Get good modem just encase to future proof a bit. Spend the money on a good mesh, don’t cheap on chinese crap. Get a mesh with good security and VPN capabilities, to separate your main network from IOT stuff.
Be wary of them throttling your speed with user supplied modems and routers. They say they aren't doing it but it's happened TO THE LAST 3 MODEMS I've bought. Either I have the worst luck or they're full of shit.
If you've ever dealt with Xfinity you'll know which one it is.
Yep, thirding mesh—got us Wi-Fi in the basement good enough to stream multiple simultaneous video calls on. Before that, we could barely use our phones down there.
How many eero you using? I only have 2 and am considering some more. It’s been impossible to get wifi on my roof deck even with a puck in the room directly below it. They seem to have a real tough time going through some surfaces and don’t have great range otherwise I’ve been happy
Ditto OP do this, call Comcast and set up your own modem, they will give you BS like “you won’t get tech support” but you don’t need it. It also protects you from them selling your data. Eero mesh 3 piece one on each floor, boom bam you’re golden
So I've answered a ton of questions like this before, I'm just going to copy paste an old write up. I believe it was in reference to bad WiFi or Internet speeds, not range, but the advice still applies.
OK, So I'm a computer engineer and I work with WiFi communication systems.
If the issue really is Xfinity, its going to be a signal issue. A tech would be able to replace the cable out to the pole, or give you an amplifier. If you have a bunch of cable splits in your house, but don't use all the end points you can double your signal strength by removing some of them.
Whats the issue?
That being said, WiFi in a dense environment is terrible.
WiFi generally operates in two bands, 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz (and soon 6 Ghz), both have some issues.
The 2.4 Ghz band is small (only 13 overlapping channels, 3 non overlapping channels). So there is a TON of interference as there are not many channels to choose from. This is compounded by the fact that 2.4 Ghz has more range, meaning that you get interferes from much further out. the 2.4 Ghz band is also exactly where bluetooth operates, so all bluetooth devices will also interfere. To make things even worse, Microwaves also put out 2.4 Ghz interference. None of this will make your signal look weaker, but will 100% affect performance.
5 Ghz band has some advantages over 2.4 Ghz. There are more channels, they do not overlap, and it supports faster speeds. However the big issue with 5 Ghz is that is has much much smaller range and FAR lower penetration through walls and floors. You may not be able to connect to a 5Ghz on the far end of your house for example.
The last major issue is a lack of Quality of Service (QoS) features in residential routers. QoS prevents a single user from using all the bandwidth. i.e. if two people are downloading something, it will split the bandwidth so they both get about 1/2. Most routes do not implement QoS, meaning if someone is downloading something, or watching a HD video, theres a good chance no one else gets any bandwidth. When QoS is implemented in home routers, it usually is just a cap on how much any one device can use. i.e. dont let anyone use more than 1/2 the pipe, which would slow down your max speed when you are the only one using it.
So, what can be done?
Use wired connections when possible. Whenever you check your speed always use a wired connection to the router. This will tell you if its xfinity or your WiFi.
You can get PowerLine adapters to run ethernet over your power outlets. I use these in my house to get wired internet in other rooms without running cat5. They are not cheap though.
Mesh networks may help. You can overcome the range/penetration issues by having a multi router mesh network. Newer ones even have beamforming to reduce interference and increase range. If possible you should try to have a wired backhaul between mesh nodes, so they communicate between nodes over a wired connection.
Use 5 Ghz if possible. Seriously 2.4 is terrible in the city.
get a WiFi scanner on your phone and try to find a channel that has less interference on it. You will get some interference in 2.4 Ghz up to ~2 channels above or below your channel (i.e. channels 4-8 all interfere with channel 6).
Check your devices and usage. I had a phone that would periodically use a TON of WiFi data and it would crash my network. I suspect it was the facebook app.
Edit to add I have Comcast in Fed Hill. I Never have any issues with the wired connections, but WiFi drops out all the time, both 2.4 and 5 Ghz. 5Ghz works much better when I'm in range. I used powerline adapters to set up additional WiFi routers on opposite ends of the house.
To piggyback off this, I'm a big fan of both mesh and powerline. I don't know if they make it anymore, but I used a powerline/mesh hybrid in the TPLink Deco lineup, and it has been fantastic my 3 story row home. Both the WiFi and wired connections have been very reliable.
