Best Router For Xfinity in 2023
Are you fed up with forking out an extra monthly fee to rent Xfinity’s xFi Gateway modem and router combo? You’re not alone; the additional fee slapped on top of the monthly service costs and the fact you’ll never outright own the equipment doesn’t sit well with many Xfinity customers.
Buying your own router is a sensible way to not only secure a better router, and by extension, an improved internet experience, but also outright own one, unlike Xfinity’s expensive rental shenanigans, useful if you opt to jump to a different internet service provider in a year or two. Indeed, the router pays for itself fairly quickly.
With so many Xfinity compatible routers on the market, sorting through them to find one that suits your needs and budget can be a testing task for the unversed. In today’s guide, we’ll highlight a handful of the best routers for Xfinity users, giving you all the crucial information you’ll need to make an informed choice.
Products at a Glance
How We Picked the best router for Xfinity
Sifting through dozens of options to settle on the best routers for Xfinity, we focused on factors such as speeds, signal strength and quality, WiFi range and coverage, price, ports, integrated technology, and reliability. Doing so allowed us to find the cream of the crop of Xfinity-compatible routers.
We slimmed down our selection to five of the best routers for Xfinity that, in our estimation, outshine the rented xFi Gateway all-in-one combo at every turn. These cover a range of budgets, specifications, and speeds. We’ve found options for some of the most common use cases, from no-holds-barred options to more value-oriented options as well as router-modem combos.
Different living arrangements and home layouts require different router requirements, so if we missed out on a router that fits your specific use-case and you’ve found a winner, do get in touch in the comments section at the end of this guide.
Let’s dive in.
Best Router For Xfinity in 2023
- Up to 4000 Mbps
- Tri-band
- MU-MIMO technology
- RangeBoost and Beamforming
- Four LAN ports
- Speed excessive for most users
- Fairly pricey
If money is no object, the TP-Link Archer A20 is arguably not just one of the best Xfinity-compatible routers to buy but one of the best routers out there.
The router pushes top specifications, not least with a beastly theoretical speed of 4000 Mbps assured by a tri-band setup – 1625 Mbps on two 5 GHz bands and 750 Mbps on one 2.4 GHz band. Real-world speeds are likely much lower, but such a high ceiling gives you plenty of headroom even for the fastest Xfinity package available and future speed upgrades to the US broadband network. If anything, the speeds on offer here are a little excessive for most packages and home network requirements.
MU-MIMO, Airtime Fairness, Smart Connect, Quality of Service, RangeBoost, and Beamforming technologies ensure you can connect a gaggle of devices simultaneously without any detrimental impact on WiFi signal strength and speeds even in large areas. The TP-Link Archer A20 is powered by a 1.8 GHz 64-bit CPU, three co-processors, and 512 MB of RAM to handle even the busiest home networks.
As for wired connections, the TP-Link Archer A20 has four LAN Gigabit ports (two can be used for Link Aggregation for a 2 Gbps wired connection), one WAN Gigabit port, one USB 3.0 port, and USB 2.0, which should cover the usual spread of home equipment including desktops, consoles, printers, and shared media drives.
The TP-Link Archer A20’s looks appear plucked from a sci-fi flick with a solid angular design and four prominent antennas, all bathed in a pleasing black finish. A little out there compared to the more conservative aesthetics of your standard router, but coherent enough to sit quite happily in most living rooms without standing out too much.
At just under $200, the TP-Link Archer A20 comes at a price. One that certainly feels justified but possibly a little high given the router caps out at 802.11ac WiFi 5 with no WiFi 6 support.
- WiFi6
- Great WiFi coverage
- MUMIMO
- Clunky design
The TP-Link AX1500 is a great option for those of you who are Wifi 6 curious but are on a budget. As a two-band router, the TP-Link ax1500 delivers incredibly solid 5GHz performance. The TP-Link ax1500 also packs all the latest Wifi 6 features – including beam-forming and MUMIMO, which all significantly increase WiFi capacity.
In regard to its design, the TP-Link AX1500 is sleek and inoffensive, with a sleek profile. This router also scores highly in terms of its usability. Router settings can be managed over on TP Link’s Tether app, or further modified on the web console for more in-depth management. QoS settings and parental controls are also available. Parents can create user profiles and block certain websites – as well as being able to set time limits on individual devices. The TP-Link ax1500 is a powerful Wifi 6 router that comes with more features than users can expect for a router under $100, and therefore sits comfortably on our list of the best routers for Xfinity.
- Affordable
- Up to 1900 Mbps
- MU-MIMO technology
- Beamforming, Airtime Fairness, and Smart Connect
- Four Gigabit Ethernet ports
- No Wi-Fi 6
- Fairly basic features
Our money is on the TP-Link Archer A9 for Xfinity users seeking the best-value router out there. This affordable and humble router doesn’t revolutionize home networking but gets all the basics right, not least a dual-band setup that pushes 1900 Mbps, 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, and 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band.
Under the hood, the TP-Link Archer A9 boasts all the essential features you need for a solid and reliable WiFi connection. There’s Beamforming to focus the signal on devices rather than beaming it out in all directions resulting in faster, steadier speeds; 3×3 MU-MIMO features like Airtime Fairness and Quality of Service; Smart Connect, which targets the most un-congested bands for optimal performance; and three external high gain antennas.
Additional welcome features include compatibility with Alexa voice control, easy setup and management through the free Tether app, four Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired devices, one Gigabit WAN port, and one USB 2.0 port.
Priced at $80, the TP-Link Archer A9 pays for itself in just under six months, compared to the $14 a month you’d be essentially throwing away renting an xFi Gateway from Xfinity for the duration of your plan. Naturally, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a modem, but even then, you’ll recoup the costs reasonably quickly.
