Nighthawk X4S AC3200 - Use an app on my phone to set up?

[Libertas12]

I have yet to connect this to my Xfinity system, using their Gateway now.  A friend bought a new Netgear 3.1 Modem from Amazon and when Comcast proceeded to activate it they told him it was already in use for someone else and it will take 2 days for them to make it so he can connect it...He bought it NEW from Amazon...

So first I hope mine is new since I paid for new.  My friend said he was advised to use the Netgear Nighthawk app to set it up, and I am asking the following:

1.  Should I use the app on my phone to set it up also?  Iphone X

2. My cellular network is very bad where I live so when I disconnect the internet to remove the Gateway, from that point forward I will have a tough time making and keeping a phone call going and my access to my data at Verizon will be nearly impossible to use.

3. What is the EASIEST way to do this, can I take my combo modem router to the Comcast store which is down the street and have them activate it THERE so I can just drive home and plug it in?  If not, and I have to call Comcast to activate it, I guess I can drive down the road to make that call...not sure.

.4. AFTER Comcast activates it, if I get that far, can I do everything else I need to do, create network name/password on that APP my friend was told to use?

5. Is there an easy way to do all this other than this process?

[michaelkenward]

I'm not sure that I follow your message.

Have you tried setting up your C7800 cable modem/router?

Have you experienced problems?

Many people find it easier to set these things up using the browser graphical user interface (GUI) rather than a mobile app.

A good place to start is the "quick start" guide.

If you visit the support pages:

Support | NETGEAR

you can feed in your model number and find the documentation for your hardware.

Questions about your ISP are best directed at them.

If you need more help, you might get better and quicker replies, and find other answers, over in the appropriate section for your device. That's probably here:

Cable Modems & Routers

[Libertas12]

Thank you for responding, no I have not tried to do it yet...I wont have a wifi signal until AFTER 

Xfinity activates it and I hope that part goes smoothly.  I havent done anything yet, afraid it will go sideways and so on plus it is in a high place in the laundry room , hard to reach, waiting for shelter in place to be over to get relative to help.

I am going to see if I take it to the office can they do it there as I have no cellular etc.

[michaelkenward]

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@Libertas12 wrote:

Thank you for responding, no I have not tried to do it yet...I wont have a wifi signal until AFTER 

Xfinity activates it and I hope that part goes smoothly. 

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This may not be the case. You will have wifi, but no Internet.

The idea of the app is that it connects your wifi client, the phone, to the wifi from the C7800 and then takes you through the setup process.

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@Libertas12 wrote:

I am going to see if I take it to the office can they do it there as I have no cellular etc.

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You do not need "cellular" to set it up. You use the wifi from the C7800. Connect to that from the phone. No need to connect to the cell network.

But if you read the Quick Start guide (see link above), or the full manual, you will see that it recommends using a wired connection to the modem/router to set it up.

The Quick Start guide  also has a section Activate Your Internet Service. Did you read that?