of up to 10.8 Gbps with its tri-band Wi-fi, and it claims to allow you to upload, download, and stream 9 times faster than its predecessors. Since it comes with 12 streams – eight on the 5 GHz channel and 4 on the 2.4 GHz channel, you can also rest assured that there will be little congestion and more bandwidth available for you.

Suggested Read: 2.4GHz vs 5GHz: Which channel is right for you?

We conducted several speed tests for 6 days and the Nighthawk app showed a consistent speed of 99 megabytes – both for downloads and uploads. This was also consistently visible in our usage – everything from ultra HD streaming on Netflix to gaming, everything was super smooth. In fact, Apple TV +, which usually makes me grind my teeth with its constant buffering, also worked smoothly.

The Nighthawk comes with the latest, optimized Wi-Fi 6 processor which delivers a reliable and fast connection, no matter how many devices you have connected. In fact, it allegedly delivers 4 times more reliability compared to its predecessors. Since it is designed with a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, it can also power your Smart Home applications seamlessly, while ensuring low latency gaming, 4K and 8K streaming, and more Wi-Fi 6 features.

With its multi-gig experience, you can maximize the speed to 2.5 Gbps with the new Ethernet wired connections, and it also supports the 160 MHz bandwidth of the future. Unfortunately, the Nighthawk is only a router – not a router/modem combo, so you will have to connect it with a modem to access the internet. It does come with DOCSIS support, so you can use it even if you have a cable connection.

The device has 8 concealed antennas and can provide coverage for very large homes. It has tri-band Wi-Fi technology that supports 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 160 GHz bands. There are five ethernet ports that you can use to connect wired devices like computers and gaming consoles for getting faster file transfer. There is also a multi-gig ethernet port 2.5 G which gives you 2.5 times the wired speed.

The device also comes with its own app which is a breeze to set up and the installation is not that tricky either. Moreover, you can use the app to control everything remotely and manage access to your home network even when you are away. The Netgear Nighthawk also has additional features like Netgear Armor to protect your home and devices against cyber-attacks, parental controls, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support.   It is a cool looking device that sometimes reminds me of the Death Star, although it does take a bit of space. If you are afraid of the slightly heavy price tag, go for it – for it is worth every penny.

2. NETGEAR Nighthawk X6 Smart WiFi Router (R8000)

NETGEAR Nighthawk R8000 has a theoretical maximum speed of 3.2Gbps and according to our testing, the two channels on the router added up to an output of 702 Mbps. This is a pretty good output, although the speed falls as you move away from the router.

If it is approx. 700 Mbps at 5 feet, it drops to less than half, that is, 300 Mbps as you move further away, and drops to 177 Mbps at 140 feet. The speed also largely depends on the mode you are using. In the 802.11 ac mode, the speed is predictably higher and lower at 802.11n.

All in all, though, the router is quite dependable and passed all our saturation tests with watching movies on Netflix, Twitch streaming, gaming, and using multiple devices including Android and Windows.

Be it watching a show, listening to Internet radio, and continuing on with a gaming session for hours – we did not see any drop in speed throughout.

The router has a 1 GHz processor which comes with 256 MB of RAM and 128 GB of storage space, in case you want to store passwords and other settings, firmware, etc. The processor is fast enough to ensure smooth functioning, and the device did not get more than just warm enough to touch. The one advantage of this is that you will not have to add a cooling fan.

Another feature about this device that I find really cool is that since it is a tri-band router, you can manually assign bandwidth between the channels. This will help prevent the older devices in your home from slowing down the new ones. It also has a Smart Connect feature that can do this automatically.

Unfortunately, you will need a modem with this device as it does not come with an in-built modem. However, the good news is that you can use it with any kind of Wi-Fi technology, from cable and fiber to satellite and dial-up.

It has six rectangular antennas that use beamforming technology and sculpt the signal so that it suits the receiving antenna. All these antennas are quite stubby and cylindrical and extend up to 3.3 inches. However, they can be adjusted to 140 degrees, so that’s an advantage.

The router has one 2.4 GHz channel and two 5 GHz channels. You can reserve one of the latter channels for high-speed traffic. The make claims to cover 3500 square feet, but be prepared to lose speed as you move further away from the device. Setting it is quite easy and configuration takes all of 5 minutes. The app is also quite user-friendly and easy to set up.

Besides having the expected 4 gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections, the router also has a USB 2.0 and 3.0 port which can work with hard drivers and printers.

