Renting XFINITY internet equipment is sure worth considering. As it packs the best services as the xFi, home-based XFINITY Wi-Fi hotspot, and the Wi-Fi management platform. But what if, later on, you’d want to customize your network? That’s exactly where the trouble comes up.
Moreover, it demands an additional $10 per month fee with your internet plan. That sums up to be $120 per year! For some of you, it might seem alright to spend the extra cash, avoiding the hassle of setting up the network on your own.
For the other tech literates, we know what you’re thinking. Why pay more when you can’t even shape it on your terms? This is where a need to list the best Comcast Xfinity-approved modems appears. So you can pick one out and save some dollars.
From our compiled list, the best comcast XFINITY approved modem that we have picked for you is Motorola MB7621. This modem is sufficient for a stable internet speed having advanced features and its durability speaks itself by the given warranty of two years. It’s the future proof device within the moderate budget as per our recommendation backed by the speed and quality tests that we have conducted on all the listed modem. Still, you got a list of modems to choose from, so let’s have a look
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Top 3 Comcast Xfinity Approved Modems
How we did the test?
We began the testing of these technical black boxes by searching for the top-rated and Xfinity compatible ones from the market. The test was mainly carried out by taking the following factors into consideration.
Speed
Of course, we can’t test the modems with each speed plan of Xfinity. Instead, we tested them with the modems’ compatible or higher speed plan. This way, our team easily judged the modems’ reach and ranked them accordingly.
Warranty
Failure of any electronic gadget never seeks a welcome. Especially, when it’s shining new and hasn’t served for long as compared to its price. Here, a lengthy warranty is crucial to have your back if something goes wrong with the device. We’ve made certain that our options offer a good warranty time.
Price
While we searched for the products, we took note of the current pricing. So our recommendations must offer a good value for their price.
Once the products passed the test, our team also went through the previous reviews and experiences of the past users. So we could ensure reliability and durability before we put the product on our final list.
It should also be mentioned that all of our reviews and opinions are unbiased and not influenced by any brand or company.
Also read: Frontier Compatible Modems
Comparison Chart – Best Modems Approved for Comcast Xfinity
| Motorola MB7621 Cable Modem | Motorola MB8611 Cable Modem | ARRIS Surfboard SB6183 Cable Modem | NETGEAR Nighthawk CM2050V Multi-Gig Cable Modem with Voice | |
| Product type | Cable Modem | Cable Modem | Cable Modem | Cable Modem |
| Technology | DOCSIS 3.0 | DOCSIS 3.1 | DOCSIS 3.0 | DOCSIS 3.1 |
| Channels | 24 x 8 | 32 x 8 | 16 x 4 | 32 x 8 |
| Max Download Speed | 650 Mbps | 2.5Gbps | 686 Mbps | 2.5 Gbps |
| Gigabit Ethernet Ports | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ARRIS SURFboard SB8200 Cable Modem | NETGEAR C7800 Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo | Motorola MG7540 Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo | |
| Product type | Cable Modem | Modem-Router Combo | Modem-Router Combo |
| Technology | DOCSIS 3.1 | DOCSIS 3.1 | DOCSIS 3.0 |
| Channels | 32 x 8 | 32 x 8 | 16 x 4 |
| Max Download Speed | 2 Gbps | 2 Gbps | 686 Mbps |
| Gigabit Ethernet Ports | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Things to Consider When Buying a Modem
Not everybody knows the basic specifications of a modem, and we assume you’re the same. Maybe this is the reason, the majority prefer to rent internet equipment. Now that you’re willing to buy one, look out for the following aspects to easily decide if it’s suitable for you.
Compatibility
Before looking at other things, the first thing to check is the compatibility of the modem with your ISP. Because every ISP has a specified list of compatible modems to work on their network.
For Xfinity, you can either look at the complete compatibility list below in the article, or you can visit the My Device Info on Comcast Xfinity’s official website and search for a certain modem’s approval status.
Type
What type would you prefer? A standalone modem or a gateway (modem-router combo)? If you’re looking for full control over the customization of your network, a modem will be the best option. Because you can attach it to any router of your choice and also upgrade each in the future.
If you want to save time and effort to buy and configure both separately, then you should go for a gateway.
Technology
When you finally make a choice, next up is the DOCSIS technology. DOCSIS is actually a modem technology that transmits the data between your computer and ISP. Whether it’s a modem or a gateway, you’ll have to choose a DOCSIS version suitable for your needs.
Currently, ISPs support two versions, DOCSIS 3.0 and 3.1. The DOCSIS 3.1 is the latest one that suits best for the fastest gigabit-speed plans. But you can still use it with the lower speed plans because of its backward compatibility with DOCSIS 3.0.