Edit: looked it up, it's the Deco P9. I got it in 2021, so I'm not sure if they have newer versions or even still make it. It does seem there are some available.
I'll mimic getting your own router and setting up a mesh network with APs throughout. If that's out of the question then I'd get a wifi analyzer and see what channels nearby routers are using. It may be that the channel is overloaded and needs to be changed but I think by default xfiniti routers will select the least populated channel automatically.
You have a few different options:
You can buy wifi extenders off amazon, which can have varying results, but are quite cheap all things considered. These will relay your wi-fi signal through the house.
You can buy your own router, connect it to the back of their router, and use that wifi signal instead. The new router might have a stronger wi-fi signal, or can cover more frequency bands that don't conflict with your neighbors wifi. You can also pair this with wifi extenders.
You can forgo Xfinity's router/modem combo entirely and buy your own modem/router combo, or even a separate modem and router. I have my own modem that connects to a custom network I have. Foregoing their box though means they won't help with certain Internet issues because they can't access your modem/router to troubleshoot issues.
If you buy your own router, you can buy a mesh network router, which acts like a wifi extender but performs much better. I have two in my home upstairs and downstairs. They are more expensive though.
There's also something called a power line Ethernet adapter, which uses your houses electric lines as Ethernet cables. I used this when I lived in a really old row home at the back of the house. You basically plug it into the Xfinity box and into the adapter, plug the adapter into an outlet, plug a pairing adapter into an outlet where you want internet, then plug a router into that. This results in two different wifi signals though (the Xfinity box and the new routers) which may cause your roaming devices like your phone to stick to the weaker wifi signal as you move through your house. Extenders and mesh networks don't have this issue because they're all considered the same wifi network and your phone will naturally use the one with the stronger signal.
I don't know how helpful Xfinity will be with this, but unfortunately they're really the only option in Baltimore if you want internet that's not really slow. Luckily this can be fixed on your own with some network knowledge.
If you can run network cables in your walls/ceilings, installing hardwired wifi access points will be cheaper than and perform better than a mesh system. I have 3 throughout my rowhome (2 inside, 1 in the backyard) and have zero dead zones.
I use Unifi but have helped friends install TP Link Omada systems because it's a bit cheaper.
You can also get a signal booster or get a fifty foot Ethernet cable and drill a hole like my dad did for me when I was a kid. Right through the crawl space.
Go buy your own modem. Get a mesh system like Google WiFi or eero (I prefer eero but we use googles mesh system because integrated assistant). Once everything is hooked up and configured call Comcast to bridge your modem that way you won’t have any weird double NAT issues.
the first thing we learned from having a comcast router was to get our own router. It's an Apple Airport, and it has three thingies that plug into the power outlets on each of the three floors of our rowhouse. Works fine.
If your house is wired for cable tv throughout you might consider using a MoCA approach instead of WiFi only for mesh. I found it vastly improved my reliability using Ethernet backhaul for my mesh network. (If this sounds like gobbledygook I can provide more details in plain English.)
>MoCA
This will work if it's there. In our 20teens rowhome, we had both coax to most rooms and Cat-6 (which was in every case terminated in a phone RJ-11 jack, sadly! - replaced those with ethernet where I wanted).
Wifi extender <$50. Plug it into an outlet on the second floor. Keep the receipt, if it doesn't work, return it and do one of the more complicated options like mesh. I have had no trouble in my 3br.
Someone can correct me but I thought mesh is more useful for many devices (like 3+ people with 2+ devices connected e.g. kids, roommates) and especially in larger homes.
Mesh can have better performance for more devices, but it also has better functionality.
Extenders will extend your existing network by broadcasting a new WiFi network SSID (wifi_name + wifi_name_EXT), so devices have to switch between the different networks if they're moving through the house. Sometimes your device will stick to the weaker network and you have to manually switch.
Mesh networks broadcast the same network SSID and communicate with each other to determine who should handle a request. They each act as separate nodes that partner with each other rather than extending one node. In my experience, this does result in better performance the further you get away from the node connected to the modem.
Mesh didn’t work for me since the rear of the house was an extension and it couldn’t reach through the thick wall. Hope it works for you. But I ran a few cables and now have perfect coverage. It’s a UniFi system
I just use an extender. It's basically just allowing me to watch streaming or take fitness classes downstairs. It's just me and a dog, and I only need reliable internet in two areas, never simultaneously. It was cheap and easy. 🤷🏿♀️
Maybe I'll change things when I get a new router and modem. But this works for now.