The design is sharp and simple, with angular and geometric patterns making it look like a spaceship. It does have 13 LEDs which indicate which bands and ports are active, which is quite handy too. All in all, this is a pretty great router and you cannot go wrong with it.

3. Linksys EA7500

The Linksys EA7500 comes with a 1.4 GHz processor which can theoretically boost your speed up to 1300 Mbps over the 5 GHz band and if you are on the 2.4 GHz band, you can get speeds up to 600 Mbps. In reality, our tests indicated that it can score 97.3 Mbps at a close proximity range on 2.4 GHz band when you are in the same room as the router. 30 feet away from the device, we noted speeds of 52.1 Mbps.

On the other hand, you can get 495 Mbps speed when you are on the 5 GHz in the same room, and 298 Mbps when you are 30 feet away. We also checked its MU-MIMO performance. The close proximity test of this feature resulted in an average speed of 176 Mbps on three clients than in the same room as the router. The results were similar then the clients were placed 30 feet away.

The MU-MIMO technology is actually quite powerful with this device, and it allows it to serve at least 12 wireless devices at the same time with absolutely no lagging. This is the latest standard in wireless technology and is considered the fastest wireless protocol at the moment.

Coming to the processor, the router has a 1.4GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor which is quite powerful and makes it easy to work with this device. Like the two devices mentioned above, this is a router only device and you will need a modem with it to connect to the internet via the internet cable.

The router also has dual bands for managing traffic, that is, one 2.4 GHz band and one 5 GHz band. This may not be the most advanced set up out there, especially considering that there are already the routers in the market that have 3 bands to manage traffic. There are three external antennas, and it is meant to be used in a medium household as it can only support up to 12 devices.

It also has 1 gigabit WAN port, a standard quartet of 4 gigabit LAN ports, one USB 3.0 port and one USB 2.0 port. The app is quite easy to set up, and its device setup is also quite easy to handle. The connection is same as conventional routers and there’s also a setup guide included which will give you the step by step process to configure the device.

The app connected with the router can help you control every feature. You can easily monitor and manage the device even remotely if you have the app already downloaded on your smartphone.

Now coming to the design of the router, it has a matte finish surface with a glossy center and it is quite nice to look at. The top of the router also has a perforated surface that provides ventilation. It is a bit of a chunky piece of hardware, but it is not awkwardly shaped and it’s in fact quite easy to store it. The ports are easily accessible and visible too.

All in all, it’s a pretty handy device for medium households that have higher than average data usage. The major drawback of this device is that it is a little expensive for all that it has to offer.

4. NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router (R6700) - AC1750

The NETGEAR Nighthawk promises to deliver lightning-fast speeds on both of its frequency bands – the 2.4 GHz band can handle the non-intensive tasks at your home, like browsing, at its 450Mbps speeds, and the 5 GHz band can deliver up to 1300Mbps speed for more intensive functions like streaming 4K videos on Netflix and multi-player gaming.

It turns out quite impressive speeds at the NTFS format – 59.1 Mbps Read and 38.5 Write when tested with the USB 3.0 connection. Speed tests at a laptop with 802.11 ac adapter resulted in 524 Mbps at 10 feet and the same at 25 feet, which is on par with some triple band routers.

Another amazing thing about this router is that it comes with the Beamforming technology which improves the wireless range of the router and also enhances its signal focus. This is particularly helpful because it results in faster internet speeds to mobile devices.

All these amazing features are powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor. This is a pretty fast processor and it is designed to handle traffic in large homes, so you won’t be left wanting for faster processing speeds.

The device also runs on 256 MB of RAM and 128 MB of flash memory. It should be noted that it is a router only, and you will need a modem to connect with the internet. There are three antennas that are detachable, and 2 bands – one 2.4 GHz and one 5 GHz band to choose from. The router can cover 2500square feet without any hitch, so it is very well-suited for medium to large homes.

There are five ethernet ports and two USB ports to choose from, and the Nighthawk app is quite easy to use. Not only can you use the app for parental control of the internet, but you can also set up separate Wi-Fi access for your guests, monitor and manage your home network remotely, and check the broadband speed from your ISP. The router is quite easy to set up too and installation will take just a couple of minutes.

When it comes to design and looks, the router looks quite similar to the original Nighthawk model. It has the same color profile and housing design, but it does have a sturdier build and wider base. Rubber feet are installed underneath to keep it separated from surfaces. Since the antennas are adjustable and removable, you can rest assured that it will not take up much space.