Channel Bonding
If you’re a DOCSIS 3.0 user, channel bonding is another thing to consider when buying a modem. This estimates the rate at which you’ll upload and download data. The more the channels, the faster the data transfer.
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Detailed Review – 7 Best Comcast Xfinity Approved Modems
Now that, you have gone through the details and specs of each modem. But hold on, there a lot more to see yet. Let’s dive into the nitty gritty of each modem to help you in making an informed decision.
1. Motorola MB7621 Cable Modem (Best Overall)
Features
- Max download speeds of up to 900 Mbps
- Full-Band Capture digital tuner for reliable and faster speeds
- Network addressing flexibility with IPv4 and IPv6 support
- Quick and easy setup
- Two years of warranty
Specifications
| Weight | 1.0 lbs |
| Color | Gray |
| Dimensions | 7.25 x 2.25 x 7.88 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | No |
| Wi-Fi Standard | – |
Product Review
Home networks are usually stressed by multiple user downloads. You’ll want to download a movie for the weekend and find your other family member waiting for their heavy Xbox game files to be downloaded. Results? Declining of speeds because modem can’t bear this.
Luckily, Motorola knew the solution. They packed it in a Gray Plastic body with a lot of ventilation holes and produced the robust MB7621. The product didn’t come out to be as appealing in terms of looks. But the stunning performance has gained it the best-selling tag.
The modem comes equipped with the DOCSIS 3.0 and channel bonding of 24 x 8 downstream and upstream channels. That enables you to reach maximum download speeds of up to 900 Mbps as claimed. It fetched all of the speed when tested with our Xfinity Superfast service plan of 600 Mbps. In reality, it’s believed to reach even higher rates than 900 Mbps. The connection on the MB7621 was really seamless, and it didn’t break even when we placed it under a lot of pressure.
Motorola didn’t appear to overlook the convenience of use in addition to the outstanding performance. With the help of an in-box handbook, we were able to complete a basic and rapid setup in no time.
Also Read: Best Blue Ridge Approved Modems for Faster and Reliable Internet Connection
Plus Point: Motorola MB7621 minimizes lag and enables the best gaming and streaming experience with Active Queue Management (AQM).
| PROS | CONS |
| Smooth and fast connection | Standard designed unit |
| Great value for money | |
| Easy to use the power button |
2. Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gig Cable Modem – (Best for GIG)
Features
- Approved with major U.S cable providers
- Multi-Processor Technology
- Broadcom Full-Band Capture Digital Tuner
- Active Queue Management
- Two years of warranty
Specifications
| Weight | 0.06 lbs |
| Color | Gray |
| Dimensions | 7.25 x 2.25 x 7.88 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | No |
| Wi-Fi Standard | – |
Product Review
For the ones able to afford those pricey gigabit plans, a modem to handle those high speeds becomes crucial. But the price tags aren’t so friendly and since you’ll also be spending on a router to pair, the stacked expense might make you worry.
To put an end to it, the market was blessed with the Motorola MB8611. A powerful combo of gigabit speeds, efficiency, and reliability in a rectangular box.
In its gray plastic design, Motorola has put some serious specifications. With the latest and improved DOCSIS 3.1, you get a channel bonding of 32 x 8 downstream and upstream channels. This can take you for a ride with 2.5 Gbps speeds. That isn’t even available for consumers by ISPs.
The test part of the MB8611 was undoubtedly satisfying. First, we quickly created a connection using a simple setup process. On testing it with Xfinity’s speed plan of 600 Mbps, it carried each bit of data at the perfect speed. So with a standard design but simple setup and overkilling performance, the futuristic MB8611 should be your choice if you don’t want to shop again for years to come.
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Plus Point: Motorola cares for your money, and therefore it has equipped the MB8611 with a power surge and ruggedized lightning circuits for proactive protection.
| PROS | CONS |
| Support for multi-gigabit speeds | Lacks link aggregation support |
| Supports AQM for zero latency. | |
| Best for future use |
3. ARRIS Surfboard SB6183 Cable Modem – (Best Budget)
Features
- Max download speeds of up to 600 Mbps
- Easy setup with SURFboard Central App
- Ethernet that requires less energy
- Approved by major service providers
Specifications
| Weight | 1.41 lbs |
| Color | White |
| Dimensions | 5.25 x 2.17 x 5 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | No |
| Wi-Fi Standard | – |
Product Review
Compactness is the new demand. You’ll see every other brand thriving to minimize the size while keeping the quality and performance foremost. And it’s actually a challenging thing to achieve. But ARRIS has made it out with the SURFboard SB6183.