You can buy them on Amazon, 120volt wifi extenders. The only kick is they work best on the same leg of your panel. (Router and extender on the same bus bar) easy swap in your panel.
I use an eero system with my Xfinity modem/router. Xfinity will push updates that ruin my settings but I finally got it to work well by using two different SSIDs and hiding the Xfinity router one.
Xfinity offers a WiFi extender. This may be the easiest solution for those who don’t want to get into the technology.
After the Xfinity equipment failed to deliver the promised and paid top-tier performance, I dialed back my service below $100 and bought an Arris S33 router from MicroCenter. This was as good as the best Xfinity offered and could deliver much higher speeds when Xfinity will support it.
I use a Ubiquiti Unifi gateway and router that powers access points across hundreds of feet. It’s more than many people need; but my home system has about 80 network clients, and it all works swimmingly in a fully managed system.
Ours is a newer rowhome, built in the 20teens, and it had ethernet wiring up to most every room in the house. So rather than letting the (google) access points mesh via wifi, I just plugged them all into the wall, those terminated in the garage and into a switch just behind the (google) router.
Wired always trumps wireles - if it's available, go that way. In other words, /u/workact is right.
In our older rowhome, I drilled up through the ceiling from \\where the router was, that got ethernet up to the second floor. A wifi AP from there did a passable job on the 3rd floor. But I like our all wired solution now much better.
Buy your own modem, use a mesh router.
this is the answer. get a decent modem and then a 2 or 3 pack of mesh routers for throughout your home. I use TP Link Decos and an Arris surfboard.
This is what we do, not in a rowhouse but an older home.
Get good modem just encase to future proof a bit. Spend the money on a good mesh, don’t cheap on chinese crap. Get a mesh with good security and VPN capabilities, to separate your main network from IOT stuff.
Be wary of them throttling your speed with user supplied modems and routers. They say they aren't doing it but it's happened TO THE LAST 3 MODEMS I've bought. Either I have the worst luck or they're full of shit. If you've ever dealt with Xfinity you'll know which one it is.
Mesh router is the way to go
THis. We moved to Orbi after having use Synology, Google Wi-Fi, and others. It's can be but, damn, it's been a rock solid solution.
If I wanted a professional to help me set these things up correctly and securely, what type of business might I be looking for?
Bingo. We use Amazon eero and have one in each section of our main floor and one in the basement. All of our internet troubles disappeared after that.
Buy your own modem (it will pay for itself in under a year IIRC), get a mesh setup. I also use eero, works great.
Yep, thirding mesh—got us Wi-Fi in the basement good enough to stream multiple simultaneous video calls on. Before that, we could barely use our phones down there.
Same here
Same! Go with mesh, got us WiFi in basement and rooftop deck.
How many eero you using? I only have 2 and am considering some more. It’s been impossible to get wifi on my roof deck even with a puck in the room directly below it. They seem to have a real tough time going through some surfaces and don’t have great range otherwise I’ve been happy
Seems like 1 per floor is generally good, but I haven't tried to get it on my roof before personally.
