5 Best WiFi Extenders for Xfinity in 2023
WiFi extenders are one of the best ways to give your internet connection at home an extra boost. They provide signals to hard-to-reach areas within your home. But which WiFi extender is best for your Xfinity Wi-Fi plans?
To see which is best, we have to look at the extender’s range, bandwidth capacity, frequency bands, and WiFi standard.
With this, the best WiFi extenders for XFinity are TP-Link RE550, TP-Link RE220, Xfinity Comcast xFi Pods, NETGEAR EX2800, and NETGEAR EX6120.
Achieving a great WiFi experience at home is possible without breaking the bank. Let’s see what each device does and see which extender is best for your needs.
Table of Contents
- Best Overall: TP-Link AC1900 WiFi Extender (RE550)
- Best Budget: TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender (RE220)
- Best Compatibility: Xfinity Comcast Gen 2 xFi Pods
- Extender Runner-Up: NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6120
- Honorable Mention: NETGEAR WiFi Range Extender EX2800
- What to look for in a WiFi range extender?
- The Bottom Line
Best Overall: TP-Link AC1900 WiFi Extender (RE550)
Eliminate dead zones and power up hard-to-reach spaces in your home with the TP-Link RE550. With an extender that offers fast internet speeds, wide coverage, and advanced features it’s surely worth every penny.
The TP-Link RE550 is a dual-band wireless range extender that has a general capacity of 1,900 Mbps. The 600 Mbps on the 2.4GHz and the 1,300 Mbps on the 5GHz make it an excellent choice for streaming, gaming, and browsing.
Using a WiFi 5 device, the connection speeds didn’t drop lower than 100 Mbps on the 2.4GHz and 500 Mbps on the 5GHz band.
What’s also great about this is you can choose which band to use to avoid data traffic. The 3×3 MU-MIMO technology allows your extender to manage connected devices faster and more efficiently. You can use up to 35 smart home devices and gadgets for streaming, gaming, or browsing.
Additionally, it has 3 external antennas that boost signals up to 2,800 sq. ft. So, whether you’re in the kitchen or basement, as long as there’s a RE550 nearby, you won’t need to worry about signals.
Another advanced feature we love about this is it’s OneMesh-ready. Enjoy a seamless single network as long as your existing router is also a TP-Link router.
Compared to a traditional router+range extender setup, you won’t need to connect to separate networks anymore. With this, you can now experience high-speed internet wherever you go. See how to set up your TP-Link RE550 below.
Best Budget: TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender (RE220)
Boost internet signals with a handy WiFi extender that you mount on your walls anytime, anywhere. Experience faster speeds without breaking the bank with TP-Link AC750 (RE220).
The TP-Link AC750 (RE220) is a budget-friendly WiFi range extender that’s perfect for XFinity plans up to 200 Mbps. It has a maximum throughput of up to 750 Mbps the 2.4 GHz supports 300 Mbps the 5GHz supports 433 Mbps.
During the speed test, it was able to provide decent speeds. The 2.4GHz channel didn’t go anywhere lower than 20 Mbps. Meanwhile, the 5GHz channel performs well as it doesn’t go slower than 100 Mbps.
This is an amazing choice if you’re living in a small home. With 3 external antennas, rest assured that your home is covered from corner to corner. Since it’s all-mounted, you can easily move it from one outlet to another!
What we like about the RE220 is the High-Speed Mode feature. This feature allows you to use the 2.4GHz channel as a dedicated backhaul. Then you can use the 5GHz band as an access point. With this, you can maximize the bandwidth and enjoy faster speeds throughout your home.
Additionally, it has one ethernet port, which makes it perfect for easily connecting wired devices such as gaming consoles, desktop computers, or smart TVs.
Watch the video below and learn how to set up the TP-Link AC750 (RE220) using your web browser.
Best Compatibility: Xfinity Comcast Gen 2 xFi Pods
Enhance your WiFi experience at home with Xfinity very own Comcast Gen 2 xFi Pods. Ensure fast speeds with an extender that’s compatible with your current Xfinity Wi-Fi plan.
Compared to its previous generation model, the Comcast Gen 2 xFi Pods are bigger, faster, and more reliable. It’s an all-in-one gateway, modem, and router that blankets your home with strong connections.
