Want A Third-Party Xfinity Modem? Here's How To Find One Compatible With Your Plan

When you first sign up for internet service with one of the major providers like Xfinity, they'll usually offer to rent out a hybrid modem and router to you, the cost of which will be rolled into your plan. However, if you don't like the price of the provider's hardware or otherwise find it insufficient for your needs, there is an alternative route: getting a third-party modem and using it with your internet plan. As much as Xfinity would prefer that you rent one of its modems, it does offer compatibility with a variety of different modems and routers produced by third-party companies.

However, not all modems are created equal. You can't just buy some random modem in a nameless electronics store and assume that it'll work as well as your provider's own hardware. Different modems are built to accommodate different levels of usage, particularly connection speed. If you don't have the right kind of modem, you won't be able to make full use of the speed afforded to you by your plan, and at that point, what are you even paying for? Thankfully, Xfinity does offer a convenient way to browse third-party modems before you buy.

If you'd prefer to shop around for modems rather than just take the rental, Xfinity actually maintains a database of up-to-date third-party modems that are certified secure and compatible with its various connection plans. If you've already signed up for Xfinity service, then you can peruse this catalog by logging into the Xfinity website and visiting the My Device Info page.

On this page, you'll see a shortlist of third-party modems that are recommended for general-purpose use by Xfinity. If you want more detailed information, click the button beneath marked "See other modems." This will show you the full catalog of third-party modems available for purchase. On the main catalog screen, you can also use the filters on the left side to automatically filter out any modems that aren't compatible with or optimized for your plan's speed. Click the View Details button under any modem to get a full readout on its specs, including whether or not it's compatible with your plan's connection speed. You can't purchase third-party modems through Xfinity, but the details page should give you all the info you need to go looking for the modem you want elsewhere, including manufacturer and model number.

If you've already got a modem on hand when you sign up for Xfinity service, you can try to hook it up, but whether or not it's going to work is a bit of a toss-up. If you know all the specs of your modem, you can check the catalog on the My Device Info page to see if you can find it. If that exact model of modem is on the compatible list, it should work, or at least work well enough to get you online. Whether it can make full use of your plan's speed is a separate matter.

If your modem isn't on the list, though, there's a good chance it's not compatible with your Xfinity plan. Xfinity cautions on its support page for third-party hardware that any issues you experience when using third-party modems are entirely on you to resolve — it won't have any way to help you if you're not using its hardware. It's also important to remember that Xfinity periodically upgrades its systems and increases its speeds, so even if your third-party modem is working with your plan now, it may not work forever.