Best VPNs for Comcast Xfinity: Overcome bandwidth throttling

In today’s digital age, nothing is more exasperating than slow or unstable internet, especially when it’s deliberate. Comcast stands tall as America’s premier internet service provider, with Xfinity, its powerhouse brand, offering an all-in-one package of cable TV, broadband internet, and landline phone services. But with its increasing dominance comes a growing buzz about its bandwidth-throttling practices.

But did you know there’s a way to circumvent this speed stranglehold? If you’re among the legions of Xfinity customers frustrated by this practice, this article will explain how to leverage a VPN to reclaim your deserved internet speed.

We’ve done deep, exhaustive research and tests to bring you the ultimate guide on the best VPNs tailored for Comcast Xfinity users, ensuring seamless streaming, fortified privacy, and ironclad security.

If you don’t have time to read the detailed reviews of each provider, here’s a summary of our recommended VPNs.

Best VPNs for Xfinity:

1. NordVPN: Our top choice for a Comcast Xfinity VPN. Superfast, security-conscious, and able to unblock all kinds of geo-restricted services. 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Comcast Xfinity.
2. Surfshark: A user-friendly, inexpensive, and secure VPN that works great with Comcast Xfinity. No connection limits whatsoever.
3. IPVanish: User-friendly apps, strong security, and privacy. Works well with Kodi devices and has fast connection speeds for streaming.
4. ExpressVPN: Fast and reliable service that works great for streaming and unblocks most popular streaming sites. Top-notch security and privacy.
5. PureVPN: An affordable VPN that lets you access foreign TV streams with Comcast Xfinity. Also works with Netflix, ABC, ESPN, Hulu, and more.
6. ProtonVPN: A fast VPN perfect for Comcast Xfinity users and techies. Choice of US servers, a kill switch, includes port forwarding, allows torenting.
7. CyberGhost: Beginner-friendly Comcast VPN and won’t break the bank. Solid service with excellent connection speeds, privacy, and reliable security.
8. PrivateVPN: Emphasis on privacy and security as the name suggests. Good speeds for streaming. Works great with Comcast Xfinity.

Why do you need a VPN for Comcast Xfinity?

Customers have many reasons to dislike Comcast, but this article will focus on throttling and broadband privacy. Comcast throttles, or slows down, internet speed when it notices you are doing something online that Comcast doesn’t approve of. Notably, such activities have included torrenting and streaming Netflix.

To bypass Comcast’s throttling and snooping, we recommend using a VPN. Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all of a device’s internet traffic and routes it through an intermediary server in a remote location. The encryption ensures Comcast cannot see the contents of your web traffic, and using the VPN server as a middleman ensures that Comcast cannot see which websites, apps, and services you access.

In addition, since broadband privacy rules were repealed in 2017, internet service providers can track what you do online and sell that information to advertisers. A VPN will also prevent Comcast from spying on your internet activity and sharing that information with third parties, which is, unfortunately, now legal in the US.

Best VPNs for Comcast Xfinity: Our hands-on review

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Comcast Xfinity.

Criteria for the best Comcast VPNs

Not all VPNs will improve your experience with Comcast. Based on our full testing, we’ve curated our list of the best VPNs for Comcast Xfinity based on the following criteria:

• A global network of fast servers for reliable streaming
• No logs of user activity are stored by the VPN provider
• Strong 256-bit AES encryption
• Fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth
• Can bypass anti-VPN firewalls on sites like Netflix
• Allows P2P file sharing and torrenting
• Reasonable pricing and a money-back guarantee
• Responsive customer support (preferably with live chat)

This is just an overview, but you can read more about how we test the VPNs we recommend – and the results of those tests – in our methodology section below. First, let’s take a closer look at the VPNs that impressed us.

The best VPNs for Comcast Xfinity

Here are our top picks for the best VPN for Comcast customers:

1. NordVPN

Dec 2024

NordVPN is the best VPN for Xfinity from Comcast. It operates over 6,500 servers in 100+ countries. The Panama-based company has a proven track record of never storing logs about its VPN users. NordVPN allows you to see the distance and current load of any server to make it easier to find one that best suits your needs. Some servers can unblock geo-locked content on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. Other servers are optimized for specific purposes, like double VPN or accessing Tor over VPN.