So if compatibility and convenience are at the top of your list, then this is a catch for you!
The Comcast Gen 2 xFi Pods are tri-band extenders and have a max throughput of up to 3,000 Mbps. The 2.4GHz frequency band supports 500 Mbps. Then, the two 5GHz frequency bands support up to 1,250 Mbps.
We tested the pod’s speeds, and it truly is fast and convenient. At 25 feet up, the speeds didn’t go slower than 50 Mbps. Then, the 5GHz bands still go up to 280 Mbps.
What’s cool about this is the other 5GHz band can be used as a dedicated backhaul for device communications and service optimization. So, you can ensure that the pod is communicating well with the router while simultaneously sending signals to your mobile devices.
Additionally, the pods also come with two ethernet ports. So if you have devices at home that you need to connect, it’s easy-peasy!
Check out how easy it is to set up your Comcast XFi Pod using the Xfinity app below.
Extender Runner-Up: NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6120
Expand your current network’s wireless coverage range while keeping your home’s sleek aesthetic with NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6120.
If you’re living in a small home with 20 device users, then this extender is a catch!
The NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6120 is a dual-band range extender that has a maximum throughput of up to 1,200 Mbps. Theoretically, the 2.4 GHz has a max throughput of 300 Mbps while the 5GHz has 900 Mbps.
During our speed test, the small extender did really well. At 50 feet away from the extender, the speeds don’t go slower than 50 Mbps. With this, you can browse, stream, and play lag-free!
Additionally, it has 2 external high-power antennas that boost signals to fill in small dead zones throughout your home.
Although it doesn’t have a USB port for printers or PCs, the EX6120 has an ethernet port. So connecting your wired devices is easy-peasy!
Overall, the EX6120 may be small but the performance is indeed notable. Plus it’s very easy to install and set up! You may check out how to set up the EX6120 here.
Honorable Mention: NETGEAR WiFi Range Extender EX2800
Experience speed and convenience with a quick plug with the NETGEAR EX2800. NETGEAR has an incredible reputation for its routers and mesh systems. With that said, their WiFi range extenders live up to the expectations.
The NETGEAR EX2800 is a worthy option choice if you’re looking for an easy and reliable way to extend your home WiFi range.
It’s designed to provide up to 750 Mbps of speed, and it doesn’t go slower than 50 Mbps. This makes it ideal for all online activities. Whether you intend to use it for online work, video streaming, or daily browsing, you can stay on top of all of them.
Thanks to its plug-and-play feature, you can place it anywhere in your home that needs an extra signal boost. It also has a very easy setup and installation process. Check out how to set up your EX2800 here.
With WiFi 5 technology, it’s compatible with almost all devices and your Xfinity Wi-Fi plans. Although it may not be best for gaming, it’s suitable for small homes that use up to 20 devices.
What to look for in a WiFi range extender?
Looking for a WiFi range extender may be a difficult task to do. But, you really need to look for these things:
- Wide WiFi coverage range
- Big bandwidth capacity
- Fast speeds
- Updated WiFi standard
But of course, you need to consider your ISP’s current capacity. Considering that Xfinity Wi-Fi plans don’t go above 500 Mbps, it’s important to get extenders that are capable of that speed.
While the latest WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E range extenders are the talk of the town, it’s not really recommendable if you’re an Xfinity user.
Firstly, WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E devices are expensive and are capable of supporting gigabit speeds. We don’t want you to spend money on devices that you can’t make the most out of.
So, if you have an internet plan with 200 Mbps or lower, it’s better to stick to WiFi 5 range extenders. They offer fast speeds plus awesome features similar to what WiFi 6E extenders can offer.
The Bottom Line
Among the 5 best WiFi extenders for Xfinity we’ve listed, the TP-Link AC1900 (RE550) is indeed the most exceptional choice. It has great Wi-Fi coverage, fast speeds, advanced technology, and awesome features. It surely is going to be worth every penny!
But, it’s also important to consider your personal needs, too. So, we hope that our list helps you pick the best extender for you and your home needs.
Thinking about getting a mesh system instead? Check out our list of Best Mesh Systems in 2023.
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