Xfinity VPN

How to Stream Comcast Xfinity Anywhere and Bypass ISP Throttling

Last updated on May 9, 2021 Comments: 23

If you use Xfinity, you may have fallen prey to its throttling techniques that make streaming TV shows, movies and other videos almost impossible. Follow our guide to find out how to work round Xfinity’s controversial procedures.

We strongly recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN for Comcast throttling issues. Also, ExpressVPN offers a special deal on their annual subscription plan: 3 months free with 49% savings.

In this article

Best VPNs for Xfinity Comcast

#1 ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is easily the best-performing VPN on the market today.

  • Fast speed connections – ExpressVPN’s connection speed allows for optimal streaming and torrenting activities.
  • Servers in 94 countries – By spreading its servers all over the globe, Xfinity customers can access international content quickly and effortlessly.
  • Stringent privacy protocols – Using an AES 256 bit encryption software means that customers can surf the net without Comcast and Xfinity knowing they are accessing content that would otherwise be throttled.
  • No logs – by not keeping logs, ExpressVPN cannot hand over any data to the highest bidder on its customers
  • 30-day money back guarantee – If ExpressVPN does not help support your streaming activities using Xfinity, they will offer you your money back.

Price:

  • Starting from as low as $6.67/month – 3 months free
  • 30 days money back guarantee

Sign up with ExpressVPN here.

To read the full ExpressVPN review click here


#2 NordVPN

NordVPN is the ideal choice if privacy is your number one concern.

  • Best privacy policy out there – NordVPN operates with a topnotch privacy policy that puts its customers’ anonymity at the center of their business so businesses like Comcast will never know if their throttling technique is being circumvented.
  • No data logging – an important tool in NordVPN’s ability to offer first-rate privacy is their zero logs policy.
  • Fantastic connection speeds – a VPN is worthless without a fast connection speed, especially when users are employing one to stream content that is otherwise being slowed down by their internet provider.
  • 1400 plus servers – this guarantees access to NordVPN’s connection so that users can stream content whenever they want.
  • No caps on bandwidth – NordVPN’s customers will never suffer from buffering or frozen imagery due to never capping its bandwidth.
  • 30-day money back guarantee – Redeem any initial outlay if you don’t like how NordVPN operates.

Price:

  • Starting from as low as $2.99/month
  • 30 days money back guarantee

Sign up with NordVPN here.

To read the full NordVPN review click here


#3 Cyberghost

Cyberghost is another great pick if you’re trying to access Xfinity from outside of the USA.

  • No logs – The company has a zero-logging policy. This means that they never collect your internet data, and therefore can never sell it to the highest bidder, or give it over to the authorities.
  • Over 1,000 servers – Cyberghost operates a whopping 1,111 servers, and they are located in many different locations across the world.
  • Military-standard encryption – Cyberghost offers a military-strength AES 256-BIT encryption with a 2048-BIT RSA Key.
  • 60-day money back guarantee – Doubling what most VPN providers offer, Cyberghost gives users a 60-day full money back guarantee.

Price:

  • Staring from as low as $2.75/month
  • 30 days money back guarantee

Sign up with Cyberghost here.

To read the full Cyberghost review click here


#4 Surfshark

Surfshark makes it easy to bypass all of the geo restrictions and throttling that Xfinity put in place.

  • No logs policy – Customers can be assured that there will be no data leakage of their sensitive data with Surfshark thanks to their strict no logs policy
  • Unlimited amount of data – Surfshark does not impose any caps on the amount of data used each month by its users so they can stream and access as much content as they want.
  • Large and vast network – Surfshark has a very big network of over 800 servers in over 50 countries. It makes establishing a VPN connection with Surfshark servers quick every time a user logs into the application.
  • Quick connectivity – One of the happy results of such a large network is that users can enjoy quick connection speeds that make browsing the internet a pleasure due to no freezing or buffering.
  • 30 Day money back guarantee – As a sign of confidence in its product, that should give assurance to potential customers, Surfshark offers a 30 day money back guarantee.

Price:

  • Starting from as low as $1.99 a month

Sign up with Surfshark here.

To read the full Surfshark review click here.


#5 PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN has a feature called “High Quality Network.”

  • Fast connection – PrivateVPN can offer a market leading connection due to buying their internet capacity directly from an IP transit provider as opposed to a middleman. No other other VPN provider does this
  • No logs policy – PrivateVPN manages to keep true to its name by ensuring its customers’ privacy by not keeping any logs of its customers’ data or online activity
  • Military grade encryption techniques – another technique PrivateVPN uses to maintain user privacy is to employ robust encryption techniques that uphold its customers’ anonymity
  • 30-day money back guarantee – if you don’t think the service is worth it within a month of using it, you can cancel your subscription and get your money back

Price:

  • Starting from as low as $3.60/month
  • 30 days money back guarantee

Sign up with PrivateVPN here.

