How to Self-Activate your own Cable Modem

Have you just purchased a new cable modem and you are wondering whether you can self-activate it? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will look at the step-by-step guide that you would need to follow to activate your newly purchased modem.

Before purchasing a cable modem, you would need to ensure that it is a Comcast Xfinity approved modem for successful self-activation. In addition to that, you would need to ensure that you have your Comcast Xfinity account number, the phone number used on the Xfinity account and the Account holder’s name. In the event that you do not have an account number, you can check for it on your monthly billing statement that is sent to your email.

To self-activate your own cable modem, you would need to download the Xfinity app on your IOS or Android device and follow the steps provided in this guide.

Self-Activating Your Own Cable Modem

The steps mentioned in this guide apply to both approved Xfinity owned equipment and Xfinity equipment. In addition to the following steps, you would need to look into your manufacturer’s installation guide for further instructions.

Step One: Deploy your Gateway or Modem

To do this, you would need to find the cable outlet that is centrally located in your home. The next thing you would need to do is place your newly purchased cable modem in an open area away from barriers such as microwaves, metal surfaces, exterior walls and windows. This is because cramped spaces and such barrier tamper with your devices signal.

Step Two: Connect your Cable Modem

To connect your cable modem, you would need to plug in the power cord on your modem into an electrical outlet and then screw one end of the provided coaxial cable into the RF in port of your modem and the other end into the cable wall outlet. Once this is done, you should give it about 10 minutes to activate as you monitor the LED display lights. To understand the LED display lights, you would need to navigate through its manufacturer’s installation guide.

Step Three: Establish a temporary Internet Connection to your Network Devices

There are two ways through which you can establish an internet connection to your network devices, either through Wi-Fi or an Ethernet Cable. If your cable modem supports a wireless connection, you can connect your devices via Wi-Fi. In this case, you would need to look for the SSID and password printed at the back or bottom of your modem.

The next thing you would need to do is go to the Wi-Fi settings on your network device, whether your mobile phone, laptop or tablet and select your modems SSID from the list of available networks. Enter the required password and wait for it to connect.

When establishing a wired internet connection to your devices, you would need to plug in the Ethernet cable to any of the open ports on your modem until it clicks and then plug in the other end of your Ethernet cable to your computer/laptop. When successfully connected, the Ethernet port should light up.

Step Four: Activate your Cable Modem

Once an internet connection has been established successfully, you should automatically see a welcome message that allows you to begin set up by opening a web browser and access Xfinity.com/activate. Follow the instructions on the on-screen prompts to verify the status of your Xfinity account and wind up on the activation process. When you have successfully completed the activation process, your cable modem may reboot and within 10 minutes you should be able to connect to your home network.

Step Five: Connect to your home network

Once your cable modem is successfully activated, you would need to connect your Wi-Fi-enabled devices to your home network. The devices that were readily connected when establishing a temporary connection to your modem, should automatically reconnect to your home network. If you changed your SSID and password during activation, then you should ensure that you are connecting your devices to the right one. Once this is done, you should be able to seamlessly access the network on all the Wi-Fi-enabled devices in your home.

A summary of the Self-Activation Process on your Cable Modem

Conclusion

Following the above steps should lead to a successful activation process. However, if you need more help when self-activating your own cable modem, you should contact Xfinity’s customer support.

FAQs

1. What should I do if my cable modem won’t turn on?

You should ensure that it is plugged in correctly to the outlet and confirm that the outlet is switched on. If it doesn’t turn on after doing this, you can switch to a different outlet and verify its connection status.

2. How do I connect to the internet when using my cable modem?

You can either access the internet via Wi-Fi or establish a wired connection to your devices using an Ethernet cable.