Such a simple and small modem, but not to be questioned with its performance. Because it can get you through the toughest of traffics and enable a smooth networking experience. Also, the price of this small white device seems just two figures when compared to its capability.
The SURFboard SB6183 has the DOCSIS 3.0 technology and 16 x 4 downstream and upstream channels combined to give you a fulfilling taste of up to 600 Mbps max download speeds. In actual tests with Xfinity’s 600 Mbps speed plan, the SB6183 stood out well and nailed the high network-consuming tasks. Eventually, setting it up for the test was relatively easy.
That said, if you’re looking for an affordable, compact yet powerful network setup across your space, then the SB6183 shouldn’t be ignored.
Plus Point: Despite such low cost, the ARRIS SURFboard SB8200 offers a two-year warranty to save your loss in case of failure.
| PROS | CONS |
| Low cost but good quality | LED lights are too bright |
| Stable and consistent internet | |
| Light and compact design |
4. NETGEAR Nighthawk CM2050V Multi-Gig Cable Modem with Voice
Features
- Compatible with major ISPs
- Two telephone ports for phone clarity
- Includes enhanced call features
Specifications
| Weight | 1.09 lbs |
| Color | Black |
| Dimensions | 6.8 x 3.7 x 8.2 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Standard | – |
Product Review
When it comes to finding a modem for Comcast Xfinity’s network, telephonic support for Xfinity Voice is absolutely essential. NETGEAR released a total beast for such users. A futuristic designed black plastic, multi-gig modem, Nighthawk CM2050V.
This one is the runner-up with our best gig Motorola MB8611 because of the same future-proof ability to handle multi-gig data. The CM2050V also has the DOCSIS 3.1 with 32 x 8 downstream and upstream channels. It delivers a speed of up to 2.5 Gbps from the provider to your home.
In addition, CM2050V is also featured with voice support for those who make landline calls. The modem is equipped with two telephone ports at its back. Testing the CM2050V on 600 Mbps of Xfinity plan delivered the most out of the internet speed. However, we still don’t know if it actually delivers the promised speed. But since it’s a quality NETGEAR product, we don’t think there’s anything to deny about it.
So if you’re running a 1 Gbps internet plan, the future-proof CM2050V still deserves a tryout. Because you’ll definitely need a modem like this if you ever use multi-gig plans in the future. But if you’re considering conversion to the fiber in the time ahead, keeping track of the budget would be better.
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Plus Point: The NETGEAR Nighthawk CM2050V includes smart call features such as 3-way conference calling, caller ID, call forwarding, and automatic prioritization to avoid unwanted calls.
| PROS | CONS |
| Compatible with WiFi 6 routers | May lose stability over time |
| Supports multi-gigabit speeds | |
| Telephone ports for Xfinity voice |
5. ARRIS SURFboard SB8200 DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit Cable Modem
Features
- Two Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Quick and simple installation through SURFboard Central app
- Compatibility with major Internet Service Providers
- Two years of the limited warranty
Specifications
| Weight | 1.46 lbs |
| Color | White |
| Dimensions | 5 x 2 x 5 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | No |
| Wi-Fi Standard | – |
Product Review
Another best for the future, with a slight difference from the expensive ones. No, the difference isn’t a minus, but a plus for you. ARRIS always keeps an eye on the budget while designing its products. No wonder, they actually put out well-equipped products with good pricing.
The top-selling ARRIS SURFboard SB8200 is an example of that. The modem resembles the same with its 16 x 4 variant SB6183 in terms of looks. But the magic hidden on the inside is a great value for its price.
On the inside of this white plastic-made modem, it has the DOCSIS 3.1 with 32 x 8 upstream and downstream channels. Which empowers it to deliver a speed of up to 2 Gbps making 4K streaming and downloading a delight. This much speed rate makes it future-proof. However, when we tested it, we were able to set it up quickly and easily using its mobile application. We downloaded files that were quite large and still experienced no lag.
The modems above offered the same features, what’s different? The difference is the price. SB8200 doesn’t go hard on you when you pick out a wallet. When compared to the Motorola MB8611, which performs similarly but offers higher speeds that Comcast Xfinity doesn’t yet support, the ARRIS SURFboard’s 2 Gbps speed capability is still future-proof and less expensive. In fact, even if you’re a lower-speed user, picking this one up for backward compatibility with your internet plan will not be costly.
