What bridge mode keeps and what it turns off
Xfinity describes bridge mode as turning off the gateway's routing while leaving its modem functions on, so that your own router can do the routing. It also says that only one device can be connected to the gateway while bridge mode is on. In practice, that one device is your router's WAN port. [1]
The cost is everything the gateway did as a router. The table lists what Xfinity's support pages say about each feature. Read it before you change anything, because a feature that silently stops working can look like a fault in your new router. [1][2]
| Feature | With bridge mode on | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway routing | Off; the gateway acts as a modem | Xfinity bridge mode article [1] |
| Private Wi-Fi network from the gateway | Turned off | Warning text in the same article [1] |
| Devices on the gateway | One device only | [1] |
| Network management and personalisation | Not available | [1] |
| WiFi Extenders | Cannot be used; activated extenders block bridge mode | [1] |
| Xfinity CyberSecure (Advanced Security) | Not available | [1] |
| Xfinity WiFi Home Hotspot | Not disabled by bridge mode | [1] |
| Xfinity app account management | Still available | [1] |
| xFi features on a third-party router | Not compatible | Xfinity's why-rent article [2] |
Before you flip the switch
Most failed cutovers come from doing things in the wrong order. Set up and test the new router first, then bridge the gateway, so the time you are offline is a few minutes rather than an evening.
If you rely on Xfinity extenders or pods to cover the house, bridge mode means replacing that coverage with your own equipment. Xfinity's article says extenders cannot be used in bridge mode. If your router supports mesh nodes, plan those before the change.
- Write down the gateway's current Wi-Fi name and password if you want your devices to rejoin the new router without being set up again.
- Check the Admin Tool password. Xfinity says the default is on the sticker on the bottom of the gateway, unless you changed it. [1]
- Note that you may need to enable Admin Tool access in the Xfinity app first. [1]
- Deactivate any WiFi Extenders, because activated extenders prevent bridge mode. [1]
- Keep a laptop and an Ethernet cable ready. Turning bridge mode back off requires a wired connection to the gateway. [1]
- Decide what replaces CyberSecure if you used it, since it is not available in bridge mode. [1]
Turning bridge mode on, and turning it off again
Xfinity's steps use the browser-based Admin Tool, not the app. From a device on the home network, go to 10.0.0.1 in a browser and log in with the username admin and the gateway password. Select Gateway, then At a Glance. Next to Bridge Mode, click Enable, then OK to accept the warning. The gateway may restart. Log out, then connect your router's WAN port to any Ethernet port on the gateway. [1]
To reverse it, log in to the same Admin Tool, go to Gateway, At a Glance, and set Bridge Mode to Disable. Xfinity notes that the device you use for this must be connected to the gateway by Ethernet. Once you are in bridge mode, the gateway has no Wi-Fi of its own to connect through. [1]
A practical rollback plan is to leave the gateway's old Wi-Fi details written down. If the new router fails, disabling bridge mode should bring the gateway's own routing and private Wi-Fi back, and devices that remember the old network can rejoin it. Allow for a restart.
