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Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

manning
Aspirant

Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

Xfinity just sent me a replacement modem/router named xFi Advanced Gateway. Is this device compatible with my Nighthawk AC 1900 router? Is there any adaptation I need to make to ensure that if I set up the Advanced Gateway, it will work with my Nighthawk router? 

Model: A6210|AC1200 High Gain WiFi USB Adapter
Message 1 of 9

Accepted Solutions
microchip8
Master

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

If possible, you should put the Xfinity modem/router in bridge mode and let the Nighthawk be your main router. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in a double NAT

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Message 2 of 9

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microchip8
Master

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

If possible, you should put the Xfinity modem/router in bridge mode and let the Nighthawk be your main router. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in a double NAT

Message 2 of 9
antinode
Guru

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

> Xfinity just sent me a replacement modem/router named xFi Advanced
> Gateway. [...]

 

   To replace _what_, exactly?

 

> [...] Is this device compatible with my Nighthawk AC 1900 router?
> [...]

 

   Does your (unspecified) "Nighthawk AC 1900 router" have a model
number?  Look for "Model" on the product label.

 

> Model: A6210|AC1200 High Gain WiFi USB Adapter

 

   This, presumably, has nothing to do with anything?

 

   How, exactly, were you using your (unspecified) "Nighthawk AC 1900
router" with whatever you had before?

 

> [...] Is there any adaptation I need to make to ensure that if I set
> up the Advanced Gateway, it will work with my Nighthawk router?

 

   Probably, but that might depend on what you're trying to do.  Why,
exactly, do you want to use your (unspecified) "Nighthawk AC 1900
router" with the new xFi unit?

 


> [...] Otherwise, [...]

 

   Most likely, you want one router, not more, so you'd need to
configure one of these devices differently, but there's more than one
way to do that.  You could, perhaps, for example, leave the xFI as-is,
and configure your (unspecified) "Nighthawk AC 1900 router" as a
wireless access point.  But that might depend on what, exactly, your
(unspecified) "Nighthawk AC 1900 router" actually is, and why you're
using it at all.

Message 3 of 9
manning
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

Thanks -- this is helpful. I knew there was a special setup used when the last xfinity modem/router was delivered, but I couldn't recall what it was. 

Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
Message 4 of 9
manning
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

1) The xFi Advanced Gateway modem/router combo is a replacement for an older xfinity modem router combo, Arris TG 1682G

2) Nighthawk model number was posted previously in the Model box above: A7000

3) The first reply to my post reminded me that I had put the Arris modem/router into bridge mode. I doubt the instructions explain how to do this, so I will contact Xfinity support if I decide to do that.

4) I am assuming that the xFi Advanced Gateway modem/router is faster than the Arris which is four to five years old. Faster internet was suppose to be one of the benefits of my new Xfinity plan.

5) I chose to keep the Netgear Nighthawk A7000 when the Arris was delivered because the local Xfinity store agent told me that the Nighthawk was a better router than the Arris device.

6) Overall, my reason to keep using the Netgear Nighthawk A7000 was that I purchased it in 2014 when I began to convert to a number of smart home devices, e.g., Lyric thermostat, Alexia, Kasa plugs and switches, Ring doorbell, Behmor smart coffeemaker. At the time, I knew the Nighthawk A7000 could handle smart home devices, but I had no info from Xfinity support advising that the Arris could do that.

 

If this reply gives you more information, please advise me what steps to take.

Thx.

 

Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
Message 5 of 9
microchip8
Master

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

A7000 is not a router but an USB WiFi adapter. Do you mean the R7000?

Message 6 of 9
manning
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

Yes! Sorry, I was moving too quickly. It's a smart wifi router, not adapter.

 

Model: R7000|AC1900 Smart WIFI Router
Message 7 of 9
antinode
Guru

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

> 1) The xFi Advanced Gateway modem/router combo is a replacement for an
> older xfinity modem router combo, Arris TG 1682G

 

   Ok.  So you should have been doing something non-default before, so
that you'd have one router, not two.

 

> 3) The first reply to my post reminded me that I had put the Arris
> modem/router into bridge mode. [...]

 

   Something like that, for example.

 

> [...] I doubt the instructions explain how to do this, so I will
> contact Xfinity support if I decide to do that.

 

   _Which_ "the instructions"?  A quick Web search found:

 

      https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/wireless-gateway-enable-disable-bridge-mode


> 4) I am assuming that the xFi Advanced Gateway modem/router is faster
> than the Arris which is four to five years old. Faster internet was
> suppose to be one of the benefits of my new Xfinity plan.

 

   You're free to assume whatever you want, but "assuming" and "knowing"
are spelled differently for a reason.  The non-psychics in your audience
might know very little about either your old service plan or your new
service plan.

 

> [...] I had no info from Xfinity support advising that the Arris could
> do that.

 

   Did you have any info suggesting that it couldn't?  Running the
experiment could be pretty easy.  "smart home devices" are generally not
more demanding than any other wireless computers/devices.

 

   Automobile manufacturers seldom advertise the existence of a reverse
gear, but it's rare to find a vehicle which lacks a reverse capability.


> [...] But that might depend on what, exactly, your (unspecified)
> "Nighthawk AC 1900 router" actually is, and why you're using it at
> all.

 

   I gather that we have (after some struggle) settled on "R7000" as the
relevant model number?  Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your
model number, and look for Documentation.  Get the User Manual.  Look
for "Set Up the Router as a WiFi Access Point".  Further reading might
not hurt, either.

 

   If the only reason for adding the R7000 to your stuff was an
unsubstantiated belief that your old modem+router couldn't do the job,
then I'd probably try getting along without the R7000.

 

   If you discover that the router features of the R7000 are
significantly better than those of the xFI, then you might want to
configure the xFI as a modem-only, and continue using the R7000 as your
router.


   If the router features of the xFI are satisfactory, but its
wireless-network coverage is inadequate, then you might want to use the
xFI as your router, and configure the R7000 as a wireless access point.

 

   As usual, many things are possible.  What you should do usually
depends on the actual problem which you are trying to solve, and vague
questions about "compatibility" don't reveal much about that.

Message 8 of 9
manning
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk compatibility with Xfinity xFi Advanced Gateway

Thank you for your assistance. Despite the snarky tone, the information is useful. I've talked with Xfinity, and they claim the xFi will handle the smart devices. The wi-fi range should be sufficient in my home. I will set up the xFi as the combo modem/router. If it works, fine. If not, then I will return to adding the Nighthawk with the xFi in bridge mode.

Model: R7000|AC1900 Smart WIFI Router
Message 9 of 9
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