1
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
              INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT AND REPORT ON SCHEDULE
 
     We consent to the use in this Registration Statement of Com21, Inc. on Form
S-1 of our report dated January 18, 1999 appearing in the Prospectus, which is
part of the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to us under
the headings "Selected Financial Data" and "Experts" in such Prospectus.
 
     Our audits of the financial statements referred to in our aforementioned
report also included the valuation and qualifying accounts financial statement
schedule of Com21, Inc., listed in Item 16(b) of the Registration Statement.
This financial statement schedule is the responsibility of Com21, Inc.'s
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our audits. In
our opinion, such financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to
the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material
respects the information set forth therein.
 
/s/  DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Deloitte & Touche LLP
San Jose, California
January 18, 1999