The own-modem alternative, and why it may not save money
The other route is to return the gateway and buy a modem and router of your own. Xfinity's approved-modems page tells you to check compatibility with its My Device Info tool before buying, and says that a device for Gigabit Internet must support Gigabit speeds. The same page says the latest Xfinity Internet plans include the Xfinity Gateway at no extra cost. On those plans, owning the modem removes no rental fee. The Xfinity support pages checked on 30 Oct 2026 do not state an equipment fee amount, so the fee line on your own bill is the number that counts. [3]
There are three limits to check before buying a modem. First, in Xfinity's upgraded areas, customer-owned modems are not currently compatible with the X-Class plans, which offer matching upload and download speeds above 200 Mbps. Xfinity says they should still work on the tiers that were available before the upgrade. Second, Xfinity Voice needs a compatible eMTA (a modem with a phone adapter built in), and Xfinity does not guarantee compatibility with customer-supplied eMTAs. Third, Xfinity says xFi is not compatible with third-party equipment. [4][5][2]
Xfinity fiber customers have a separate path. In eligible communities you can request to connect a compatible retail router directly to the ONU by Ethernet. The ONU stays as Comcast-owned equipment, and the router must support your speed tier. Xfinity Voice, Xfinity Pods, Smart Home services, Xfinity Zigbee devices such as door and window sensors, and gateway-based speed testing are not supported. Xfinity says it cannot troubleshoot problems with your own router. [6]
| Route | What stays | What you give up | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge the rented gateway | Gateway as modem; voice line on the gateway is not discussed in the bridge article | Gateway Wi-Fi, extenders, CyberSecure, network management [1] | Anyone on a plan that includes the gateway, or anyone with Xfinity Voice |
| Own modem plus own router | Nothing rented | xFi; X-Class speeds in upgraded areas; Voice compatibility not guaranteed [2][4][5] | Internet-only households on a plan that still charges for the gateway |
| Xfinity fiber with your own router | Comcast-owned ONU | Xfinity Voice, Pods, Smart Home services and Xfinity troubleshooting of your router [6] | Fiber customers in eligible communities |
The bridged gateway still uses power
Bridge mode does not switch the gateway off. Comcast publishes ready-state power figures for its equipment. The integrated access devices in that table (combined modem and router units) range from 9 W to 29 W, for example 18.00 W for the Vantiva CGM4981COM. Comcast says the figures reflect devices configured as deployed and that individual units may vary. The table does not give a separate figure for bridge mode. [7]
Adding your own router puts its power draw on top. Our electricity guide works through what a gateway plus router costs to run for a year.
Router-side checklist (GL.iNet Flint 2 example)
GL.iNet's firmware sets the Ethernet internet connection to DHCP by default, under INTERNET, then Ethernet. Start with that default. Xfinity's bridge mode steps say nothing about PPPoE or VLAN settings. Leave the Advanced fields (VLAN ID and MTU, default 1500) alone unless Xfinity tells you otherwise. [8]
The router's own admin page is at 192.168.8.1. That is a different address from the gateway's 10.0.0.1, so do not mix the two up when you troubleshoot. [9]
- Run the new router on its own first. Connect its WAN port to a gateway LAN port while the gateway is still routing, confirm it reaches the internet, and set its Wi-Fi name and password. [8][9]
- Enable bridge mode, then power-cycle the router so its WAN side asks the modem for a fresh address.
- Check the router's internet status. If its WAN address starts with 10.0.0., it is still getting an address from the gateway's own network (the Admin Tool lives at 10.0.0.1). That means the gateway is still routing and you have double NAT. [1]
- Rejoin a phone and a laptop, and test a video call and any port forwards you rely on.
- If Wi-Fi coverage drops in parts of the house, add mesh nodes rather than turning Xfinity extenders back on. Extenders cannot be used in bridge mode. [1]
Questions before you decide
Will my Xfinity Wi-Fi still work after I enable bridge mode?
No. Xfinity's bridge mode article warns that enabling it disables the gateway's router functions and turns off the private Wi-Fi network. Your own router has to provide Wi-Fi from that point on. The public Xfinity WiFi Home Hotspot is a separate feature, and Xfinity says bridge mode does not disable it.
Why does the Bridge Mode option refuse to turn on?
One documented cause is Xfinity WiFi Extenders. The bridge mode article says that if you have already activated extenders, you cannot enable bridge mode. Plan to deactivate them, or keep the gateway as your router and skip bridge mode.
How do I undo bridge mode if my new router does not work?
Connect a computer to the gateway with an Ethernet cable, log in to the Admin Tool at 10.0.0.1, go to Gateway, At a Glance, and set Bridge Mode to Disable. Xfinity says the wired connection is required for this step, so keep a laptop and cable to hand before you start.
Will owning my modem lower my Xfinity bill?
Not necessarily. Xfinity's approved-modems page says its latest internet plans include the Xfinity Gateway at no extra cost. On those plans, owning the modem removes no rental charge. Look for an equipment line on your own bill before buying anything.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Xfinity Support: Use Bridge Mode on your wireless gateway Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Why rent an Xfinity WiFi Gateway Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Approved cable modems and own-equipment guidance Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Upgraded areas and certified equipment for upload speeds Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Requirements for digital voice modems Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Member-owned router options for fiber internet Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Internet equipment energy usage Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Ethernet (internet) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: First time setup Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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