FAQs
What are WiFi Boost Pods and how do they work?WiFi Boost Pods are devices that can be paired with a compatible xFi Gateway to create a mesh WiFi network in your home. Pods help eliminate areas where WiFi coverage drops or is weak, also known as "dead spots." They provide extended, more consistent WiFi coverage throughout your entire home.
Pods are small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. Each device plugs into an electrical outlet and works as an extension of your gateway's network. As devices join your WiFi network and move around your home, they will stay seamlessly connected.
How do I know if I would benefit from purchasing Pods?
If you have rooms in your home with poor WiFi connectivity due to a weak or inconsistent WiFi signal, WiFi Boost Pods may be a good solution. Pods help extend the range of WiFi coverage in your home to hard-to-reach areas or areas with poor WiFi signals. They are not intended to provide the maximum speed of your internet speed tier throughout your home.
For example, if you have a speed tier that provides download speeds up to 200 Mbps, Pods will not provide that speed throughout your home. Rather, the Pods will help you connect in areas where you could not previously connect to your in-home WiFi.
What is the difference between the WiFi Boost Pods and the newer model?
WiFi Boost Pods (2nd Generation) are more powerful and have better overall performance than the original WiFi Boost Pods. Fewer Pods are needed to cover the same area.
The newer Pods have a higher maximum throughput over WiFi connections and an additional Ethernet port to hardwire your devices to the Pods.
Can I add WiFi Boost Pods (2nd Generation) to a network with WiFi Boost Pods (1st Generation)?Yes, WiFi Boost Pods (2nd Generation) and WiFi Boost Pods (1st Generation) can be added to the same network. However, the newer WiFi Boost Pods are much stronger and faster than the 1st Generation WiFi Boost Pods.
If you purchase the newer 2nd Generation Pod(s), you should remove your older Pod(s) for proper activation of your new equipment and wait 48 hours for them to adapt to the coverage needs of your home. After 48 hours, if you still have poor coverage in some areas, you can readd your older Pod(s) to extend coverage to those areas.
- Tips for using older and newer Pods in one network:
- The newer Pod(s) should be placed closer to the gateway and, if required, older Pod(s) should be placed on the edges of your network.
- Too many Pods can degrade your network speed/strength.
- Be sure to wait 48 hours before adding more Pods to the network.
- Be sure to wait 48 hours before adding more Pods to the network.
If you’re satisfied with the coverage and performance of your WiFi Boost Pods, you may not need to upgrade to WiFi Boost Pods (2nd Generation). However, if you’re interested in enhancing performance and coverage, you can upgrade to WiFi Boost Pods (2nd Generation).
Purchasing WiFi Boost Pods
Do I have to purchase Pods to receive the best WiFi coverage in my home?No, Pods are completely optional. In many homes, all you need is the Xfinity xFi Gateway to deliver fast and reliable in-home WiFi speed and coverage. If you have rooms in your home with poor WiFi connectivity due to a weak or inconsistent WiFi signal, then Pods may be a good solution as they can help eliminate dead spots and provide better coverage.
How can I get Pods?
Pods can be purchased by eligible Xfinity Internet customers with a compatible xFi Gateway at an Xfinity Retail Store or online at xfinity.com/xfipods. Cisco DP3939 Gateways do not support WiFi Boost Pods. To see which model you have, view the Devices page in your account or look on the bottom of your gateway.
When purchasing Pods online, you must meet the eligibility requirements outlined above and place the order while signed into your account as a Primary or Manager user. Members and Viewers will not be able to place online orders for Pods.
Learn more about the different types of users.
Pods can be purchased individually or in sets of two. If you place an order online for Pods, a Getting Started kit will be shipped directly to the address on your account for quick and easy installation.In some areas, agents can send you a direct shipment of WiFi Boost Pods to your home. However, they can’t set up an order for you to pick up your WiFi Boost Pods at a local Xfinity Retail Store.
How many Pods should I purchase?
One 2nd Generation WiFi Boost Pod is recommended for homes with three to four bedrooms and multiple stories. A set of two 2nd Generation WiFi Boost Pods is more appropriate for homes with more than five bedrooms and multiple stories.
These guidelines vary depending on the size of your home, the placement of your gateway and the home construction materials used.
Please note that you should be conservative when determining the number of Pods that you would like to purchase. Installing more Pods than necessary could impact your home WiFi speeds.
How are Pods different from WiFi extenders?
Pods create a mesh WiFi network, which provides several key benefits that WiFi extenders do not, including:
- Greater range of coverage throughout the entire home.
- Simple activation and central management of your entire WiFi network using the Xfinity app.
- An adaptive WiFi network that automatically connects your devices to the best possible access point in the home.
