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If you can’t replace your Xfinity xFi internet gateway, there’s now an easy way to extend its fast Wi-Fi coverage around your large home without resorting to third-party hardware. Comcast today announced the second-generation Xfinity xFi Pod that you could plug right into a wall socket.
A faster mesh extender
Each xFi Pod is a Wi-Fi extender. The way it works, you plug one into a power socket at a reasonable distance from your xFi Gateway, and it will automatically extend the Wi-Fi network of the Gateway farther.
You can use the Xfinity mobile app to manage the new Pod and use multiple units for a large home. Essentially, the Pod works with the xFi Gateway to create a mesh system.
Wi-Fi coverage depends on the home itself, but on average, cording to Comast, a single Pod can help “solve connectivity issues in 1-2 story homes with 3-4 bedrooms”.
Have a home with five bedrooms or more? Well, maybe you need another Pod. That’s with the assumption you have power sockets at suitable locations around the router house.
The biggest improvement of the new Pod is speed. Comcast says it can deliver up to 500 Mbps, or twice that of the first-gen. While the number is not exactly impressive, it’s more than fast enough to deliver most Comcast cable Internet plans.
On the inside, each 2nd-gen xFi Pod is a tri-band AC3000 mesh extender instead of the dual-band AC1200 dual-band of the first-gen.
The tri-band notion means it can dedicate to one of them as the backhaul link, either to the xFi Gateway or to another Pod. As a result, it can deliver much faster and most consistent performance.
Other than that, the new Pod also includes two Gigabit network ports to host two wired clients.
Availability and pricing
The new 2nd-Gen xFi Pod will work only with xFi Gateway—it won’t work with a standard router. The new Xfinity mesh extender is available now at $110 a unit or $199 for a pack of two.
Will these pods work with a corporate vpn line??
They are just extenders so, I assume they would, Kurt.
Thanx 4 the detailed info. BUT if the gateway is only dual band, what benefit is the tri band pod? I have a CGM4140COM, and can only find info its dual band. Your thots much appreciated.
I haven’t tested this particular one (since I don’t use a Comcast gateway), but that’s quite normal, F. The Pod can dedicate one of its bands solely for backhaul, leaving the other two for clients. It’s just a matter of firmware. In fact, the Synology mesh does the same thing when you have the RT2600ac as the main router and the MR2200ac as a node. The combo worked well in my testing.
Great website.
I noticed it has 2 Ethernet jacks in the bottom. Does this mean I can plug in 2 devices along with the increased WiFi coverage?
Since I’m plugging in two devices, does it mean it will be as fast as if I was connecting directly to the router?
That’s correct, George. And no, they both share the wireless link between the Pod and the main gateway.
This is the best router info site on the interweb! Thank you
That’s very kind of you! Thanks. 🙂