In the COVID era, everyone’s trying their best to be wise about their expenses. They have started eating at home, they aren’t shopping for clothes and accessories as they used to, and are sticking to affordable cable services like Cox cable. The cord-cutters on the other hand have decided to keep the streaming services with the best content only.
If you take a harder look, still a lot can be done to lower your monthly entertainment expenses. Choosing BYOD is one of them! Way to go if you have decided to buy your own router and kiss the equipment fee goodbye, which was an unnecessary expense tied with the Xfinity Internet plan. Small fees like these quickly add up and make the service expensive. It makes more sense to get your own router.
BYOD means you MUST get a router compatible with Xfinity and it should match your Internet speed as well. Let’s dig into the routers with juicy specs that bring out the best of your Internet plan:
1: TP-Link Archer A20 (Recommended for Gigabit Plan)
This router is the beast because it’s the tri-band monster featuring one 2.4 and two 5 GHz bands. Thanks to the 5 GHz bands frequency, it can support up to 1,625 Mbps speed on the wired connection. This means if you have signed up for Xfinity’s gigabit plan, you will be making the most of it.
Another great thing about Archer A20 is that it features link aggregation technology. It is capable of combining two LAN ports increase the download speed to 2000 Mbps. Although most of us don’t need such a whopping speed if you are a small business owner and you can’t compromise on the speed, A20 won’t let you down!
Other features include QoS Mu-MIMO technology and beamforming. Archer A20 has Alexa-enabled so you can give it commands to turn off the guest network whenever a visitor leaves or make other requests.
2: TP-Link Archer A8 (Best and Cheap)
It’s the newer version of Archer A7 and it falls under $100. Both A7 and A8 are compatible with Xfinity internet plans.
This upgraded model features the 3×3 MU-MIMO technology, which allows it to send and receive from multiple devices. It’s highly efficient equipment and it’s ideal for homes with multiple users connecting several devices at the same time.
3: TP-Link Archer AX21 (Editor’s Choice)
This one’s the editor’s choice. It’s a high-powered router featuring Wi-Fi 6 technology. This means you can connect more devices with the router and nothing will happen to the speed. Wi-Fi 6 router is also backward compatible. If you use old devices, you can connect them without fuss.
It gives the speed consistency that most gamers dream of. The beamforming tech promises better signals and makes your network almost unstoppable.
So long as your internet speed plan allows it, the router’s speeds can reach up to 1.8 Gbps. Even if your speed plan is slower than this speed, you can expect to make the most out of your plan. The OneMesh Wi-Fi System is another quality of Archer AX21 that you will admire. Thanks to this technology, you can create a mesh Wi-Fi network using your router and range extender.
4: Motorola MG7550 Modem Router Combo (Best Combo Router)
If you are looking forward to investing in a combo router, this is the best option there is.
MG7550 modem has a maximum download speed of 686Mbps. While this may not seem like much, considering that most routers these days can achieve theoretical speeds of Gbps if you’re being honest, you know that we don’t currently have access to super-fast high-speed internet (at least not for the majority of us). As a result, the MG7550 is a viable option. It is capable of handling connection speeds on par with any other router.
Its power boost technology amplifies the signals to the legal limit. Features like DFS extend the range and Anybeam enhances the performance of this device. It provides a fast and robust connection with amazing coverage.
5: ARRIS Surfboard SBG8300 (Combo and best for Gigabit Plan)
If you have the Gigabit internet plan by Xfinity, ARRIS Surfboard SBG8300 will help you get the most speed. This heavy-duty modem is capable of supporting capable internet plans bringing a speed of 4000 Mbps. It’s a newly compatible modem. We have kept it last on our list because it’s insanely expensive.
There have been several complaints about this product on Amazon, so you might want to do your research before investing in this one.
The Takeaway
You don’t really have to buy a router but if you are tired of paying the unnecessary monthly fee and make the most of your plan’s speed, then, buying your own equipment is the right thing to do. Explore the options shared here and buy what suits your plan the best.