WiFi extenders help extend the WiFi signal further out from your gateway. However, due to their limited range, they will not extend WiFi coverage throughout the entire home.
- Note: The devices that are connected through your router/extender may not appear in xFi.
If you are an eligible customer, you can purchase a Pod for $119 or two Pods for $199. There will also be a shipping and handling fee for online purchases. The cost will appear on your next Comcast bill as an "WiFi Boost Pods" line item.
Alternative mesh WiFi systems can range from $150 to more than $500, making Pods an affordable option.
Why are Pods only offered individually or in sets of two?
Pods are designed to help ensure that WiFi coverage is extended to every corner of your home. The latest generation Pod is more powerful and can extend coverage to areas in your home that would have previously required three Pods.
Your first Pod should be placed in a room halfway between your gateway and an area without coverage. If you have additional areas of your home that need coverage, you can add another Pod. Your additional Pod(s) should also be plugged into outlets halfway between your gateway and those areas.
Can I buy or share a set of Pods with a friend or family member?Yes, a set of Pods can be shared with others; however, please note that Xfinity Internet service and a compatible xFi Gateway are needed to use Pods.
We recommend activating the Pods you're keeping first. After you activate the Pods you plan to keep, the unused Pods will show as offline. To avoid confusion, you can choose to remove the offline Pods that you plan to share so they are no longer visible in your app. Your friend or family member will be able to activate them by signing in to the Xfinity app with their Xfinity ID.
Installation instructions and tips
How do I install and activate my Pods?Pods are easy to install – no technician is needed. Once you order your Pods, you'll receive a Getting Started kit with simple instructions on how to activate your Pods using the Xfinity app.
You can download the Xfinity app for free on the App Store or Google Play if your gateway has been activated. Pod activation requires a supported mobile operating system.
Please see how to get started with Xfinity xFi for details.
Once you begin activating your Pods using the Xfinity app, you'll be provided with easy-to-follow on-screen instructions.
For activation steps, an informational video and more, see WiFi Boost Pods activation.
Notes:
- Be sure to plug your Pods into active electrical outlets.
- Do not connect your Pods directly to your compatible xFi Gateway using the Ethernet port on the bottom of the Pod.
- The Pods connect wirelessly to the gateway.
- You won't be able to activate your Pods if one is connected directly to the gateway.
Can I have a Comcast technician come and install Pods for me?
No; however, if a technician is already scheduled for an installation or service call and you either have Pods or have purchased Pods from the technician when they arrived, then they can install them for you.
Can I use Pods if my xFi Gateway is in Bridge Mode?
No. xFi features, including Pods, are only available if you rent a compatible xFi Gateway for internet and WiFi access and the device is not in Bridge Mode. See Using Bridge Mode on your gateway for more detail.
Can Pods be placed outdoors?
No. Pods are not meant for outdoor use and should not be placed outside of your home. To extend WiFi coverage to an outdoor location, place one of your Pods in an inside wall outlet that is closest to the outdoor area where you would like to extend WiFi coverage.
In order to activate and use your Pods, your xFi Gateway must not be in Bridge Mode and your home network must have the following settings enabled:
- An enabled and broadcasting WiFi network (i.e., your WiFi network cannot be disabled through the gateway's Admin Tool (10.0.0.1)).
- One WiFi network name and password (i.e., you can't have a separate WiFi network name and password for your radio bands).
- Your network still has the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz radio bands.
- This allows your gateway to sort out the best connection at any given time for your devices.
- A password to join your WiFi network (i.e., your WiFi Security Mode setting must be password-protected).
When you activate your Pods, you may be prompted to make any of the above changes to your settings if they are required.
Once you've activated your Pods, advanced settings like WiFi Mode, Channel and Channel Width will be managed automatically to provide the best coverage.
Do I have to use all of the Pods that come in the set?No. Simply plug in the Pods that you want to use, and when activating your Pods using the Xfinity app, select All Pods Ready to Go. On the following screen, select Not Using All Pods.
After activation, the unused Pods will show as Offline on the app.
I didn't name my Pods when I activated them, or I would like to change the names I had previously assigned to each Pod. How can I assign names to them now that they are already installed?From the Xfinity app, go to WiFi, select View WiFi equipment, select the Pod you want to name or rename, select Device Details, then select the pencil icon to edit the Pod name.
Using your WiFi Boost Pods
Do I need to manually connect my devices to each Pod for WiFi access?No. Once devices join your home WiFi network, they will automatically connect to the best WiFi access point, whether that is your gateway or Pods. You can easily see if a device is connected to your gateway or Pod by opening the Xfinity app, navigating to WiFi and scrolling down to the Devices section, then select the device. The connection type is listed under the Device Details section.
