5 Best Xfinity Internet Routers

Want to avoid renting the xFi Gateway? We feel you.

You can save a bunch of money if you buy your own Xfinity router. But there are a few things you should know before you put down some money. (And you can read more about each feature in our guide to choosing a router.)

• Compatible with Comcast Xfinity
• Max speeds are faster than what your internet plan advertises
• Uses an 802.11ax, ac, or n Wi-Fi standard
• Optional: Offers QoS, MU-MIMO, or beamforming features

• How to Choose a Router
• Best Xfinity-Compatible Modems
• What Is Wi-Fi 6?
• Should You Upgrade to a Wi-Fi 6 Router?
• How to Self-Install Xfinity Internet

The upgraded Archer A8 comes with 3x3 MU-MIMO technology, so it can send and receive data to and from multiple devices on three different Wi-Fi streams . That makes it an extremely efficient router if your home is jam-packed with connected devices and internet users.

Beamforming also boosts the Archer A8’s efficiency, and QoS technology allows you to prioritize web traffic for one particular device. (QoS is a great feature for gamers or anyone shooting live videos.)

It's an awesome deal because you won’t need to buy both a modem and a router to replace your Xfinity xFi Gateway. The Nighthawk C7000 is a combination modem and router, so once you get it set up, you’re good to go.

The C7000 comes with 24x8 channel bonding, which tells you what internet speeds it supports. (In this case, the C7000 supports speeds up to 960 Mbps.) Combined with its dual-band and beamforming technology, this modem-router combo is a great pick for Xfinity internet plans with speeds up to 400 Mbps.

Though the price is high for this particular modem-and-router combo, you’re getting a lot of features packed into one tiny box.

Along with four Ethernet ports, the Nighthawk C7100V also comes with two RJ-11 telephone ports. It also comes with beamforming, allowing it to efficiently send and receive data to and from your connected devices.

And if you’re concerned about a storm knocking out your power, don’t worry. This modem-router combo also comes with battery backup so you can call emergency services or let the power company know you’ve got an outage.

There’s no way around it: the Archer A20 is a beast. The 5 GHz bands offer up to 1,625 Mbps speeds on a wired connection, meaning your Xfinity Gigabit plan won’t go to waste. (Wi-Fi speeds are likely slower though.)

On top of that, the Archer A20 comes with link aggregation technology. Simply put, it combines two LAN ports to up your download speeds to 2 Gbps (2,000 Mbps) on a wired connection. Most of us won’t need those kinds of speeds, but if you’re running a home business or if your internet connection does heavy lifting, link aggregation is hard to pass up.

And for the rest of us, the Archer A20 still comes with great perks like QoS, beamforming, and MU-MIMO technology. Plus, you can build your own VPN (using OpenVPN software) to securely connect your home networks, and the router is Alexa-enabled, so you can verbally tell it to turn off guest networks when your visitors leave.

We also mentioned that the Archer A20 is set up to handle the Xfinity Gigabit plan. Just note that you’ll probably need to connect your device with an Ethernet cable to get gig speeds, even with the A20.

All things considered, the xFi Gateway isn’t a bad modem and router combo. Depending on how long you rent it, you’ll likely pay more than you would if you bought your own modem and router. But we’ve used the xFi Gateway for years and not had a problem.

Xfinity recently released the xFi Gateway 3rd Generation, which uses Wi-Fi 6 technology to reach speeds up to 2,500 Mbps. (The previous model reaches speeds up to 1,000 Mbps.)

Plus, you can pair the xFi Gateway with the xFi Pods to create a mesh Wi-Fi network that wraps even the farthest corners of your house in a glorious wireless connection. Just be aware that the xFi Pods are limited to speeds up to 500 Mbps. So if you’re paying for a plan with faster advertised speeds than 500 Mbps, you’ll want to use a wired connection so your speeds (and your money) don’t go to waste.

• TP-Link Archer A8: Best budget router, up to 1,300 Mbps.
• NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000: Best modem-router combo, up to 1,300 Mbps.
• NETGEAR Nighthawk C7100V: Best for Xfinity Voice, up to 1,300 Mbps.
• TP-Link Archer A20: Best features, up to 1,625 Mbps.
• xFi Gateway + Pods: Best mesh Wi-Fi system, up to 500 Mbps.

You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to Xfinity-compatible routers. If cost is your main concern, the TP-Link Archer A8 comes in under $100 and still offers many exceptional features like beamforming and QoS. Otherwise, we’d say splurge on the Archer A20 for a heap of speed- and range-boosting features, or grab the NETGEAR Nighthawk C7100V if you use Xfinity Voice service.

If the up-front cost of buying your own router isn’t feasible, the xFi Gateway is still a solid choice. If you live in a larger home or have issues getting Wi-Fi in certain corners of the house, you can pair the Gateway with the xFi Pods to extend your wireless network with speeds up to 500 Mbps.

When researching the best routers for Xfinity customers we needed to consider each offering’s overall upload and download speeds, as well as the integrated Wi-Fi standard.

Optional features such as QoS, MU-MIMO, and beamforming technology were also considered to ensure that you’re getting the best out of the router you purchase for your home or office.

Additionally, we ensured that each router is compatible with Comcast Xfinity service.

• Comcast Xfinity compatibility
• Overall maximum upload & download speeds
• Utilized Wi-Fi standard (802.11xx)
• Optional features for increased efficiency