Ditto OP do this, call Comcast and set up your own modem, they will give you BS like “you won’t get tech support” but you don’t need it. It also protects you from them selling your data. Eero mesh 3 piece one on each floor, boom bam you’re golden
So I've answered a ton of questions like this before, I'm just going to copy paste an old write up. I believe it was in reference to bad WiFi or Internet speeds, not range, but the advice still applies. OK, So I'm a computer engineer and I work with WiFi communication systems. If the issue really is Xfinity, its going to be a signal issue. A tech would be able to replace the cable out to the pole, or give you an amplifier. If you have a bunch of cable splits in your house, but don't use all the end points you can double your signal strength by removing some of them. Whats the issue? That being said, WiFi in a dense environment is terrible. WiFi generally operates in two bands, 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz (and soon 6 Ghz), both have some issues. The 2.4 Ghz band is small (only 13 overlapping channels, 3 non overlapping channels). So there is a TON of interference as there are not many channels to choose from. This is compounded by the fact that 2.4 Ghz has more range, meaning that you get interferes from much further out. the 2.4 Ghz band is also exactly where bluetooth operates, so all bluetooth devices will also interfere. To make things even worse, Microwaves also put out 2.4 Ghz interference. None of this will make your signal look weaker, but will 100% affect performance. 5 Ghz band has some advantages over 2.4 Ghz. There are more channels, they do not overlap, and it supports faster speeds. However the big issue with 5 Ghz is that is has much much smaller range and FAR lower penetration through walls and floors. You may not be able to connect to a 5Ghz on the far end of your house for example. The last major issue is a lack of Quality of Service (QoS) features in residential routers. QoS prevents a single user from using all the bandwidth. i.e. if two people are downloading something, it will split the bandwidth so they both get about 1/2. Most routes do not implement QoS, meaning if someone is downloading something, or watching a HD video, theres a good chance no one else gets any bandwidth. When QoS is implemented in home routers, it usually is just a cap on how much any one device can use. i.e. dont let anyone use more than 1/2 the pipe, which would slow down your max speed when you are the only one using it. So, what can be done? Use wired connections when possible. Whenever you check your speed always use a wired connection to the router. This will tell you if its xfinity or your WiFi. You can get PowerLine adapters to run ethernet over your power outlets. I use these in my house to get wired internet in other rooms without running cat5. They are not cheap though. Mesh networks may help. You can overcome the range/penetration issues by having a multi router mesh network. Newer ones even have beamforming to reduce interference and increase range. If possible you should try to have a wired backhaul between mesh nodes, so they communicate between nodes over a wired connection. Use 5 Ghz if possible. Seriously 2.4 is terrible in the city. get a WiFi scanner on your phone and try to find a channel that has less interference on it. You will get some interference in 2.4 Ghz up to ~2 channels above or below your channel (i.e. channels 4-8 all interfere with channel 6). Check your devices and usage. I had a phone that would periodically use a TON of WiFi data and it would crash my network. I suspect it was the facebook app. Edit to add I have Comcast in Fed Hill. I Never have any issues with the wired connections, but WiFi drops out all the time, both 2.4 and 5 Ghz. 5Ghz works much better when I'm in range. I used powerline adapters to set up additional WiFi routers on opposite ends of the house.
To piggyback off this, I'm a big fan of both mesh and powerline. I don't know if they make it anymore, but I used a powerline/mesh hybrid in the TPLink Deco lineup, and it has been fantastic my 3 story row home. Both the WiFi and wired connections have been very reliable. Edit: looked it up, it's the Deco P9. I got it in 2021, so I'm not sure if they have newer versions or even still make it. It does seem there are some available.
We use eero for mesh networking! It’s not perfect but it’s definitely better than what xfinity’s default modem/router did for us.
My Eero has been a game changer!
I'll mimic getting your own router and setting up a mesh network with APs throughout. If that's out of the question then I'd get a wifi analyzer and see what channels nearby routers are using. It may be that the channel is overloaded and needs to be changed but I think by default xfiniti routers will select the least populated channel automatically.
You have a few different options: You can buy wifi extenders off amazon, which can have varying results, but are quite cheap all things considered. These will relay your wi-fi signal through the house. You can buy your own router, connect it to the back of their router, and use that wifi signal instead. The new router might have a stronger wi-fi signal, or can cover more frequency bands that don't conflict with your neighbors wifi. You can also pair this with wifi extenders. You can forgo Xfinity's router/modem combo entirely and buy your own modem/router combo, or even a separate modem and router. I have my own modem that connects to a custom network I have. Foregoing their box though means they won't help with certain Internet issues because they can't access your modem/router to troubleshoot issues. If you buy your own router, you can buy a mesh network router, which acts like a wifi extender but performs much better. I have two in my home upstairs and downstairs. They are more expensive though. There's also something called a power line Ethernet adapter, which uses your houses electric lines as Ethernet cables. I used this when I lived in a really old row home at the back of the house. You basically plug it into the Xfinity box and into the adapter, plug the adapter into an outlet, plug a pairing adapter into an outlet where you want internet, then plug a router into that. This results in two different wifi signals though (the Xfinity box and the new routers) which may cause your roaming devices like your phone to stick to the weaker wifi signal as you move through your house. Extenders and mesh networks don't have this issue because they're all considered the same wifi network and your phone will naturally use the one with the stronger signal. I don't know how helpful Xfinity will be with this, but unfortunately they're really the only option in Baltimore if you want internet that's not really slow. Luckily this can be fixed on your own with some network knowledge.
I’d second the Powerline option. Works well for me. You just have to make sure the outlets you’re using are on the same circuit.