NordVPN was actually the quickest provider overall, delivering an impressively high average speed of 203.91 Mbps and remarkably consistent individual test results. So what does this mean? In simple terms, you’ll get roughly the same level of performance no matter what time of day you connect. Further, you should be able to live stream, play online games, or torrent without any noticeable impact on your speeds.

Here’s how NordVPN performed in our speed tests:

NordVPN employs a military-grade level of encryption. A kill switch is included that will halt internet traffic if the VPN connection drops. You can cut off the internet to specific applications or the entire device. DNS leak protection and a CyberSec feature go further to protect you from snooping and other online threats. You can torrent on any server, but a few are optimized for P2P file sharing.

NordVPN makes Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android apps. You may connect up to ten devices simultaneously, making this VPN great for families.

BEST VPN for Comcast Xfinity:NordVPN is our top choice. A great option which works reliably with Comcast and most popular streaming sites. Connects up to 10 devices simultaneously. Extremely fast speeds. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark has 3,000+ servers in more than 100+ countries, making it ideal for unblocking region-locked streaming platforms like Netflix US from abroad. Its connection speeds are generally fast enough for flawless HD live streaming, and as this service has no connection limit, you’re free to watch on whichever device you like.

Surfshark might be a budget provider, but it punches well above its weight when it comes to speed. In fact, our testing showed that it was just a hair slower than NordVPN, averaging 201.45 Mbps. For context, that’s enough to watch a dozen 4K videos simultaneously or download a gigabyte of data in about 40 seconds. Again, there was minimal variance based on the time of day we tested the VPN. Let’s take a closer look at those speed test results:

This VPN secures your internet traffic using DNS, IPv6, WebRTC leak protection, 256-bit AES encryption, and a kill switch. It also offers automatic ad-blocking and malware scanning and a feature that lets certain apps bypass the VPN. You can pay in Bitcoin, Ripple, or Ethereum, but Surfshark doesn’t log any online information that could identify you, so you can’t be traced either way. Need help? Support is available via 24/7 live chat.

Surfshark provides iOS, MacOS, Android, Windows, and Linux apps. It also has excellent router compatibility but must be configured manually.

BEST BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark offers unlimited bandwidth,, great unblocking ability, and powerful security at a very reasonable price. In fact, this no-logs VPN even includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish is a US-based provider, but the company doesn’t store any logs about how you use the VPN or the contents of your internet traffic. The company operates its own network of more than 2,300 servers in over 75 worldwide locations. IPVanish is a favorite among torrenters and Kodi users who need rock-solid online privacy protections for their VPN traffic and unblocks streaming services.

IPVanish is another strong contender when it comes to speed. It took third place overall, being just marginally slower than Surfshark, with an average speed of 198.47 Mbps. However, it’s worth noting that this VPN was a little less consistent. There was around 50 Mbps of difference between its highest and lowest results. Still, even at its slowest, IPVanish was more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks like streaming or torrenting. Check out the results of all three tests below:

The provider uses the highest-level encryption on the market. The apps include a kill switch and DNS leak protection. You can also toggle options for traffic obfuscation and set the app to change your IP address at specified intervals.

IPVanish makes apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Fire TV. IPVanish is one of the few VPNs that allows unlimited simultaneous connections, making it fantastic value.

USER FRIENDLY APPS:IPVanish is great for families that need multiple simultaneous connections. Works great with Comcast and an array of streaming services. Own network of super-fast servers and score top marks for privacy and their advanced security protocols. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has 3,000+ servers in more than 100 countries. Based in the British Virgin Islands, this VPN is not subject to any data retention laws and keeps no logs of your IP address or traffic contents. Servers are generally fast enough to stream video in HD and download large files. P2P file sharing is allowed. ExpressVPN has some servers that can access geo-locked content and bypass VPN bans on sites and apps like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer.

ExpressVPN may not be quite as fast as some of the other providers we’ve seen so far, but it’s more than capable of handling whatever you throw at it. Our experts recorded an average speed of 131.43 Mbps. What’s more, there was barely 20 Mbps of variance after three tests. Simply put, even if lots of people in your home like to use the internet at the same time, it’s unlikely you’ll notice any slowdown or performance issues. Here are the full results:

ExpressVPN uses future-proof encryption standards that can’t be cracked unless you have a supercomputer lying around. Even then, an attack could only decrypt data from a short time period thanks to built-in perfect forward secrecy. A kill switch and DNS leak protection ensure none of your data ever escapes the encrypted VPN tunnel, ensuring your internet usage is always private.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and certain Wi-Fi routers. Users can make eight simultaneous connections.

