Comcast Launches xFi Pods Delivering Cheap And Easy Mesh Wi-Fi Networking For Whole Home Coverage

If you recall, Comcast invested in Plume last year, and the xFi Pods are the result of that partnership. The devices are hexagonal in shape and plug-in directly to a free electrical outlet. They are designed to spread Wi-Fi to dead zones in your home, or to simply extend coverage further on your property (i.e. installing a xFi Pod in your garage to provide better coverage to your adjacent patio).

Comcast says that the xFi Pods are compatible with both the xFi Wireless Gateway and the xFi Advanced Gateway. The Wi-Fi extenders are able to seamlessly add coverage, monitor your Wi-Fi connections, and make optimizations as needed. Comcast says that its own cloud-based network monitoring service is able to determine which of your wireless devices connect to a particular xFi Pod and will select the best bands for optimum performance. In other words, this is pretty much standard fare for a modern mesh Wi-Fi system.

If you already have a Comcast-provided router, the company is making it hard to pass on adopting xFi Pods thanks to attractive pricing. Comcast is selling a three-pack of xFi Pods for $119, while a six pack will set you back $199. The company says that the six-pack is recommended if you have a 5+ bedroom home and multiple stories to cover.

Those are bargain prices compared to the bog stock Plume Wi-Fi extenders, which cost $179 and $329 respectively for the three-pack and six-pack. And if the pricing stillseems out of reach for you, Comcast will allow you to purchase either pack on a monthly plan (which is tacked on to your usual bill, of course).