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I’ve been on Xfinity’s Internet Plan for a long time.
Their high-speed and packaged TV Plans appealed to me.
I was not too fond of the router they installed on my network, so I used Bridge Mode to plug in my own router to take advantage of my high-speed internet plan.
Most routers like Xfinity come with a bridge mode setting that lets you increase the effective range of your Wi-Fi network by using two routers at once.
One day I found no internet with Xfinity in bridge mode.
This caught me completely off guard because I had no idea what went wrong or how to fix it.
However, after reading through a few online articles and technical support forums, I discovered that this issue is quite common and relatively easy to fix.
If there’s no internet while Xfinity Router is in Bridge Mode, ensure it is configured correctly, and check the cables. Try disabling and re-enabling bridge mode on the first router. Also, try resetting your routers to their factory default settings.
This article will serve as a step-by-step guide for you to troubleshoot and resolve the ‘No Internet’ error that your Xfinity router is facing.
What is Xfinity Bridge Mode?
Every device connected to the Internet has a unique IP address that can be used to identify it.
Routers usually assign these IP addresses to the devices in their network via a protocol called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).
Routers also assign separate private IP addresses for the devices within their network for easy identification by a process called NAT (Network Address Translation).
Using the bridge mode on your Xfinity router allows your router to work as a DHCP while disabling NAT on it.
This means you can link your Xfinity Router with your Xfinity-compatible Router together while avoiding Xfinity not getting full speed.
Why Use the Bridge Mode?
Using the bridge mode can be beneficial if you have a big network with multiple devices connected to it.
Connecting your routers in a bridge configuration allows you to effectively slice up your LAN (Local Area Network) into multiple smaller networks.
This significantly reduces the loss of bandwidth.
Since not all of your devices are connected to the same network in a bridge configuration, it ensures that your internet speeds are not affected.
I snagged the highest-speed and bandwidth connection on Xfinity Blast, and I wanted to take advantage of it using Bridge Mode.
Check for Xfinity Outages
When configuring your router in bridge mode, it is important to ensure that your network works perfectly.
In most cases, the ‘No Internet’ problem is caused by an issue with your internet connection and not your router’s configuration.
This is why it is important to ensure that you are connected to the Internet and that your network connection is stable before troubleshooting your problem.
The best way to check the reliability of your network is to directly contact Xfinity’s customer support and enquire if there are any network outages or scheduled maintenance in your area.
If there is a problem on Xfinity’s end, all you have to do is wait for them to fix the issue before trying to configure your router into bridge mode again.
Ensure Bridge Mode is Enabled on the Routers
Once you have established that your network is working properly, you must ensure that you configure bridge mode on your router correctly.
You can turn on bridge mode on your Xfinity router by following these steps:
- Access your Xfinity router’s admin tool by opening a browser and typing in your Router’s IP address.
- Input your username and password to log into the admin panel.
- On the side tab, locate the ‘Gateway’ tab and click on the ‘At a Glance’ option.
- Once you see your router’s configuration, find the Bridge Mode option and the buttons next to it that say ‘Enable’ and ‘Disable’.
- Once you select the ‘Enable’ option and connect it to your modem via an ethernet cable, you can begin to use your router in bridge mode.
Ensure Proper Ethernet Connection on the Routers
The next thing you need to check when troubleshooting your ‘No Internet’ issue is the Ethernet connection between the two routers you are trying to bridge.
A bad ethernet connection between the two routers will make it difficult for the devices to communicate, thus causing network connectivity issues.
Ensure that the ethernet cable is connected from the output port on the first router to the input port of the second router.
Disable and Enable Bridge Mode Again on the First Router
Once your routers are connected properly with bridge mode enabled, there isn’t much you can do other than disable and re-enable bridge mode on your first router.
Toggling the bridge mode on your router works essentially the same way that power cycling any electronic device does.
First, open up the admin panel of your Xfinity router on your browser and disable bridge mode by following the steps detailed above.
Once you disable bridge mode, please turn off your router, and wait for about ten to fifteen seconds before powering it back on.
Once your router is back on and you verify that the internet connection is stable, open up the admin panel again and re-enable bridge mode.
Factory Reset the Router
If toggling the bridge mode on your router did not work, it might indicate that there may be some misconfiguration in your router’s settings.
For your router to work properly in bridge mode, the technical settings need to be configured precisely.
If you cannot fix the issue, one solution you can consider is resetting your router to its factory default settings and reconfiguring the settings again from scratch.
To reset your Xfinity router, you need to locate the reset button, usually found on the back of the router.
The button is generally small and is a different color from the rest of the router’s body, thus making it easier to spot.
Use a pen or a paper clip to press and hold the reset button until the lights on the front of the modem disappear.
After a few seconds, your router will reinitialize, and the lights will turn on.
It is important to remember that a factory reset is permanent and will wipe away all settings and user preferences and cannot be reversed.
Contact Support
If none of the steps mentioned above worked for you, it might indicate that there may be an issue with your router.
In this case, the only thing you can do is contact Xfinity’s customer support.
Make sure that you explain your problem to them in detail.
Also, tell them about the steps you took to troubleshoot the issue.
This will make it easier for them to diagnose your issue and thus assist you as soon as possible.
Final Thoughts
While connecting to the Internet using Bridge Mode, ensure that both your routers have their firmware fully updated.
Xfinity releases software updates regularly, which fix known bugs and issues to help resolve your ‘No Internet’ problem.
It is also important to make sure that your router supports bridge mode. If it does not, you need to upgrade to a newer model that supports it.
You May Also Enjoy Reading:
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- Comcast Xfinity Is Throttling My Internet: How To Prevent [2021]
- Xfinity Wi-Fi Not Showing Up: How To Fix [2021]
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two routers with Xfinity?
While it is possible to have two routers with Xfinity, it is not recommended.
If you don’t use one of the routers in bridge mode, you will have two private networks within your house.
This will create a lot of interference, making it difficult for your devices to communicate with each other.
Does bridge mode improve speed?
Using your router in bridge mode will not affect the maximum network speed of your home network.
However, using bridge mode does free up a lot of the bandwidth on your network and thus can make it feel smoother to use.
Does bridge mode extend Wi-Fi?
Configuring your router to bridge mode does indeed extend your Wi-Fi by freeing up the bandwidth and increasing the effective range of the network.
What is the difference between bridge mode and repeater mode?
Bridges connect two networks in an organized manner, thus retaining network speed and strength.
On the other hand, Repeaters expand the range of a Wi-Fi signal at the cost of network speed and strength.
