Configure CleanBrowsing DNS on Comcast Xfinity

The Limitation

Unfortunately, Comcast Xfinity does not allow the DNS to be changed on their devices. The router interface locks out DNS modifications, which means you cannot directly configure CleanBrowsing at the router level. However, there are two workaround options available.

Option 1: Use a Secondary Router (Recommended)

The recommended approach is to connect a third-party router to your Comcast Xfinity router and configure that external device with CleanBrowsing DNS:

1. Purchase a third-party router (any brand that allows DNS changes)
2. Connect it to your Xfinity gateway via Ethernet
3. Configure the secondary router with CleanBrowsing DNS:
   • Primary DNS: 185.228.168.168
   • Secondary DNS: 185.228.169.168
4. Set the same network name (SSID) and password as your primary network
5. Connect your devices to this secondary router's network

This gives you full control over DNS configuration for all connected devices.

Option 2: Per-Device DNS Configuration

If a secondary router is not feasible, you can configure DNS at the operating system level on each individual device. This means setting CleanBrowsing DNS directly on each computer, phone, or tablet rather than at the router level.

Visit our device-specific guides for instructions on configuring DNS on individual operating systems.

Note: This per-device approach can be impractical for households with many devices. The secondary router method is strongly recommended instead.

Disable Xfinity Parental Controls

If using per-device DNS configuration, you may also need to disable Comcast's built-in parental controls to avoid conflicts:

1. Log into your Xfinity account
2. Navigate to the Network menu
3. Select your Gateway device
4. Access device-specific settings
5. Turn parental controls OFF for each affected device