Comcast Throttling – Why is My Access Limited?

Back in 2007, it was widely reported that Comcast, Xfinity’s owner, was throttling its bandwidth and any P2P file sharing or torrenting. Though Comcast denied any of the accusations, customers did report difficulties with Xfinity live stream TV capabilities. Eventually, Comcast admitted that they slowed down torrenting traffic, but it was later found that the company also managed to force disconnects of P2P connections.

Finally, the FCC weighed in on the situation and claimed that what Comcast was doing was illegal. Comcast managed to overturn this ruling as they argued that it was not within the FCC’s jurisdiction.

The FCC managed to put legislation in place that meant that they could ultimately reinforce their original ruling, but it still is difficult to impose this ruling in practice. Comcast customers need to prove that their connections are being throttled, which is not easy.

A VPN has thus proved itself to be the only way to bypass Xfinity throttling.

What Makes A Good Comcast Comcast VPN

  • Stops your connection suffering from throttling
  • Access to connection speeds that Comcast should be providing
  • Access Xfinity anywhere by bypassing geo restrictions
  • Complete anonymity to stream Xfinity

Here are a few of the top VPN providers on the market and how they compare for use with Xfinity.


Comcast and Xfinity Versus Netflix

In the past, on top of issues with throttling torrenting activities, Comcast and Xfinity have been guilty of slowing down those who were streaming Netflix- presumably due to Comcast being a wider media conglomerate that Netflix’s increasing popularity could challenge for market share.

At one point, customers were being shown constant advertisements for Xfinity and its own movie and premium packages. In the face of this malpractice, Comcast blamed Netflix own technology as the root cause of below average service.

In response, Netflix came to an agreement with Comcast that ultimately means that it subsidizes Comcast to give its Xfinity customers connection speeds that support Netflix services.

Arguably, this agreement is not supported by Ombudsman entities, owing to worries that Netflix will have to raise its prices to pay for this increase in expenditure. It is thought it is the consumer that will ultimately suffer in a practice between companies that can be viewed as collusion.

It has meant that customers are ultimately paying for connection speeds within an Xfinity package that they are never given in reality.

Bottom Line

Without a doubt, our number one pick is ExpressVPN as the best Xfinity VPN. You’ll never experience throttling of bandwidth or a deterioration in your internet connection if you use it as a Comcast Xfinity VPN workaround.

This review covers the top contenders in the market today. Based on speed and streaming capabilities, our #1 choice is ExpressVPN for Comcast Xfinity.

Article comments

23 comments
Sal Riggione says:

Just giving you a heads up. Even w/a VPN, Comcast is still able to throttle by using algorithms. I’ve used 4 different VPN’s in the past and the one that works best for me is IPVanish, especially if you’re using Kodi. There’s is another line of defense you can use against Comcast’ throttling techniques. Have a zero (0) balance will greatly reduce throttling, even if your presented Comcast balance isn’t due until a certain day of the month, to Comcast the presented balance is due immediately. Having your own modem and router, and having their gigabit speed will greatly improve your ability to use apps like Kodi.

Lola Olsen says:

Hi Sal,

Thank you so much for your input, it is very helpful to all of our readers.

Dixie says:

My nord vpn stopped working for streaming xfinity today – it’s like they’ve suddenly discovered I’m not home. Does anyone know why? Is there a fix? I’m so sad.

Lola Olsen says:

Hi Dixie,
Have you tried moving to a new server location still located in your home country? Sometimes Xfinity does discover that an IP address belongs to a VPN (aka, someone trying to view their content from outside of the country). Find another server located in the USA, and try to connect with that.

B Carter says:

Hi – I am looking to add VPN. I like the router/network level VPN. We have a total of 6 laptops, 1 desktop, 4 tvs, 5 phones, 2 printers, 1 NAS drive (always on), 1 home security DVR (always on), and a tablet that will connect at various. (I do plan to do something for the phones and 1 laptop specifically since they will access while away from home).
My question: I use comcast xfinity and already have their wireless router. I would need to add another router for the VPN. How can I achieve this. I am getting alot of “devices connecting when sleep or not home”, our electronics are all doing funny things. Amidst a messy divorce – I know its soon to be ex trying to track my moves AND delete files, and anything that helps me…..but criminal courts wont do anything unless I spend ridiculous money with a company tracking all this and then try to pursue. They wot even press charges for the multiple assaults/domestic violence unless I pay a lawyer to track,prove, and bring it to court. Ive already had a new comcast router put in, changed physical phones, ran sweeps of out devices, keep changing passwords, etc. I just want to make all our activity private and inaccessible.

