Visitor
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1 Message
Device Offline, and cannot port forward
I've tried every other avenue and after getting hung up on after over an hour on-call, I suppose I'll try here.
I've purchased a new device that's supposed to act as a webserver. When I try to port forward, I cannot select the device because it appears offline. I've disabled IPv6, I've given it a static IPv4 address, and I still cannot get it to appear online. I've tried going directly to the gateway to adjust the settings there and it just points me back to the app.
Are there any other options to bypass this? Or do I need to buy a router that will actually let me do what I want it
XfinityAirelle
Official Employee
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2.6K Messages
24 days ago
Hey there — first off, I’m really sorry you’ve had such a rough time trying to get help. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be spending all that time on the phone and still not getting the answers you need. I've definitely been in that spot before, and it’s the worst when you feel like you’re just going in circles.
You're doing all the right things — static IP, disabling IPv6, trying to manage it directly through the gateway — so major credit to you for already covering a lot of the heavy lifting.
Here’s what’s going on:
With the newer Xfinity gateways (XB7, XB8 models especially), port forwarding can only be managed through the Xfinity app. Even when you log into the gateway locally, it’s set up to bounce you back to the app for any port management. Super annoying for more technical setups, but that’s how the system is designed now.
When a device shows as “offline” in the app, the gateway doesn't recognize it as actively requesting a connection, even if it has a valid static IP. That’s why it’s not giving you the option to port forward — it basically thinks the device isn’t ready to receive traffic.
Here’s what you can try before replacing your equipment:
Reboot both the device and the gateway at the same time. Power them both down for 1-2 minutes, then power up the gateway first, then your device. This can sometimes “refresh” the device list in the app.
Connect the device via Ethernet (wired) if possible instead of WiFi — wired devices tend to show up more reliably in the app for port forwarding.
Check that the device has internet activity — like even a small outbound ping or request. Some devices sit quietly and won’t “wake up” on the network until traffic starts flowing, and the gateway needs to see that before it will list them as online.
If that doesn’t work and you need full local control (no app limitations), yes — you could definitely add your own personal router. If you go that route, you would want to put the Xfinity gateway into Bridge Mode and run your own router behind it. That way, you’ll have full access to local settings like port forwarding, DMZ, static routing, etc. — no restrictions.
We can absolutely help walk you through that too if you decide that’s the best way forward! Totally your call depending on how deep you want to get into managing your network.
Let me know what you want to try next — we’ll get you where you need to be!
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