Frequent Visitor
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13 Messages
I have the Xfi gateway, but so many problems want to switch to "bring my own hardware"
For reference: https://mrblog.org/2020/10/19/comcast-xfinity-gig-speed/
The biggest hassle with the "Xfi gateway" is devices not being able to see each other, even on the same wifi, directly on the "Xfi Gateway" e.g. Hue (lights) bridge, Google Chromecast, Sonos speakers, and connected home devices like my garage door opener.
So now that I have their "Xfi gateway" has anybody switched over to their own modem/router? What should I expect? How difficult was it in terms of getting the basic Comcast connection working (I'm pretty comfortable with the home networking side, once the Comcast connection is live with an IP address)?
mikem5
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11 Messages
5 years ago
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Curmudgeon101
Contributor
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21 Messages
5 years ago
For three years, I employed the approved Motorola MT (whatever the number series is) cable modem with no problems. Then out of nowhere (i.e., no hardware or software changes to MY network, browsers, adapters, etc.) I began having connectivity issues. I took a four prong approach to troubleshooting: Windows 10 software, PC Hardware, Motorola Modem settings/hardware, or Comcast signal issue(s)? There about 20 suggested things to check/do just with Windows, and I stopped messing with it once the next step was messing around with the registry. I spent quite a bit of time with Motorola on the phone (had to "shop" a bit for a tech support person who actually knew what he was doing), and ran every hardware diagnostic I could fine/update drivers, you know the drill. After each step, there was the obligatory reset the modem and often reboot the PC, so the hours mounted up. Plus, one tel on my connectivity was the ability of an extender to stay linked to a box 60 yards away in a separate building. That's a LOT of trips to check. Connectivity issues persisted.
Once I got to the final step, check Comcast signal, you had no options. Brick and mortar just said "can't help you because you have personal equipment."
I then took possession of their latest cable modem and hooked it up. Other than the ISP not recognizing that I removed the old one (there is a fix for that I read), everything now works fine. I do run a separate ASUS Wifi Router (both old and now current configurations) because it provides more gain than the Xfi antenna-less box). Logging in to Xfi and killing its Wifi does eliminate interference issues that might arise. I've 17 wifi devices connected without a problem.
Two years ago, construction severed my cable connection, and a new underground cable was run to the house. The Comcast technician who did the hookup tested the signal and pronounced it weak and installed some sort of amplifier. At the time, he mentionned that he was doing more and more of these amplifier installs because "Comcast is always trying to cram more features into their signal and it causes issues in places." I've not forgotten that, and am always more than a little suspicious when problems with the signal arise absent any changes whatsoever on the part of the user.
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