ST Editor says:

We’re terribly sorry to hear about your situation! According to the Xfinity website, you can install a VPN directly on their routers by following these instructions. However, if you are using a separate WiFi router for your connection, you must enable its ‘bridge mode’ (which you can learn how to do here). We also recommend you use one of these VPNs for routers as they have shown the best performance. If you need more guidance, there are excellent guides, such as this one, available online. We hope this helps, and you are safe! Let us know if you have any more questions!

bob says:

as of right now, I am trying vpn.ac and nordvpn. However, it seems comcast is throttling both services, because i get decent speeds from both, but when i start using any data intensive services, it slows to < 1 mbps. I have confirmed this using various speed tests also.

ST Editor says:

Hi, and thanks for the concern! Indeed, Comcast has been reported to throttle internet connections in the past when they detect a VPN service being used. However, sometimes VPN servers may be congested, or be less optimal for things like streaming or torrenting. We’d recommend using a service like ExpressVPN, which consistently tests high on speed tests, if you’re unhappy with your current service. Otherwise, we encourage you to test different servers and locations to see if the problem lies with the VPN itself or simply the server you’re using. Let us know if this strategy works for you!

Arthur says:

The reason for using a VPN for Xfinity is that there have been many reports that indicate that Comcast throttles its networks in certain cases, which will have an impact on the streaming quality of the user. If Comcast identifies that the user is using an excessive amount of bandwidth, or if the user passes the limit established for his internet connection, he is likely to experience throttling. Mobile devices’ users are subject to restrictive data plans and if they reach the cap, they will face additional charges when they receive their monthly bills. The limits imposed by Comcast may be intended to prevent users from using P2P applications. If a user wants to download content, a VPN that supports P2P is a practical solution that will help the user to overcome the limits, without compromising his privacy.
In my case, PureVPN just works fine for me as it is the cheapest of all VPNs out there and supports P2P applications as well.

Gallentine says:

VPN is good but for those who afford this and i can’t afford this so can you tell me how i get my money back because now i’m not using any vpn.

ST Editor says:

Hi Gallentine, which VPN are you currently using? Most VPNs come with a money back guarantee that, if you cancel within a certain period of time, you will receive a full refund on your purchase. You can also look at our list of free VPN options, which might help you get the protection and service you need, but without having to spend money.

Solomon says:

I am about to move into a new home and use Comcast xfinity service for my isp. I dont like comcast but its the only choice. My question is, has anyone gotten a letter to cease and desist downloading copyright material from comcast or been warned of violating terms of service because of VPN usage?

ST Editor says:

Hi, and thank you for a question we’re sure many other Comcast customers have. While many reports of receiving Cease and Desist letters for copyright infringement do exist, we’ve found that in some cases they’re sent by accident or error. However, we found no strong indication that Xfinity punishes users for utilizing a VPN, although there have been reports of connection speeds being throttled. Regardless, Comcast’s Xfinity website includes a useful guide on using VPNs over their service, and they’ve noted that many issues stemmed from an older model network router with known problems. Keep us updated on your service, and how it goes with Comcast!

David says:

How will Trump’s new net neutrality law affect the performance of these VPN’s? Is Comcast going to be doing something different to my connection if they know I’m connecting through one of them? Really sucks what happened with this law but hoping a VPN is still a good solution for private browsing.

ST Editor says:

Thanks for the relevant question! There is still very little information about the practical effects of the net neutrality repeal, so it’s tough to tell how it will affect specific industries. However, using a VPN is not a major concern with net neutrality rules, so your privacy and access to geo-restricted content shouldn’t be affected. Your speed may suffer when visiting certain sites, though it will not likely be your VPN’s fault. Let us know if you find out more, and we promise to do more research! 

Lenord Houting says:

Well well, finally found something that is useful as well cheap. Express is working like an Express train, smooth and fast. Hope to use this service for a longer period of time. Cheers!

LIZZY says:

I am in search of a relaible and safe VPN that will shield me from Comcast throttling…Which one is the best for it ?

ST Editor says:

Hi, and thank you for the great query! We generally recommend ExpressVPN as our top option thanks to its great track record in protecting users’ privacy and anonymity. However, any of the services we recommended in our article will help you bypass Comcast’s sometimes restrictive policies. Regardless of which you choose, let us know how it goes for you!

Bella Ross says:

I enjoy my SaferVPN. I only want to know if it;s possible for me to share it with my wife in another country.

ST Editor says:

Hello Bella, Thank you for your input. You can share the service with another person in another country under the same account. I strongly suggest you touch bases with SaferVPN via their live chat option. They’re super quick to respond to any questions you have.

James says:

I tried using Nord vpn and I got blocked after a while…. I hope Express is going to be good for me.

Hunt says:

NordVPN stands out with its excellent value for the money. I would recommend it to users who attach great value to anonymity and security.

Bob says:

How do I setup your vpn on my 3 laptops, tablet,smartphone AND 2 Kodi android boxes? Thank you for your reply..