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Plus Point: ARRIS SURFboard SB8200 has a hardware configuration that minimizes latency and makes it one of the best alternatives for high bandwidth consuming applications like gaming.
| PROS | CONS |
| Supports multi-gigabit speeds | Poor customer service support |
| Easy and quick installation | |
| Offers Two-years warranty |
6. NETGEAR C7800 Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo
Features
- Compatible with major internet service providers
- Four 1 Gigabit Ethernet port
- Enhanced Parental controls
- Network monitoring with NETGEAR Genie Mobile App
- One year of the limited warranty
Specifications
| Weight | 3.15 lbs |
| Color | Black |
| Dimensions | 12.4 x 10.4 x 7.5 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | No |
| Wi-Fi Standard | 802.11 a/n/ac |
Product Review
Finally, for the ones looking to cut out costs of separate modem and router. Here comes an exceptional gateway to quench the thirst of your devices demanding ultra-fast internet speeds. With a garden bench design and four antennas, this huge gateway is NETGEAR’s C7800.
Designed with plastic, this premium modem-router combo promises great performance and network coverage across a big-size space. The modem part of this clean look gateway is a DOCSIS 3.1 with 32 x 8 downstream and upstream channels. This future-proof ability connects your home or office with internet speeds of up to 2 Gbps.
While the router part is equipped with the AC3200 dual-band technology. This enables this powerful gateway to support 3.2 Gbps of speeds, so your hefty downloads and round-the-clock surfing aren’t interrupted. The gateway covers an area of up to 3000 sq. ft. enabling internet connections to a massive number of 45 wireless devices. With this wide coverage, the C7800 ensures a stable connection in each corner of your house.
In our tests, the NETGEAR C7800 performed as expected. While the modem part of the connection piped a reliable and fast 600 Mbps connection to our office, the router part of the connection threw it out wide, making it available from the second story. There was still enough potential in the network to be consumed after usage on over 20 wireless devices. Moreover, NETGEAR’s Genie App is there to guide through the setup too. So there’s no reason left to avoid this feature flooded gateway.
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Plus Point: With the NETGEAR C7800, you’ll have access to the Genie App. The app will enable you to easily connect, monitor, and have full control of your home or office network.
| PROS | CONS |
| Wide WiFi coverage | Quite bulky build |
| Fast and reliable DOCSIS technology | A bit pricey |
| Support for guest networks |
7. Motorola MG7540 Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo
Features
- Full-Band Capture digital tuner for faster internet speeds
- Anybeam Implicit Beamforming improve range and performance
- Operates on WiFi DFS frequencies
- Two years of warranty
Specifications
| Weight | 2.5 lbs |
| Color | Black |
| Dimensions | 11 x 10.2 x 2.8 inches |
| IPv4 Support | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes |
| Telephone Voice Ports | No |
| Wi-Fi Standard | 802.11a/b/g/n |
Product Review
Finally, we decided this one should not be overlooked because some people may be looking for a low-cost gateway package. Therefore, we saw a reasonably priced Motorola release that has drawn all attention to itself in the market. Motorola’s attempts to meet all consumer needs continue with the MG7540.
This time Motorola has made some modifications to its standard design, with a black glossy finish on the plastic rectangular box. Overall, the device looks good and since it has a vertical stand, it won’t take much space. It’s also worth noting that the NETGEAR C7800, which is more expensive, might outperform the Motorola MG7540. However, despite its low cost, the Motorola MG7540 has more advanced features for a better network.
Coming to the performance, the MG7540 is a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with 16 x 4 downstream and upstream channels, accelerating speeds up to 686 Mbps. Additionally, the router has an AC1600 dual-band feature, with one band of 2.4 Ghz and the other of 5 Ghz. Along with this, you can get a successful connection to 10 wireless devices.
We gave the setup process a big thumbs up throughout our testing because it was really user-friendly. The performance level was sufficient for modest bandwidth requirements and easily handled UHD video streaming, quick internet downloads, online gaming, and other tasks.
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Plus Point: The Motorola MG7540 works on Wireless DFS frequencies, which makes it less susceptible to the interference of neighbors.
| PROS | CONS |
| Cheap price as compared to rivals | Limited compatibility with service providers |
| Beamforming technology to improve network | |
| Long warranty period |
Conclusion
These were all of our picks for the best modems for Comcast Xfinity’s network. In addition, we’ve also dropped a complete list of modems approved by Xfinity in case you want to check on your own.
However, now after such a detailed overview of the best options from the market. All that is left to do is make a final choice and replace the rental equipment from the service provider. Our final recommendation would be the top pick, Motorola MB7621.
After in-depth research, we concluded it to be the most reliable and best performing with Xfinity’s network. Also, it has a list of advanced features and the price is relatively affordable.
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