Xfinity router issues

[killjoy00747]

Hello, all. Recently I moved to a new apartment and got a DPC3941T Xfinity router. It hooks up fine and the speed is damn good but the wifi range is absolute garbage. Grabbing a measuring tape yields me 4 meters max connectivity distance. Anything beyond that the router can't touch. I tried using a range extender (TP-Link AC750) and the range is extended but the ping is in the thousands to tens of thousands. The router also does not see the range extender as an extender. It simply sees it as another device. If anyone has any advice for how to increase the signal or knows if there are settings to increase it, it would be appreciated. 

 

Also, I am unable to have a cable run to it from the computers position to the router or the extender.

[mail929]

See if there is a broadcast power setting and set that as high as you can. Maybe play around with the channel it could be conflicting with another nearby network. Personally I would just get my own router you can get a pretty good one for $20 USD.

[Donut417]

3 minutes ago, killjoy00747 said:

Hello, all. Recently I moved to a new apartment and got a DPC3941T Xfinity router. It hooks up fine and the speed is damn good but the wifi range is absolute garbage. Grabbing a measuring tape yields me 4 meters max connectivity distance. Anything beyond that the router can't touch. I tried using a range extender (TP-Link AC750) and the range is extended but the ping is in the thousands to tens of thousands. The router also does not see the range extender as an extender. It simply sees it as another device. If anyone has any advice for how to increase the signal or knows if there are settings to increase it, it would be appreciated. 

 

Also, I am unable to have a cable run to it from the computers position to the router or the extender.

This is why I dont use Comcast modem/routers. Save yourself $120 a year by buying your own modem and separate router. Comcast is know for using shit boxes. 

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, mail929 said:

See if there is a broadcast power setting and set that as high as you can. Maybe play around with the channel it could be conflicting with another nearby network. Personally I would just get my own router you can get a pretty good one for $20 USD.

Just no. $20 router is shit. God, JUST NO! 

[brwainer]

To address the primary problem - have you tried swapping out that unit for a new one with Xfinity? If you just bring it into a store they'll probably do it with few questions asked, over the phone you might get more grief. If that doesn't resolve anything then the next step is to get a plain modem (e.g. Motorola Surfboard) and a separate router, you will have to call Xfinity to set up the new modem because it has to be registered to your account, but once you do so and return the rented unit, they will drop the monthly rental fee from your account.

 

To address the secondary problem - most "range extenders" work in this manner, which ensures they will be compatible with all routers. you have to place the range extender in a position where it gets a good wireless signal strength from the main router. In your situation that is pretty useless since it would be basically next to the existing router. What you really need, if you don't want to fix the primary issue properly, is an AP, which connects to the router over ethernet instead of wirelessly. An AP that uses MoCA or Powerline is also an option instead of ethernet. And it is possible that the range extender you bought can be changed into AP mode, but to determine that you will have to give us the actual model number (AC750 just tells us what type of wireless it supports, but we need the true model number to see what functionality it has)