How to Reset Your Xfinity Router/Modem

Most people think of resetting their Xfinity modem/router when they come across technical issues. Resetting the device is an effective way to get rid of most issues, but other situations also warrant a reset. More so, it is essential to know the most efficient yet easiest ways to complete the reset procedure for your Xfinity Wi-Fi router or modem. In this guide, I have covered all those steps, plus some tips.

Reasons to Resetting Your Xfinity Modem/Router

Unsolvable issues are a common reason for resetting your Xfinity modem/router. Some of the more common reasons include:

• Slow internet speed on your Wi-Fi network, affecting basic tasks like browsing or streaming
• More frequent disconnections from the Wi-Fi network, preventing seamless internet access
• Situations that require system-level network change, with the optional need for reconfiguration
• Inconsistency in network signal reception during initial connection and roaming around the space.

In addition to these, you get some additional benefits when you reset your Xfinity router. Some of these are:

• You can get optimal speed and performance from the router/modem, similar to the numbers you’d expect from a fresh setup.
• A factory reset can also solve problems that may be affecting network stability.
• Resetting your router/modem after installing a major software/firmware update can help you get a clean start.

Doing so will also prevent potential issues on the connectivity front. Considering these benefits, it’s better to reset your Xfinity router/modem once a year, even if you don’t come across any concrete issues.

Things To Do Before Resetting Router

Here are a few tips you should follow before you reset your router/modem from Xfinity. You might not be able to do many of these tasks if you are resetting the device after a major connection issue, though.

• If you are resetting the device to restore optimal performance, you first have to disconnect all your connected devices. If possible, you should make the devices forget the network.
• Some devices, such as your smart home gadgets, may already have unique configuration settings. It is ideal to back up these settings through a cloud account if you have been using a local account until this point.
• You should check whether you have access to the router/modem box or the user manual. When you reset a router/modem, it will restore the original SSID and password. You need these to log back in.
• It is ideal to keep a laptop/desktop around during the reset process. Even though you can manage all settings via Wi-Fi, the Wi-Fi module may misbehave at times. So, Ethernet is a viable backup.

Once you have taken care of these aspects, you can move towards the reset process.

Ways to Reset the Router 

You can use three methods to reset your Xfinity router/modem. You have to choose between these options depending on the situation. For instance, one of these methods will remove all data from your Xfinity router or modem. It means you have to restart the setup process from the start. Anyway, I will tell you about the first and simplest one.

Soft Reset (Reboot):

People think that soft resetting your Wi-Fi router is the same as rebooting the device. However, this is not always the case. Instead, soft resetting means rebooting your Wi-Fi router and doing a power cycle one after another. To do a power cycle on your Xfinity router/modem,

• Power off the Xfinity router/modem using the Power button on the device.
• Remove the power and connection cables one by one.
• Remove the power adaptor from the socket and wait for a few minutes
• Now, plug the power adaptor back into the socket and connect other cables.

• After you have reconnected the wires, press the Power button.

This process will make sure that your Xfinity router/modem gets completely turned off and turned back on again. The best part here is that the router will retain your configuration and preferences. You won’t have to change the SSID or password after a soft reset. I recommend this option if you primarily want to get rid of temporary data and restore optimal speed/performance within the network.

Hard Reset (Factory Reset):

A factory reset, also known as a hard reset, is a more effective way to solve problems with your Xfinity router or modem. In this method, you will turn your router back to a factory state, meaning that your preferences and configurations will be lost. You can do a factory reset using the following methods:

• Make sure you have disconnected all your devices and remove the essential cables
• Locate the Reset button on the back of your Xfinity router/modem
• Press or Press and Hold the Reset button for a few seconds (as per the user manual).
• Once the lights start blinking, you can release the button. The router/modem may take up to 10 or 15 minutes to complete the factory reset process.
• Now, once the router is back online, you can log into the Wi-Fi network using the default password for the network. Alternatively, you can use an Ethernet cable to connect to the network.
• At this point, you have to locate the default IP address for the router gateway and log onto the page. In most cases, the IP address is 192.168.1.1.
• You can use the default admin credentials to log into the page.

• On this page, you can set up the network configuration, including the username and password.

I understand the process is complex and involves data loss. However, this manual factory reset process can solve most of the issues you may come across while using an Xfinity router or modem. Since the device would go back to the factory state, you do not run the risk of preferences-based problems, either.

Using the Xfinity App or Web Interface:

The Xfinity companion app is also a great way to reset your Xfinity modem/router. Alternatively, you can use the web interface to get the job done. However, this process may not be as effective as a factory reset. Yet, the steps are:

1. On the Xfinity companion app, you can go to Settings and find an option to Reset the device
2. You can tap this button and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.

To do the same via the web interface,

1. Use your Xfinity account details to log into the Xfinity Account Dashboard
2. Navigate to a section called Manage Internet
3. Click Restart Modem to begin the restart process.

In a few seconds, the Xfinity Dashboard will remotely trigger the soft-reset process. You will get notified as soon as the task is complete.

However, keep in mind that you can perform only a soft reset through the Xfinity app or web interface. So, if you face serious network connection issues, you should go for the two other options mentioned above.

Troubleshooting Common Issues After Resetting

You might come across some inconveniences and problems after resetting your Xfinity router. Here are some ways to solve them.

Reconnecting Devices:

The first step is to reconnect all your devices to the Xfinity Wi-Fi network. Depending on the type of reset, you may or may not have changed the SSID and password. If you have changed these, you have to enter the new credentials to reconnect the devices to the new network. While this is inconvenient, changing the Wi-Fi network once in a while can prevent many security threats.

Restoring Custom Settings:

The custom changes you have made to the network will be lost after a reset. For instance, if you had set up MAC filtering for device access, those settings would have been lost. You have to set these up from scratch once you are done with the reset process. In most cases, you can manage all these from the Xfinity app. But if you have done a manual hard reset, you may have to connect the router to the Xfinity app first.

Dealing with Persistent Issues:

Although very unlikely, it is possible that some issues do not go away even after a complete device reset. In these instances, you may have to contact Xfinity support. I don’t recommend firmware-level changes with the Xfinity modem/router if you have rented it. First, these options are restricted, and you may end up voiding the warranty.

Tips for a Successful Modem/Router Reset and Setup

Here are some quick tips to ensure ideal performance and speed from your Wi-Fi router after you have reset it.

• Proper Placement: Make sure that you have placed the Xfinity router/modem in an ideal location. It ensures that your devices can receive sufficient signal from the router.
• Securing Your Network: It is more important to set up a strong password post-reset. This would protect your network and devices from potential threats.
• Regular Maintenance: Regular maintenance for your Wi-Fi router includes frequent password changes and occasional reboots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

You should also understand that these recommendations are not universal. For instance, I have set up UPS and power backup in my place, making sure that my router never turns off. So, for me, it becomes necessary to restart and reset the Xfinity router once in a while.

However, if your Xfinity modem/router gets restarted frequently, you do not have to separately do it. In this case, a factory reset is necessary only when you come across a connectivity issue or low performance.