Xfinity - Advanced Gateway (XB7)

The XB7 modem has WiFi 6 and the XB8 has 6e. You can get the XB7 starting at the Fast speed tier.

If all you have is one Xfinity device then you have an Xfinity Gateway which is a combo router/access point. If it's working fine I wouldn't upgrade it. If you need to upgrade then I'd just get a newer XFi gateway which is all in one. Buying a modem + router is gonna cost $250+, then they won't really help you if you have issues.

They're fine. The XB7 has fewer complaints than the XB8 or XB10 and the techs will tell you that the older ones (XB7) are more reliable. Whether that's true or not, who knows. But XB7 and/or XB8 are good. I stopped using it because I like messing with stuff and wanted an OpnSense box as the router and Ruckus access points, but before that I was using the XFi gateway as-is.

"Gaming Router" is just a Marketing thing used to sell overpriced routers to suckers!!! It's not going to be magically better than any other normal router. The simple fact is there is a MAX output signal that can be used to even be allowed to sell your product. I know my Xfinitiy XB7 Modem/Router had pretty good Wifi though I used my own Wifi Access Points with my Prosumer Gateway(Router). As you move up from 2.4Ghz to 5Ghz and the newest 6Ghz, you get faster speeds, but your range is reduced, especially going through walls. It's why most smart devices are 2.4Ghz only. It's more about a good, reliable connection over speed. I don't know how far away you are from your Modem/Router. How many walls? Sometimes this can be helped with a MESH Setup. Basically it's a setup with a main router and 1 or 2 MESH Units you spread around. For example, you have your Router located at one end of your house and at the other end of your house your Wifi is weak to dead. Well you would take one of the mesh APs Mesh Access Point and place it in the middle. So that it can still have a connection t the main router, and send that signal further to the other side of the house. You wouldn't want it located in the weak or dead room, because it would have the same issue as your device at that point. MESH just means that the AP is Wireless. It only plugs into a power outlet. AP (Wifi Access Point) is just a device that does one thing, WIFI. Being WIRED into the network is better. Wired back to your Router. That AP could then be placed right in the dead room and give you great WIFI like standing next to the router. I use Unifi APs. You can see a bunch of examples of AP's [here!](https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/all-wifi) Other companies also make these things. TP-LINK OMADA line for example. Many others!!! These things are powered by POE. Power Over Ethernet. Either by using an Injector, which is a small device you plug into a power outlet with 2 Ethernet ports. One side is powered that goes to an AP or a POE camera, and the other one go's to your network. Of course there are POE Switches. If you have a bunch of POE devices, it makes far more sense to use a POE switch to power everything, using a single electrical plug for the switch then a bunch of injectors and all their plugs. I have 2 AP's and use 2 Injectors. Some of the MESH systems out there may also allow you to plug into your network to have a wired AP as WIRED is always better and the Injectors on those is built in, so you just have a power plug. A big part coms to being a Renter or a Owner. If you rent, running Ethernet cables can be a problem. you can't do that. If you own, you can pretty much do whatever you want. When I got my house, one of the first things I did was create a large wired Network. That is the time to do it, when you don't have your house filled with crap. If you are a renter, then a MESH setup is about the only option. It's not a magical fix.

I have Xfinity. I put their Xfi Modem/Router in Passthru mode. I use a Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro for my router. All my devices use PiHole for DNS. So, it isn’t a problem. I was using my own Modem for years. But, after I upgraded to 2 GB service, they would not support the speed on my Modem, even though it was capable. So, I had to use their modem/router. I only agreed to update my service if I could use it in Passthru mode.

| My equipment (All Obama): LOL, I’m guessing that is a typo/autocorrect issue. Obama equipment? ☺️. I agree with you about ISP equipment being low quality. I’ve used this XB7 (“Xfinity Advanced Gateway”) before with a gigabit internet plan. Details: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/broadband-gateways-userguides This wireless router is pathetic. Standing right next to it, with a gigabit internet plan, I get about 850mbps. Sitting on the couch about 10 feet away (line of sight!) I get about 650mbps. The next room over (30 feet away, 2 walls blocking signal) it drops to about 400mbps. Two rooms over (3 walls blocking signal) it’s under 200mbps. Not only does it have terrible range, but there’s also a monthly rental fee for these poorly engineered devices. Anyone using these should replace them ASAP with their own modem and router. Save yourself the rental charge… and by using your own equipment it will pay for itself in less than 18 months in most cases. After that you are paying yourself to use your own equipment, which often works much better than the cable company default.

I agree with u/uobytx \- The router your internet provider gives you is generally older technology that is not tuned for performance. The provider buys the device from another manufacturer and keep it "as simple as possible" so it is easier for them to support and troubleshoot in case of issues. The cheaper the unit costs the provider, the higher their profit margins - and the worse your performance may be. As an example, I had Comcast/Xfinity internet service in a prior home previously. Paid for 1 gigabit service (got it as a promotion; would never pay full price for it) and this included the "Xfinity Advanced Gateway (XB7)". Funny they call it "advanced" as it was nothing but. More info on it - [https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/broadband-gateways-userguides](https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/broadband-gateways-userguides) With that gateway I could be standing right next to it, being wirelessly connected at 5ghz and get a speed test of about 850mbps using my iPhone (only 1 year old, so the slow speed isn't due to the iPhone). If I sit on the couch 10 feet away, with direct line of sight to the router, the speed drops to about 600mbps. If I go another 15 feet away to the kitchen (open concept layout; still have line of sight to the router) I get about 250mbps. If I go to another room about 15 feet from the router, separated by one wall and some wood furniture, I get about 150mbps. Compare that to an ASUS XT8 tri-band mesh system which I have now (1 mesh router and 1 mesh node 2 floors downstairs, about 25 feet away, separated by two floors). I downgraded my service to 400mbps after the 1gigabit promotion ended, so now max speed is 400mbps. In the same room as as the router i get 400mbps. Downstairs, separated by one floor in the main room, I get 400mbps. If I move to the front door (about 30 feet away), I only get about 200mbps as the router is separated by a floor and some HVAC equipment (metal shielding etc) in the wall. If I go downstairs (which now uses the mesh node) I get 400mbps. So the only trouble spot I have is by the front door. With the old XB7 I'd be lucky to get 100mbps there. With the ASUS XT8 mesh I get almost 100% speed everywhere. And that's with wireless backhaul; the devices are not connected via ethernet. I did later connect them via ethernet using MoCA, but for over 3 years I used them in wireless config and had very few issues. One in a while a mesh node would drop off/have low signal strength, but I could it by rebooting it. So as you can see if you buy your own router/mesh system you will generally experience improved performance. Are you interested in WiFi 6 or WiFi 7 for router/mesh recommendations?

The XB7 is WiFi 6, and it has both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. The XB8 is WiFi 6E, and has 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. xFi Complete is essentially a “plan” add on. It includes a modem rental, unlimited data, Advanced Security, and some other smaller details that are in the fine print on the Comcast website. The Xfi Pro is a brand new “plan” that essentially encompasses everything on Xfi Complete, but includes a Pro WiFi Extender (formerly known as the Storm Ready device). Again, there’s some small print on the Comcast website. Don’t quote me on the differences between the two, as the Pro is genuinely brand new, and I’m still familiarizing myself on the details. But what I listed should be fairly accurate. Hopefully that helps you out a bit.