Getting to know your WiFi

WiFi is a technology that uses radio waves to connect your devices to the internet without cables. It works through a wireless router, like your Rogers Xfinity Gateway or your Rogers 5G Home Internet Gateway. The router sends out a signal that your devices can pick up.

Most modern devices — like smartphones, laptops, tablets, e-readers and smart TVs — are WiFi-ready by default. If you're using an older device, it’s worth checking that it supports WiFi.

Some devices — like gaming consoles or desktop computers — can connect directly to the modem using an Ethernet cable. That gives a more stable connection. But for everything else (phones, tablets, smart TVs), WiFi is way more convenient.

WiFi works through a wireless router that broadcasts a signal throughout your home. Your Rogers Xfinity and Rogers 5G Home Internet Gateways combine a modem and a WiFi router in one device, connecting to the Rogers network and creating a wireless network for your devices.

WiFi speeds may be slower than wired connections. This is because wireless connectivity can be impacted by the capabilities of your WiFi device, signal interference or congestion, WiFi coverage, , and other factors.

WiFi has evolved. Each generation brings better speed and performance. Here’s a quick breakdown:

To learn more about WiFi 7 and Rogers Xfinity equipment featuring this latest technology.

To learn more about the 5G Home Internet

WiFi networks use different bands to connect to the internet: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and the newer 6 GHz bands.

• 2.4 GHz offers more coverage and can send signals better through walls, but it's slower.
• 5 GHz offers faster speeds and less interference, but it has a shorter range.
• 6 GHz supports the fastest speeds and lowest latency however it’s only available on newer devices and has the shortest range.

To help you get the best connection, Rogers Xfinity Gateways and Rogers 5G Home Internet Gateways use band steering by default. This feature automatically connects your device to the most suitable frequency band based on your location, device capabilities and network conditions.

With an older modem, or if band steering has been turned off, you may see separate WiFi networks for each frequency band. If you can, connect your device to the 6G (for 6GHz) or 5G network (this is the 5 GHz WiFi band, not cellular 5G).

You can learn how to turn on or off band steering by choosing your modem below.

• Hitron CODA-4582 Modem
• Hitron CGN3-AC, CGN3-AMR, CHN3ACSMR or CGNM-3552 Modem

At Rogers, we’re here to make sure you get the most out of your home internet experience. That’s why we offer a range of powerful WiFi solutions to keep you connected—whether you're streaming, gaming, working from home, or all the above.

Our equipment includes gateway modems (which combine a modem and WiFi router in one device), standalone WiFi routers, and optional WiFi extenders to help extend your coverage into every corner of your home. To take full advantage of WiFi technology, you'll need both compatible devices and compatible home WiFi equipment. However, Rogers Xfinity Gateways and Routers are backwards-compatible with previous generations of WiFi technology, so they still support a wide range of older WiFi devices.

• WiFi 7: Rogers Xfinity Router and Rogers 5G Home Internet Nokia Gateway 12
• WiFi 6E: Rogers Xfinity Gateway (Gen 3)
• WiFi 6: Rogers Xfinity Gateway (Gen 2) and the 5G Home Internet Gateways (Nokia Fastmile, Vantiva Cobra and Inseego MiFi Pro)
• WiFi 5: Rogers Xfinity Gateway (Gen 1), Rogers Xfinity WiFi Boost Pod extenders , Hitron CODA-4582 modem and most of the Hitron CGN3 series of modems