STREAM WITHOUT LIMITS:ExpressVPN is a speedy, secure service that’s hard to beat when it comes to privacy and unblocking ability. It even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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5. PureVPN

PureVPN is almost unbeatable for Comcast Xfinity users wanting a VPN that balances cost and functionality. Priced from just $1.96 per month, it offers everything you need to stop Comcast from monitoring your web visits and ensure you can access region-locked content and websites from 100+ different countries worldwide.

This VPN has always been known for its steady performance. It was the fourth-quickest provider we saw this time around, thanks to its average speed of 143.53 Mbps. That’s marginally faster than ExpressVPN, which has roughly the same amount of consistency. PureVPN is absolutely up to the task of streaming high-quality video, and you shouldn’t notice any performance issues while multitasking. You’ll find a breakdown of the results in the chart below:

Comcast Xfinity users can use PureVPN to access international streaming services, including British TV platforms like BBC iPlayer or Canadian channels like CTV and CityTV. This vastly broadens your entertainment options. A choice of servers across the US also means you can use PureVPN to bypass blackout games – and, of course, it will also come in handy to watch Netflix US or any other platform when you go on vacation.

PureVPN provides the WireGuard protocol, which makes it an excellent option for streaming, gaming, torrenting, and making video calls. The VPN’s robust AES encryption makes it perfect for protecting against hackers on public wifi and bypassing website blocks at work without being monitored.

Apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Firestick. The service offers a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection, ensuring you can torrent privately. Just remember that port forwarding is an optional extra that costs a few bucks more.

Finally, PureVPN has a 31-day money-back guarantee, which means you can test it with your Comcast Xfinity account and compare it to any other VPNs that interest you. Live chat support is available on its website, but the agents are very slow to respond.

LOW COST:PureVPN lets you bypass blocks, torrent safely, and access foreign TV streams with your Comcast Xfinity account. It works to watch Netflix, ABC, ESPN, Hulu, HBO Max, and many other US services on vacation and protects you against hackers on public wifi. The VPN is very cheap and offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our PureVPN review.

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6. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, a country with decent privacy laws. This allows the VPN to implement a rock solid no logging policy. ProtonVPN is perfect for Comcast Xfinity users who want to access international content. Its network extends to 110+ countries, giving users access to streaming services from Canada, Australia, Britain, or any other country that takes your fancy. It also has a choice of servers across the US, perfect for accessing regional services and bypassing blackout games.

Paid subscribers gain access to unrestricted speeds and the full server network. During our testing, these premium servers delivered an average speed of 128.91 Mbps. That’s definitely a respectable performance, though quite far from the highest speeds we’ve seen. Needless to say, you won’t struggle with torrenting, gaming, or making video calls. Further, there was only around 14 Mbps of variance, so you should get roughly the same speeds every time you connect.

The VPN has apps for various operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. These apps come with AES encryption, a kill switch, multiple protocol options, obfuscation, split tunneling, multi-hop connections, self-owned secure core servers, and Tor over VPN. The port forwarding feature makes ProtonVPN ideal for torrenting.

ProtonVPN’s robust security is perfect for Comcast Xfinity users wanting to shield their activities against ISP snooping, government surveillance, and the threat of hackers when using public wifi. It also makes it a reliable option for users traveling to countries with internet restrictions or censorship.

ProtonVPN is fast thanks to its WireGuard protocol, which makes it ideal for Comcast users wanting to play games, torrent, and stream HD content. You can ask questions by contacting the live chat support on its website and test the VPN yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee. The only real downside is that it is a touch expensive.

STRONG PRIVACY:ProtonVPN is a fast VPN perfect for Comcast Xfinity users. It has a choice of US servers to access blackout games or regional US services. Apps come with a kill switch, obfuscation, multi-hop, and AES encryption. Torrenting is allowed throughout its network, and it includes port forwarding. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our ProtonVPN review.

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7. CyberGhost

CyberGhost operates more than 10,000 servers in 100+ countries. The app allows you to choose a server by location or how you plan to use it. For example, if you want to stream Netflix, you can simply select that option rather than figure out which servers work through trial and error. Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer are among the many channels CyberGhost can access and it allows torrenting.

