I get asked a lot of questions about installing a brand-new service by XFinity/Comcast cable Internet
First of all, to do this, the cable service needs to be present nearby in your neighborhood – you can tell simply if your neighbors have already got it 🙂 so Ask.
and by the type of cables outside your premises, which are co-axial or ROUND cables, typically black in colour. But you can find out when you apply on-line for service and provide your address.
https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service
Do also Google “Xfinity Deals” as you may be shown lower prices via. marketing sites (Beware of Scams though!)
This leads to the interesting possibility that you do not really need to get your own Internet you could share it with somebody else, typically over Wi-Fi.
I will not address here whether this is permitted or not but it’s certainly not “Detectable” as such.
Bear in mind that XFinity will charge a different rate depending on whether your address is Listed residential or non residential.
It need not be a business –
they just give the lowest rate to a place where people live.
Typically the cable service may already exist somewhere on your property perhaps being discontinued sometime before, or already in use for television et cetera. Let’s be really clear about this –
if Internet is all you need, then that is all you need to buy, not their television service or TV package no matter how hard they try to upsell you unless you are really clear.
You also DO NOT need their modem or hardware equipment that they want to lease to you at at least $15/month: the FCC is really clear about this- They cannot force you to use their stuff.
Just typically buy APPROVED Xfinity Equipment from Amazon for about $79 with a 3 year warranty-
That way they cannot refuse support for unsupported equipment (which I think is reasonable)
https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/list-of-approved-cable-modems
Comcast has lost a lot of revenue from television services to the likes of YouTube TV, sling, the Amazon fire stick, Apple TV et cetera which I won’t go into here, so now they make most of their money from Internet services- typically their top speed and reliability for outstrip Att DSL/ADSL 2+ AKA “Uverse”
There are always introductory deals as low as $19 a month for their basic service for a year’s contract even when they tried to upsell that to a higher speed, most of which most people don’t need anyway.
They are always happy to bump the speed up if you find it really isn’t enough later – unlikely.
You will most likely not get this deal at a non-residential premise, but most types of educational, not for profit, and institutions can fill in a form and get a rebate which Comcast then claims back in tax deductions 🙂 https://business.comcast.com/ctf Called “Teleconnect Fund”
Cut to the Chase:
– you need the Coaxial (round). cable with their Service on it to be delivered to the right place INSIDE your Place.
Their job is to deliver the cable to some point on your building typically OUTSIDE sometimes known as “MPOE” (Minimum Point Of Entry) for free but may want charge for “Inside Wiring” to get it where you want it.
Or, You can do this yourself- Just use “RG6” type cable is all
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D3W29JG/
You can ask for “Self Install” and do it yourself.
Xfinity should STILL at least deliver Internet to there outside of your premises at the very least. I have known some linemen to happily run wires in for free too. They are Great–
But the Company Itself Sucks Majorly
The Hardware involved as separate items, which is how I prefer to do it, are:
1) – a MODEM– (without its own WIFI) about $79
Converts Co Axial Cable Signals to Internet Ethernet signal.
2) – a ROUTER- this acts like a power-strip and makes one address available to many devices-
-3) a WIFI arrangements- this sends Internet “Over The Air” so your Service can reach WIFI devices up to about 100′ away.
[2) & 3) are usually inside the same Black Box. and cost $20 and up depending on range and features]
YOu can buy the Modem ahead of time so the technician has something to connect to, It will typically have ONE “ethernet” port you can connect directly via. that Ethernet to one Laptop or PC
for troubleshooting This is what your Technician can test, and makes later troubleshooting WAY simpler by eliminating extra hardware from XFinity tech checks.
Once operating properly, one adds the separate WIFI router which propagates the single Ethernet to provide up to 254 different devices, plus 4-6 distinct extra Ethernet ports to attach hardware printers, extended routers, VOIP telephone boxes to, etc.
(Not OddFellows– this is the arrangement we already have)
This also, incidentally, creates a useful “Local Network” or LAN.
If you are SWITCHING away from , for example, AT&T, done right it should be almost transparent because your internet source is now different BUT the Local Network will remain the same along with any VOIP phone devices, printers etc..
This is a Basic Outline. Comments Welcomed!