All in all, the Nighthawk AC1750 is an undoubtedly fast router and Comcast customers can choose it without worrying too much. It does not cost a lot, and it is certainly a huge leap over the predecessor, R6700.

5. NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900

For Comcast customers, it is generally recommended to own their own equipment instead of paying $10 per month as a rental fee. And now, it has been made even easier, as you can use this router-modem combo to access the internet even using the Comcast phone service, which is available in the Xfinity Double and Xfinity Triple Play plans. The Nighthawk C7100V is a cable modem router that is well-suited for the Xfinity Internet and Voice.

The built-in cable modem is superfast, and Netgear claims that it can deliver a speed of up to 960 Mbps overall with dual-band combo. On the 5 GHz band, you can get 1300 Mbps and on the 2.4 GHz band, it can deliver 600 Mps easily and simultaneously.

The beam forming technology also ensures that the connections are reliable with the clients. This technology helps the device direct the signal towards your devices, which means you can now access the internet even in areas that were once labelled as dead spots.

Additionally, the router also has 24 x 8 channel bonding, which means that it can support 24 upstream and 8 upstream channels. In simpler words, you can download a 2GB HD movie on this router within 15 seconds, provided your ISP supports these speeds.

The 1.6 GHz processor is fast enough to ensure smooth functioning, and since the device runs on DOCSIS 3.0 internet connection, you can rest assured that you will get 8 times better speed than DOCSIS 2.0. enjoy faster downloads, HD streaming, and lag-free gaming with this device. Besides being dual-band, it also uses the latest AC technology to deliver faster and more stable connections.

Since it has 5dBi antennas, the device provides maximum coverage throughout the house. There is a quartet of ethernet ports and 2 USB ports, and because the modem is compatible with Comcast and doesn’t need a modem, it is extremely easy to set up and install. You don’t even have to make a service call – just log in with your existing Comcast account and enter the numbers at the back of the Nighthawk package. Once you have done that, just swap out the old modem with the Nightcrawler.

You can also use the Netgear Genie App to monitor the performance of the connection, as well as control everything about your home network right from your PC and your mobile device. Other amazing features of this router-modem combo include 2 telephone jacks so that you can use the Comcast voice service.

The jacks also allow you to use features like call forwarding, call waiting, 3- way conference calls, and caller ID. To avoid inactivity in case of a power outage, this device can also be bought with separate battery backup, that will support all your devices for about 5 hours. The design of the router is quite standard and it is quite easy to store and transport it.

All in all, it is a pretty nifty device and it is a lifesaver for Comcast customers.

6. Motorola MG7550

This Motorola device is eventually the highest-paid cable modem and a Gigabit router back together in a sleek and sophisticated design. For Comcast customers that are looking for a modem router combination, this is the perfect Gadget that will save you lots on the monthly rental fee that Comcast usually charges its customers.

There are 16 downstream channels which are capable of downloading at a speed of 686 Mbps and four upstream channels which can upload at 123 Mbps. Since the modem part of the unit comes with a full band digital tuner, you can rest assured that the device will automatically find the best channel that has the least amount of traffic for you and focus all the data through those channels.

This ensures that you get a consistently reliable and fast connection. There are no dropouts and no lagging or buffering, whether you are streaming 4K videos or online gaming. It has a Broadcom cable modem chipset which makes sure that you are protected from denial of service attacks. It also has the DOCSIS 3.0 technology which is approved by Comcast Xfinity, among other ISPs like Cox, Charter Spectrum, etc. 

The router part of the device has a 3 x 3 Gigabit router which means that there are three channels for sending and three for receiving, which makes it capable enough of broadcasting content throughout your home or office. It should be noted, however, that this is a device that is well suited for small to medium households, instead of large ones.

There are two band frequencies at which the modem is capable of transferring data, 2.4 GHz and 5GHz. It also uses beamforming technology to focus the wireless signal on the devices, which further enhances the performance. It also comes with the power boost technology which amplifies the wireless signal and delivers higher speeds, along with extending the range of the device.

The modem router combo comes with four Gigabit Ethernet connections on its back panel, with which you can connect it with a computer, gaming console, or other capable devices using a wired connection. Since you do not need any major fixtures to get the device started, you can have it running within minutes as soon as you get it out of the box. There are no special installation skills needed to get it working.