Historically, CyberGhost has been a strong performer in terms of speed. Lately, though, we’ve noticed a fairly sharp decline in its speeds. For instance, after three tests on US servers, its average was just 39.04 Mbps. That’s the lowest score of any provider in this list. While it is still enough for day-to-day browsing, you may notice a bit of slowdown when multiple people in your home try to stream or download files at the same time.

The Romania-based provider keeps no logs and uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect your data and keep it private from Comcast and other prying eyes. DNS leak protection and a kill switch are included with the apps. Extra protections include anti-tracking and anti-malware features.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android and Linux. You can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously with a CyberGhost subscription.

VALUE AND PERFORMANCE:CyberGhost is easy to use. A well priced solid performer. Good with Comcast and most other streaming sites. Privacy and online security are solid. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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8. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is a fast-growing up-and-comer from Sweden. While its network is smaller than the other VPNs on this list, it doesn’t sacrifice speed, security, or performance. PrivateVPN bypassed VPN bans and geographic restrictions on almost every site we threw at it, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. The servers are marked to indicate whether Netflix can be accessed or not.

This isn’t the quickest provider we’ve ever seen, but it does provide ample performance for common tasks like streaming or making video calls. PrivateVPN delivered an average speed of 66.85 Mbps following three tests, though there was a fair amount of variance (with faster speeds in the morning). Perhaps when this VPN introduces native support for WireGuard (instead of relying on external configuration), we’ll see its performance increase even further.

The young provider uses top-of-the-line encryption standards and follows a strict zero-logs policy. Should the VPN connection drop at any point, you can enable a kill switch to stop traffic from being sent over the unencrypted network. DNS leak protection is built into the apps. PrivateVPN allows P2P file sharing.

PrivateVPN makes apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. You may connect up to ten devices at a time.

GREAT SPEED:PrivateVPN is consistently reliable. Works well with Comcast and allows up to 10 devices on the same account. Small server count. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for Comcast Xfinity

There are hundreds of VPNs out there, all vying for your attention. However, not all of them are a good choice for Comcast Xfinity users (and many are a poor choice for American users in general). Don’t worry: our experts have more than a decade of combined experience with consumer VPNs and have created a comprehensive testing process to make sure you’re actually going to get your money’s worth. Our examination focuses on five main areas, and we’ll guide you through each of these below:

Performance

Every VPN will reduce your connection speeds to some degree. This happens because your data now has to be encrypted, rerouted, and decrypted, all of which takes time. Of course, some providers are best optimized, meaning they lose less speed overall. That’s extremely important because sluggish connections lead to pages that take forever to load and, in the worst cases, sporadic disconnection from the VPN.

It was also important that we construct a series of tests that provide an accurate idea of the speeds you can expect. To begin with, we used a 246 Mbps connection since this is roughly the average US home broadband speed. Then, we tested US servers three times (in the morning, at noon, and in the evening) before averaging the results. This helps remove some of the inherent randomness of speed testing. Finally, we weighted and normalized the results relative to each other, making it easier to compare providers side by side:

NordVPN was the fastest provider overall, so it earned a perfect 10 points. Surfshark was right behind it, though, and IPVanish wasn’t far away either. CyberGhost was actually the slowest VPN we tested, which is surprising given that it’s usually fairly quick. Its lack of consistency didn’t help either, with almost 40 Mbps between its highest and lowest results.

Features and functionality

Every VPN user is different. That’s why your provider has to be able to handle anything from live streaming TV from other countries to protecting your Smart TV. Now, versatility is a difficult thing to quantify, but we’re not the type to shy away from a challenge. First, we considered how consistently each VPN worked with major streaming platforms and how many countries its network covered. We also looked into whether they supported router installation and if they came with split tunneling support (since this gives you much more control over your connection). Here are the final scores for our top providers:

Once again, NordVPN took the top spot. IPVanish was in second place, while Surfshark and ExpressVPN tied for third. Meanwhile, PrivateVPN had the lowest score (5.4) due to its lack of split tunneling support and fairly small network.