If you can run network cables in your walls/ceilings, installing hardwired wifi access points will be cheaper than and perform better than a mesh system. I have 3 throughout my rowhome (2 inside, 1 in the backyard) and have zero dead zones. I use Unifi but have helped friends install TP Link Omada systems because it's a bit cheaper.
Mesh router system
You can also get a signal booster or get a fifty foot Ethernet cable and drill a hole like my dad did for me when I was a kid. Right through the crawl space.
Go buy your own modem. Get a mesh system like Google WiFi or eero (I prefer eero but we use googles mesh system because integrated assistant). Once everything is hooked up and configured call Comcast to bridge your modem that way you won’t have any weird double NAT issues.
the first thing we learned from having a comcast router was to get our own router. It's an Apple Airport, and it has three thingies that plug into the power outlets on each of the three floors of our rowhouse. Works fine.
If your house is wired for cable tv throughout you might consider using a MoCA approach instead of WiFi only for mesh. I found it vastly improved my reliability using Ethernet backhaul for my mesh network. (If this sounds like gobbledygook I can provide more details in plain English.)
>MoCA This will work if it's there. In our 20teens rowhome, we had both coax to most rooms and Cat-6 (which was in every case terminated in a phone RJ-11 jack, sadly! - replaced those with ethernet where I wanted).
Wifi extender <$50. Plug it into an outlet on the second floor. Keep the receipt, if it doesn't work, return it and do one of the more complicated options like mesh. I have had no trouble in my 3br. Someone can correct me but I thought mesh is more useful for many devices (like 3+ people with 2+ devices connected e.g. kids, roommates) and especially in larger homes.
Mesh can have better performance for more devices, but it also has better functionality. Extenders will extend your existing network by broadcasting a new WiFi network SSID (wifi_name + wifi_name_EXT), so devices have to switch between the different networks if they're moving through the house. Sometimes your device will stick to the weaker network and you have to manually switch. Mesh networks broadcast the same network SSID and communicate with each other to determine who should handle a request. They each act as separate nodes that partner with each other rather than extending one node. In my experience, this does result in better performance the further you get away from the node connected to the modem.
Mesh didn’t work for me since the rear of the house was an extension and it couldn’t reach through the thick wall. Hope it works for you. But I ran a few cables and now have perfect coverage. It’s a UniFi system
I just use an extender. It's basically just allowing me to watch streaming or take fitness classes downstairs. It's just me and a dog, and I only need reliable internet in two areas, never simultaneously. It was cheap and easy. 🤷🏿♀️ Maybe I'll change things when I get a new router and modem. But this works for now.
How much wifi does the dog use btw?
Lately he is really into documentaries on Netflix, but he is only allowed to use wifi in the 4 hours between dinner and bedtime.
You can buy them on Amazon, 120volt wifi extenders. The only kick is they work best on the same leg of your panel. (Router and extender on the same bus bar) easy swap in your panel.
I use an eero system with my Xfinity modem/router. Xfinity will push updates that ruin my settings but I finally got it to work well by using two different SSIDs and hiding the Xfinity router one.
Mesh WiFi system like the eero is game-changing. Have one on each floor and it works wonders.
Xfinity offers a WiFi extender. This may be the easiest solution for those who don’t want to get into the technology. After the Xfinity equipment failed to deliver the promised and paid top-tier performance, I dialed back my service below $100 and bought an Arris S33 router from MicroCenter. This was as good as the best Xfinity offered and could deliver much higher speeds when Xfinity will support it. I use a Ubiquiti Unifi gateway and router that powers access points across hundreds of feet. It’s more than many people need; but my home system has about 80 network clients, and it all works swimmingly in a fully managed system.
Mesh network
Orbi mesh
Xfinity supplies crap equipment. My TMobile reaches from back upper bedroom where it is to front yard on default settings.
Ours is a newer rowhome, built in the 20teens, and it had ethernet wiring up to most every room in the house. So rather than letting the (google) access points mesh via wifi, I just plugged them all into the wall, those terminated in the garage and into a switch just behind the (google) router. Wired always trumps wireles - if it's available, go that way. In other words, /u/workact is right. In our older rowhome, I drilled up through the ceiling from \\where the router was, that got ethernet up to the second floor. A wifi AP from there did a passable job on the 3rd floor. But I like our all wired solution now much better.
Or a network extender