Why do I no longer see the 2.4 and 5GHz radio band names of my network?
Pods require that you only have one WiFi network name and password. Your network still has both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands, but now your gateway will sort out the best connection at any given time for your devices. Keep in mind, you may need to reconnect devices to your WiFi name and password, if they were previously connected to a name designated for a single radio band.
You can check the status of your Pods by going to the WiFi tab of the Xfinity app and then selecting View WiFi equipment. If a Pod is offline, it will be indicated here and you can follow troubleshooting steps. If the Pod is online and working, it will have a green status.
If I swap out my xFi Gateway for a new xFi Gateway or if I move and transfer my Xfinity Internet service to a new address, do I need to reactivate my Pods?
No, you should not have to reactivate your Pods. After activating your new compatible gateway, your Pods should automatically reconnect once your new gateway is online. Be sure to keep/transfer your previous settings if prompted during the activation process.
If you have any issues during activation, or if you cannot reconnect your Pods, please contact us. If your Pods appear in the Xfinity app once your gateway is activated at the new address, and you want to re-identify and re-name each Pod, open the Xfinity app and navigate to WiFi and select View WiFi equipment. Next, select each Pod, then Device Details to rename them.
Note: Your Pods must be online in order to rename them.
What is the Ethernet port on the WiFi Boost Pod used for?Once your Pods are installed and online, you can hardwire your xFi Gateway and/or your devices to your Pods using an Ethernet cable if you so choose. Hardwiring your xFi Gateway to a Pod gives you faster speeds and the connection is not impacted by distance or WiFi interference.
Connecting your Pod to your xFi Gateway using an Ethernet cable is especially helpful when:
- A home has Ethernet wiring to different rooms.
- The home is very large or has construction that may block WiFi signals (concrete or stone interior walls, metal or metal mesh in or on the interior walls).
Hardwiring your device to a Pod would give you slightly faster speeds than connecting the device to the network over WiFi.
How do I know if my Pods are connected through Ethernet or WiFi?When you connect your xFi Gateway to your Pod using an Ethernet cable, the Pod will start blinking. When the light on the Pod goes out, it's connected to the wireless gateway.
You can then go to the Xfinity app and confirm whether the Connection Type is Ethernet or WiFi. In the Xfinity app, select WiFi > View WiFi equipment > Select Pod > Device Details. If the Connection Type is still set to WiFi, see I’ve hardwired my Pod to my gateway, so why is the Connection Type still set to WiFi?.
Troubleshooting
Why did some of my devices lose connection to my home WiFi network once I activated my Pods?
You may have previously had a separate WiFi network name and password for your 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi networks. Pods require that each of your network names and passwords be the same, so that all of your devices can seamlessly connect to the network that will provide the best WiFi signal at any given time.
You should have been notified if your network names and passwords were different when you activated your Pods. The WiFi network name and password previously used for the 2.4GHz WiFi network should now be the WiFi network name and password used for all of your devices, unless you changed it. Make sure all of your devices are connected using the current WiFi name and password for your home network.
Why can I no longer have different WiFi network names and passwords for my 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi networks?
Pods require that you only have one WiFi network name and password; this is so all your devices can seamlessly connect to the network that will provide the best WiFi signal at any given time.
What can I do if all my Pods are online, but I'm still having WiFi issues?
If you're getting WiFi coverage in areas of your home where there was once no or limited connectivity and none of the Pods are showing as offline, then the Pods are doing their job. If you're experiencing connectivity issues that are limiting your ability to perform specific functions (i.e., streaming video), you may benefit from the following:
- Connecting your device through Ethernet to a Pod or the gateway.
- Moving Pod(s) closer to the gateway or another Pod.
- Purchasing additional Pods.
- Disconnecting your device from your in-home WiFi network and reconnecting.
My device is right next to a Pod, so why is it connecting to a different Pod in another room?
In a WiFi mesh network, the best connection point for a device may not always be the one that's closest to it. Pods communicate with each other and the gateway to monitor the number of devices connected in the home, their location, and the type of WiFi connection that each device needs. This ensures that your device is operating with the best signal. Think of it the same way that your GPS directs you to an alternate route to get you to your destination faster when there's too much traffic on the main road.
From the Xfinity app, navigate to WiFi, select View WiFi equipment, select the Pod that you'd like to remove, select Device Details then Remove Pod.
How can I fix an offline Pod?
If a Pod is offline, it will be indicated on the My Network page that is accessible by selecting your network from the WiFi tab of the Xfinity app. To troubleshoot, select the Pod from the list, then select Help Me Fix It for tips on how to bring the Pod online or improve its connection.
Keep in mind that while troubleshooting, it may take up to two minutes for the Pod status to update.