Security and privacy

VPNs are supposed to keep your online activities hidden, and if they can’t do that, they’re just not worth using. To determine which was the most security-conscious provider, our team thoroughly examined each service, looking into its logging policy, audit history, supported protocols, encryption level, and much more. Below, you’ll find a complete list of our findings:

Points were assigned based on what was offered in each category. Next, these scores were weighted and normalized, allowing us to create a simple, easy-to-understand VPN comparison:

You’ll notice we actually have a two-way tie here between NordVPN and Surfshark. The former could do with increasing the length of its authentication keys up to SHA-512, whereas Surfshark lost points for being based in a Nine Eyes country. Still, there were no poor performers here. Even our lowest scorer (PrivateVPN) earned 8.7 points out of 10 – it’s just that it lacked some of the more advanced features of its rivals and did not include a kill switch on every platform.

Ease of use

Nobody wants a VPN that’s a nuisance to use. Generally, though, well-known providers have gotten pretty good at streamlining their apps and making their key functionality intuitive. Still, there’s more to user-friendliness than just this. For example, providers could remove connection limits entirely, provide servers that are specially optimized for different tasks, or simply offer 24/7 assistance in case anything goes wrong. The table below shows everything we kept an eye out for in this category, and how each of our top VPNs for Comcast fared:

NordVPN seems to be on a roll, taking the top spot again with a score of 9.6. There is room for improvement (it doesn’t have a router app or full feature parity), but that’s already an exceptional score. IPVanish and ExpressVPN took second and third place, while PrivateVPN came in last, with 8.6 points out of 10. It is still a beginner-friendly service, though registration could be a little smoother, and we’d prefer it to be a little more consistent when it comes to streaming.

Value for money

If there’s one thing we’ve learned after years of testing VPNs, it’s that often, less expensive services work just as well (if not better) than their most expensive rivals. The first step of our testing was to make sure providers weren’t overcharging for the functionality they offer. Next, we checked to see how often each VPN goes on sale and if they offer lower rates for students or long-term discounts. Note that to be eligible for a place in this list, VPNs must offer a money-back guarantee. This way, you can try it for yourself and simply claim a refund if you’re not impressed. Here are our findings:

Surfshark delivered the highest score here (9.7) thanks to its lack of connection limit and low monthly price. IPVanish, CyberGhost, and NordVPN weren’t too far behind though! Proton VPN was actually the lowest scorer in this category; it costs a little more than most, has no student discount, and still imposes a connection limit. To its credit, though, it’s the only VPN we tested with a free trial that you can use indefinitely.

Setting up a VPN on Comcast Xfinity routers

It’s possible to set up a VPN on a router to protect the internet connection on all of the devices in your home, rather than installing the VPN app on individual devices. This also protects devices that don’t normally support VPNs, such as streaming devices and game consoles.

Comcast Xfinity customers can choose from a range of cable modems, many of which have wi-fi routers built-in. The easiest way to set up a VPN on a router, however, is to keep your modem and wifi router separate.

Most wi-fi router models don’t support VPN connections by default. That includes the xFi Gateway as well as most Comcast-approved third-party equipment from Netgear, Linksys, Arris, and Motorola.

If your router doesn’t already support OpenVPN or other common VPN protocols, then you’ll have to replace the firmware with something that does. Some free firmware that support VPNs include:

• DD-WRT
• TomatoUSB
• AsusWRT
• OpenWRT

You can search for compatible firmware for your router model online. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for updating firmware, but be warned: failing to properly replace firmware can permanently damage your router.

For those combination modem-plus-wifi models, this process is more complicated and might not be possible at all. Some have separate firmware for the modem and router, but who knows how changing one might affect the other? That’s why we recommend having a separate modem and wi-fi router. It will also give you much more flexibility in choosing a router, because it doesn’t have to be from Comcast’s list of approved devices.

Once you’ve got a wi-fi router with VPN-compatible firmware, your VPN provider can give you the necessary setup details. The process varies between VPN providers and firmware versions, but generally, you’ll need the following to set up an OpenVPN connection:

• Server IP address
• Tunnel protocol (UDP or TCP)
• Encryption cipher
• Hash algorithm
• Username
• Password
• Shared secret key or certificate
• Various other options and settings

Once you’ve configured your router VPN, you can protect any wi-fi connected devices on the network.