The TP-Link Archer A9 lacks support for the WiFi 6 standard, and the basic feature-set is a far cry from the more premium routers out there, but at this price point, these are reasonable omissions. After all, those looking for value aim for a balance of price and performance, not the cutting edge of home networking tech.
- Router-Modem combo
- Up to 1900 Mbps
- Xfinity certified
- DOCSIS 3.0 24x8 channel bonding
- Four Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Only support Xfinity plans up to 600 Mbps
Much like the Netgear Nighthawk C7000, the Motorola MG7700 is a two-birds-one-stone option. The unit contains both an Xfinity certified modem and WiFi router, perfect for those that prefer a higher upfront cost but more savings down the line, not least by avoiding Xfinity’s monthly rental fees entirely. Motorola reckons you’ll save up to $156 a year, avoiding the monthly fees.
Similarly, it’s a top option for those that don’t want two separate units to power their home internet connection by condensing them down into a single sleek all-in-one box. The unit sits vertically to save space and should blend well in any home, thanks to its small footprint and grey/black color scheme.
The Motorola MG7700 can reach a maximum theoretical WiFi speed of 1900 Mbps, breaking down to 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. Beamforming tech focuses signal on devices, while WiFi Power Boost amplifies the signal to extend the range and ensure speeds regardless of the setup. 24×8 DOCSIS 3.0 channel bonding means you’ll get the most out of your ISP-delivered plan, too. On the unit, you’ll find four Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired devices.
While the Motorola MG7700 lands the stamp of approval from Xfinity, the router-modem combo is only compatible with Xfinity plans up to 600 Mbps. That’s not to say it won’t work with speedier packages, but you won’t reach the highest speeds available, something we suggest avoiding as you’ll be paying a premium for that speed boost.
Things To Consider
Wi-Fi Range and Coverage
The strength and reliability of a router’s Wi-Fi signal depend on two factors: the layout of the space (home, office, etc.) and the Wi-Fi range. Obstructions such as thick walls and long distances between the router and devices can deplete the signal resulting in a choppy experience.
Routers tend to offer up to 150 feet as standard, but some can extend further, covering wider areas, especially when paired with extenders, small boosting devices scattered around a large area to ensure no dead zones. Buy according to the size and layout of your space. Though phone sockets limit where you can place a router, we recommend a central location in the home to offer 360-degree coverage, especially in larger homes.
It’s well worth overdoing it with a router with a large Wi-Fi range to err on the side of caution to avoid any nasty surprises. This does generally mean a higher price tag, but the investment is well worth it, considering it irons many potential hiccups that could cost you more in extenders in the long run.
Speed
Speeds advertised by manufacturers, while helpful to get a sense of the device’s capabilities, represent a theoretical maximum that most home network setups won’t ever attain. Real-world speeds will be generally lower, dictated by the speeds offered by your Xfinity package, the quality of the cabling between your home and the exchange, and in the case of WiFi, the design and layout of your home.
The critical point to remember is that as long as the router’s theoretical speeds match or surpass the speeds offered by your Xfinity package, you’ll have everything you need to get the best experience. Unless you are paying for a business-grade package with very high, guaranteed speeds, most 1500 to 2000 Mbps routers more than suffice for most typical users, even those that dabble in bandwidth-heavy uses such as gaming and high-quality video streaming. You’ll save some money by opting for lower theoretical speeds while, in most cases, still benefiting from the best speeds possible from your ISP.
Do You Need Wi-Fi 6?
The new standard replaced the 802.11ac WiFi 5 standard and is fairly common, although a lot of devices currently in use don’t support the standard.
As such, there’s currently no need to rush out and spend substantially more on a WiFi 6-ready router for most use cases. That said, over time, WiFi 6 will become the most used standard. For those wanting to future-proof their setups, there’s logic in buying an Xfinity-compatible router with WiFi 6, especially if you are investing now for the next few years.
If you already have a handful of WiFi 6-ready devices (phone, PC, etc.) and a decent budget to play with, we recommend making the jump now, if only for the peace of mind of knowing you are ready and prepared.
Our Verdict
Our top pick among Xfinity-compatible routers is the TP-Link Archer A20. It can handle even the speediest plans with speeds up to 4000 Mbps, features tri-band Wi-Fi, plenty of desirable traffic and signal prioritization technology, and four LAN ports for your wired devices. No Wi-Fi 6 support and a high asking price sour the offering here, but this is still a top pick for those that want a no-compromise router for their Xfinity plan.
In the runner-up spot, we have the Netgear Nighthawk C7000. As a router-modem combo, it solves two problems facing those moving away from Xfinity’s unit. It offers theoretical Wi-Fi speeds up to 1900 Mbps, although it pairs best with Xfinity plans that don’t exceed 800 Mbps. Good 1800 square foot Wi-Fi range means this is a strong pick for larger homes.
For most Xfinity users, value is a prime consideration, and to that end, the TP-Link Archer A9 is a strong option for those that value a careful balance of price and performance. This router is the lowest priced among our picks but still proposes a strong, if basic feature set, including speeds up to 1900 Mbps, MU-MIMO features, four Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a comparatively affordable $80 price tag.
Finally, the Motorola MG7700 is another viable router-modem combo option. With speeds up to 1900 Mbps, DOCSIS 3.0 24×8 channel bonding, and the Xfinity-certified stamp of approval, it should do those on most plans nicely. However, please do note that it can only make the most of plans with speeds up to 600 Mbps.
With that, we’ll wrap up our guide to the best routers for Xfinity. We hope the above picks give you some food for thought as you make the wise choice of abandoning those draining monthly rental fees. Should you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, don’t hesitate to get in touch by penning us a message in the comments section below.