Talking about the design of the device, the rear panel is color-coded for increasing the efficiency of the setup. The yellow section is for Ethernet connections, and below it is the Reds section which features the reset button as well as the buttons for turning on and off WLAN and WPS. The blue section connects to the modem and below it is the power switch and power supply input.

Motorola also offers a two-year manufacturer guarantee on the device and this gadget comes so cheap, that it will more than make up for its price within this period. In other words, we highly recommend it.

7. ASUS RT-AC66U B1 AC1750

The Asus router can allegedly provide speeds up to 450 Mbps and 1300 Mbps at its 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, respectively. With a total speed of 1750 Mbps, you can do everything from streaming 4K HD video to gaming. The 2.4 GHz channel is meant for low-intensity tasks like file downloading and web browsing, and the much clearer 5 GHz band is meant for online gaming and streaming on multiple devices, along with switching between applications in a smooth manner.

On top of all this, it also supports the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard which is only available on the higher frequency band. This means that no matter what kind of Wi-Fi clients and devices you have at home, this device will support them all. Besides having the two main Wi-Fi networks for each of the bands, it also offers 6 guest networks, three of them on each band.

On testing, we found that the 5 GHz band, the Asus scores 339 Mbps at a distance of 15 feet, and when the distance is increased 200 feet, and the speed lowered to 179 Mbps. On the lower frequency band, which scores 66 Mbps at close range and 50 amps at long-range tests. It also remained extremely stable during the 48 hours of testing, where we switched data on and off between multiple clients, both wired and wireless.

The device comes with their preferred processor which will eliminate any performance drops and enjoy smooth streaming with low latency even on the busiest of home networks. Multiple file downloads, video calls, and 4K streaming on Firestick showed us that this processor can handle it all.

One thing worth noting is that this router does not come with an inbuilt modem, so you will need a separate modem to connect it with your Comcast connection.

It also had high powered anti-knowledge to increase coverage and AirRadar beamforming technology for optimized range. There are four ports for wired connections and one WAN port for connecting it to your modem. All of these are Gigabit Ethernet ports, which means that you will get a fast wired as well as wireless network. You can also use this router as a media bridge or access point and these roles can be chosen on the web interface.

There are two USB 2.0 ports as well. You can use the web interface for setting up the whole thing and installation should be a breeze even for home users. It also comes with a CD that will outline the whole process for you.

When it comes to designing, it does not look much different from its predecessor. It is encased in a very sleek box and you can either mount it on a wall or place it flat on a surface. All in all, this is a pretty affordable and dependable device for Xfinity customers.

8. TP-Link AC1900 Archer A9

The Archer A9 promises to deliver speeds of 1300 Mbps on the higher frequency band, that is, 5 GHz and 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz lower frequency band. It comes with the ultra-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology.

We did a speed test with the router connected to our Macbook pro and we tested at two distances from the device, the furthest of which was over 7 meters with a wall between the client and the router.

On the five GHz band, we notice that the router provided speeds closer to 600 Mbps then the client was in the same room as the device, and at the longer distance, we noticed an impressive 482 Mbps. We also noticed stellar speeds with the 2.4 GHz band on the router. Since it also comes with beamforming technology, there is definitely an improvement in performance.

We also checked the Wired LAN speed with the Ethernet cable. I noticed that the router can support up to 941 Mbps, which is indeed the maximum possible speed on A Gigabit Ethernet connection.

The Archer A9 is powered by a Qualcomm QCN5502 Quad-Core chipset which provides quality connection without lagging or dropouts. This new processor is also better and outperforms most other AC1900 routers in the market.

It also has an improved RAM at 128MB. In other words, the newer hardware of the Archer A9 will outperform most of the other routers in this category. Since it does not come with a modem combination, you will need an external modem for connecting with the Internet.

It has 3 external antennas and one internal antenna which will improve the coverage area and send the Wi-Fi signals great corner of your house, eliminating any dead spots.

The beamforming technology also helps with this, detecting any devices that are low powered or far away. It focuses the signal strength towards these devices and boosts performance. Since the device also has MU-MIMO technology and the smart connect technology, along with beamforming, you can expect consistent and reliable speeds throughout.

This technology allows you to send simultaneous data streams to all connected devices. On the other hand, smart connect technology eliminates the need to manually change the Wi-Fi connection. The algorithm automatically steers all of your devices to the band that is more suitable according to its signal strength.