Setting up a VPN on a router can be tedious and even risky. If you want to forgo the complicated setup but still use Comcast with a VPN router, we recommend NordVPN’s custom routers and firmware. They make managing VPN connections much simpler with pre-configured servers and an easy-to-navigate admin panel. You can even choose which connected devices use the VPN and which don’t, a feature called split tunneling. I use this setup at home with an Arris modem, and it works perfectly.

Comcast bandwidth throttling: then and now

Comcast’s first high-profile case of bandwidth throttling occurred in 2006. The company installed hardware called Sandvine in its network. Sandvine disrupted the protocols used by peer-to-peer file-sharing networks like BitTorrent, preventing Comcast customers from uploading files. Comcast did not disclose the new policy to customers. After an FCC investigation in 2008, the commission ruled Comcast’s network management was unreasonable and ordered the company to terminate its discriminatory practices.

Comcast complied with the order, but appealed it in court. In Comcast Corp. v. FCC, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC does not have adequate jurisdiction to issue such an order. Later in 2008, Comcast was found to have throttled VoIP applications like Skype and Facetime.

In 2010, the FCC issued the Open Internet Order, which enshrined net neutrality in law. While Comcast never challenged it in court, the order prevented Comcast from reinstating bandwidth throttling on P2P traffic. The company also removed blocking and throttling of VoIP traffic.

Sometime in the latter half of 2013, Comcast and Verizon both began throttling Netflix streams, resulting in longer buffering times and poor quality video for broadband subscribers. Due to the large amount of data necessary to stream video and the growing popularity of Netflix, Comcast and Verizon claimed they were being taken advantage of. Netflix argued it and its customers were being discriminated against.

In 2014, Comcast and Netflix reached a deal wherein Netflix would pay Comcast to end the throttling. The agreement was arranged out of court, so no legal precedent was set. It did, however, set a precedent wherein internet companies pay ISPs for favorable service, toeing the line that distinguishes net neutrality from paid prioritization.

Even as late as 2018, Comcast hijinks have disrupted customers’ internet. In March, the ISP’s “protected browsing” setting blocked sites like Steam and PayPal.

Comcast has lobbied extensively in Washington to combat laws that promote net neutrality. In 2017, it saw its efforts come to fruition thanks to new FCC chairman Ajit Pai. Pai led repeals of two major consumer protections: broadband privacy and net neutrality.

Near the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018, Pai also repealed the Open Internet Order, an FCC rule that required all internet traffic be treated equally by ISPs like Comcast. The order categorized ISPs in the same class of business as utilities, which did not allow ISPs to discriminate based on how their customers used the internet or what sites, apps, and services they use.

With these two consumer protections out of the way, Comcast subscribers should expect their browsing data to be harvested and their traffic throttled in the coming months and years. Comcast has already begun working with other large ISPs to ban state net neutrality laws. If you’re a Comcast customer, now is the time to invest in a VPN.

How a VPN stops Comcast from spying on you

The broadband privacy repeal allows ISPs like Comcast to use and sell browsing data and other sensitive information about how its customers use the internet to third parties, sparking outrage among privacy advocates. Because everything you do online goes through your ISP’s network infrastructure, Comcast could unearth personal info like what websites you visit, products you buy, emails and text messages, social media posts, and search queries. It can then take all that information and sell it to a third party, such as an advertising network or data broker.

This allows Comcast to “double dip”, meaning it makes money from you paying for a subscription and by selling your browsing data.

A VPN stops such personal data collection practices full stop. While you’re connected to the VPN, all your internet traffic is encrypted as it passes through Comcast’s network and servers. Because Comcast cannot decrypt it, there is no useful information for them to collect. And because all that data goes to the VPN server before being sent to its final destination, Comcast cannot keep track of what sites you visit. Just make sure you pick a good VPN, such as those recommended above, with strong encryption and leak protection.

Using a free VPN for Comcast Xfinity

We generally recommend avoiding any so-called free VPN for Comcast Xfinity. These services are far more limited in several ways and can worsen your overall Comcast experience.

Free VPNs tend to have a limited selection of very congested servers. They often impose data caps, limit bandwidth, or force you to wait in a queue before connecting. Free VPNs will further slow your connection, making them counterproductive means to combat bandwidth throttling.

Many free VPNs employ shady practices to pay the bills, including harvesting your internet traffic for personal details and selling the data to third-party advertisers. Some will inject advertisements into your web browser; others even carry malware payloads that can infect your device.

Comcast Xfinity VPNs: FAQ