If you have a Pod that you are not using, remove it so it does not appear as Offline.
I’ve hardwired my Pod to my gateway, so why is the Connection Type still set to WiFi?The Connection Type might not switch to Ethernet for several reasons. Your gateway or Pod might not have the minimum firmware required. Keep your xFi Gateway and Pod(s) plugged in and online to automatically install the latest firmware.
xFi Gateway minimum firmware
Technicolor CGM4981COM (XB8): 5.2+
Technicolor CGM4331COM (XB7): 4.10+
CommScope TG4482A (XB7): 5.2+
Technicolor CGM4140COM (XB6): 5.2+
Arris TG3482G (XB6): 5.2+
Arris X5001 (XF3): 5.2+
Arris TG1682 (XB3): Feature not available
Cisco DPC3941 (XB3): Feature not available
In the Xfinity app, go to WiFi > View WiFi equipment > Gateway > Gateway Details to check your gateway’s firmware.
WiFi Boost Pod minimum firmware: 3.4.1.9+
In the Xfinity app, go to WiFi > View WiFi equipment > Select a Pod > Device Details to check your Pod’s firmware.
If you’re using an Ethernet switch, some managed Ethernet switches can block the signals necessary to hardwire your gateway to your Pod. If you think your switch might be blocking the signals to your Pod(s), try the following steps:
- Connect the Pod directly to the xFi Gateway using an Ethernet cable.
- Check the Connection Type in the Xfinity app.
- In the Xfinity app, go to WiFi > View WiFi equipment > Select a Pod > Device Details > Connection Type.
- If the Connection Type switched to Ethernet when connected directly to the gateway, the switch is causing the issue.
- To resolve this, you can replace your switch with an unmanaged Ethernet switch.
Why is my Pod blinking and dropping WiFi connectivity intermittently?
If your Pod is blinking when your WiFi connectivity drops, your Pod/gateway may have lost internet connectivity or your network may be optimizing.
Optimization is the process of balancing out the network and connection points for optimal performance. Your network typically optimizes when Pods are added/removed from your network and during an overnight scheduled optimization. However, if you see repeated instances of optimization, it may indicate that:
- Your gateway might not be centrally located within your house.
- Learn more about how to position your gateway to improve WiFi network performance.
- Your Pods or gateway might be blocked by furniture/large objects.
- Your Pods are too far from your gateway and should be relocated.
WiFi Boost Pods perform better when they are directly connected to the gateway. If you have more than one WiFi Boost Pod, keep the remaining Pods halfway between your gateway and other areas without coverage around your home to avoid a connection hop (Pods that are connected to the gateway through another Pod).
Use the Xfinity app to determine if a Pod is connected to the gateway or to another Pod. Go to the WiFi tab, select View WiFi equipment, select the Pod you want to check, and then select Device Details. The Connection Point will detail if the Pod is connected to the gateway or to another Pod on your network.
Returning WiFi Boost Pods
How can I return my Pods?
To get a full refund, you'll need to return your Pods within 30 days. Pods can be exchanged within one year under the hardware warranty. Older Pods can’t be exchanged for the new model (2nd Generation).
To initiate a return or exchange, visit xfinity.com/xfipodsreturns.
Do Pods come with a warranty?
Yes, all Pods come with a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year hardware warranty.
WiFi Boost Pods and internet speeds
Will WiFi Boost Pods provide maximum internet speeds throughout my home?Pods are not intended to provide the maximum speed of your internet speed tier throughout your home. For example, if you have a speed tier that provides download speeds up to 200 Mbps, Pods will not provide that speed throughout your home. Rather, Pods will allow you to connect in areas where you could not previously connect to your in-home WiFi.
Pods will not exceed the maximum provisioned speed of your Xfinity Internet tier of service. In a laboratory setting, WiFi Boost Pods (1st Generation) and (2nd Generation) have a maximum throughput of 200 and 500 Mbps over a WiFi Connection, respectively. Other factors can affect speeds.
What factors can impact WiFi speeds when using Pods?
In order to help extend your WiFi connection, Pods need to communicate or connect wirelessly to the xFi Gateway and, depending on their location, they may 'hop' through other Pods on their path to get there. The number of 'hops' the Pod needs to make to the gateway will impact the speed.
Regardless of whether you are using Pods, your internet speed is limited to your speed tier, and Pods will not increase that speed. In addition, a number of other factors affect internet speed, including your connection type (Ethernet vs. WiFi), the number of devices in use, the age of your device, site traffic, content provider server capacity and internal network factors.
Get more tips for optimizing WiFi speeds in your home.
Open source information
Want to learn more about WiFi Boost Pods’ open source software? See a list of open source software components used in these devices.Additional information
Visit our Online Support Center to find common solutions.
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