The device has a quartet of LAN words and one WAN port. You can connect your gaming consoles, PC’s, or smart tvs for a faster and more reliable connection Using the Ethernet cable. Setting up the Archer is intuitive with the help of its web interface or the tether app.

You can also use the app to manage network settings, parental controls, and media sharing. You can also use this router as an access point. Besides all this, the design quotient is simply spectacular and it is a good-looking device with a smart design that looks sophisticated and sleek. For Comcast customers, it is probably the best option in this particular price range.

9. Motorola MT7711

Although this cable modem router has a maximum Internet speed of 600 Mbps added slower frequency channel and 1900 Mbps add the higher one, with Comcast Xfinity Internet service, it can only reach up to 600 Mbps.

However, most of the Internet plans available on Comcast operate at speeds less than 400 Mbps, so this router should be good enough for your office or home. If you already have the Comcast Xfinity Internet plan, then you know that this device is a good choice, for what it does have is the 24×8 channel bonding.

This technology allows you to retain Internet speed even during peak hours. What usually happens during peak hours is that your Internet service provider limits the speed of each channel in order to decrease data traffic. But channel bonding combines all the available speeds from each of the channels and retains high-speed connection for you.

This particular device has 24 downstream and eight upstream channels to combine, ensuring that you get a fast and consistent connection throughout. It is equipped with a Broadcom cable modem chipset which will provide you security from denial of service attacks.

It also comes with DOCSIS 3.0 technology, which means that you do not need a separate modem with this device you can use it directly with your Comcast subscription to access the Internet.

It is a dual-band Gigabit router and it supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels. It also comes with the beamforming technology which will extend your Wi-Fi coverage, remove unnecessary radio frequency interference, and reduce dead spots in order to provide you a stable Wi-Fi connection.

Due to this technology, you can expect coverage of nearly 1800 squares are feet with this gadget and maintain a connection with 30 devices at the same time, without any issues. The device also comes with power boost technology which amplifies the wireless signal and extends the range as well as the speed of your connection. The modem router has four Ethernet boards when you want a direct cable connection to your TV, gaming console, or computer.

It also comes with two telephone ports for the Comcast Xfinity voice service. It is also quite easy to set up and it will take you all of 15 minutes to get it up and running once you get it out of the box. We also like its clean and sleek vertical design which is not cumbersome and does not take too much space.

10. D-Link DIR-615

This budget router, as you can probably guess from the price, does not offer a lot of wireless features that are found in high-end routers. And although it is probably one of the most affordable devices on this list, this does not mean that its performance is lagging in any way. Once you have set it up, the router scores speed of 33.2 Mbps at close range, which is far better than some of its compatriots in this price bracket.

At a wider range, we saw a speed of 21.7 Mbps and when it was connected with wireless N and legacy wireless clients, the router achieved 25.8 Mbps. These performances are not mind-blowing, especially considering the other routers on this list, but it more than meets your expectations considering its price.

It also handles video and music streaming quite smoothly, as well as VoIP calls. However, beyond 300 feet, their device barely connects. It uses 802.11n technology and has multiple antennas that boost the speed. You will need a modem with this device if you want to connect to the internet though, as it does not have the DOCSIS tech.

There are only 10/100 ethernet ports, so you cannot take advantage of the higher speeds with a wired connection, which most of the other N routers do have. On the plus side, it does come with a quick router setup software and an included CD which makes it a cakewalk to set the whole thing up. Alternatively, you can also plug the router right in and it will launch the web interface on your web browser. You can use this interface for accessing and managing the features of the device.

It is a neat looking device with clean lines and simple designs. There are two antennae and ports are located on the back. There are four LANs and one WAN port. It also does not have some other features, like GuestZone or SharePort, but that is to be expected, given how cheap it is. However, you can control the internet connection quite minutely and limit access to certain services like instant messengers.

You can customize the firewall to block or limit certain services.  As for security, it has virtually all the encryption standards that are found in wireless routers these days, including WEP and WPA. It also comes with a Wi-Fi protected setup. All in all, it is a pretty affordable and nifty device. If you do not mind the lack of features and just want a simple router to connect to the internet, this is the one for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

The only way to get the most out of your internet connection and do it cheaply is to get educated on the best options available to you. The routers mentioned above are truly top of the line and each of them works seamlessly with Comcast. Whether you are getting a new subscription from Xfinity or are an old customer, you will not regret buying any of these devices.