[jrref]

Originally Posted by rsmurano

Wireless might be the future but it will never be as good as fiber. Wifi in your home network that you build out will never be as good as a wired network. I've done corporate networks since 1991, and in my own mesh network, I use a wired connection between the routers except for 1 and I use the newer wifi 6e backhaul to 1 of the mesh routers.

To me, a fast network from an ISP is 1Gb or higher. This way I get no data caps, low latency, and faster upload and download speeds.

When people complain about network speeds, have you actually tested the speeds connected straight from the router or are you complaining about your wifi speeds within your house? Most people complain about their wifi speeds and the ISP doesn't care or know how to configure your internal network (wifi and wired) and this is the cause for 99% of people that complain about their network speed.

1/2 the people who get internet service from any of the providers use the router and its default settings in the default location. The other 49% get the Quack Squad or some neighbor to come put in a router without knowing the 1st thing about configuring a fast reliable internal network.

Try this: hook up a laptop directly to the routers ethernet port (don't use the port that is a different color or label) and run a speed test using ookla's speediest.net and I bet you will always get 85% of the speed you are paying for. Then disconnect the laptop and go to all the different parts of your house and try your wifi speeds using the same ookla speed test. You will get much slower and you probably won't get a connection in certain parts of your house.

I use multiple mesh network routers with all but 1 connected by cable and to 1 using the WIFI 6e backhaul. I can go anywhere in my house, on the back lanai, outside patio, in my garage, and get over 800Mb wifi speeds. Since my whole house is automated (grill, garage, lights, door locks, refrigerator, stove, on and on), I need a good connection to each device, no matter if they use the 2.4ghz or 5ghz network connection.

Get somebody who knows how to build a network (that's not the geek squad and none of the ISP's) to build yourself an internal network that will be faster than the internet speed you purchase.

You are 100% correct BUT the average family in the Villages doesn't care about getting full speed internet all over their home. I have 1GB service from Quantum and an Orbi 970 mesh network. Incredibly expensive but I get close to full speed wifi all over my home and using the 6Ghz backhaul, I can connect my TV and other fixed equipment wired to any one of the satillites. Using OpenSpeed test which is speed test software to measure the speed of your home network, I can get 2.5 Gbs wirelessly to all my Orbi 970 satillites and connect wired from there if needed. So no need to run a Cat 5 or 6 cable to my TV in the living room for example becasue I'll have more bandwidth than I'll ever need there. But for our home office I have a cat 5E wired link from my Orbi router to our home office. There I have a 2.5GBs switch to provide internet to our computers for example. So all this said, my network setup is total overkill for most people living in the Villages BUT I do believe over time, wireless is the future. Once Wifi 7 network equipment comes down in price and more devices are equipped with 2.4, 5 and 6Ghz wireless, then Wifi will be very close to wired connections.

Today if you buy a new home in the newer sections in the south of the Villages, the home is equipped with Centric fiber with a router and wifi already installed and powered up. All you need to do is call Centric, turn it On and you have decent wifi all over your home. Incredibly simple for $65/month 1Gbs service, no tax, no contract. This is what I'm sure we will see in the future as the norm.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by rsmurano

Wireless might be the future but it will never be as good as fiber. Wifi in your home network that you build out will never be as good as a wired network. I've done corporate networks since 1991, and in my own mesh network, I use a wired connection between the routers except for 1 and I use the newer wifi 6e backhaul to 1 of the mesh routers.

To me, a fast network from an ISP is 1Gb or higher. This way I get no data caps, low latency, and faster upload and download speeds.

When people complain about network speeds, have you actually tested the speeds connected straight from the router or are you complaining about your wifi speeds within your house? Most people complain about their wifi speeds and the ISP doesn't care or know how to configure your internal network (wifi and wired) and this is the cause for 99% of people that complain about their network speed.

1/2 the people who get internet service from any of the providers use the router and its default settings in the default location. The other 49% get the Quack Squad or some neighbor to come put in a router without knowing the 1st thing about configuring a fast reliable internal network.

Try this: hook up a laptop directly to the routers ethernet port (don't use the port that is a different color or label) and run a speed test using ookla's speediest.net and I bet you will always get 85% of the speed you are paying for. Then disconnect the laptop and go to all the different parts of your house and try your wifi speeds using the same ookla speed test. You will get much slower and you probably won't get a connection in certain parts of your house.

I use multiple mesh network routers with all but 1 connected by cable and to 1 using the WIFI 6e backhaul. I can go anywhere in my house, on the back lanai, outside patio, in my garage, and get over 800Mb wifi speeds. Since my whole house is automated (grill, garage, lights, door locks, refrigerator, stove, on and on), I need a good connection to each device, no matter if they use the 2.4ghz or 5ghz network connection.

Get somebody who knows how to build a network (that's not the geek squad and none of the ISP's) to build yourself an internal network that will be faster than the internet speed you purchase.

You are 100% correct BUT the average family in the Villages doesn't care about getting full speed internet all over their home. I have 1GB service from Quantum and an Orbi 970 mesh network. Incredibly expensive but I get close to full speed wifi all over my home and using the 6Ghz backhaul, I can connect my TV and other fixed equipment wired to any one of the satillites. Using OpenSpeed test which is speed test software to measure the speed of your home network, I can get 2.5 Gbs wirelessly to all my Orbi 970 devices. So no need to run a Cat 5 or 6 cable to my TV in the living room for example becasue I'll have more bandwidth than I'll ever need there. But for our home office I have a cat 5E wired link from my Orbi router to our home office. There I have a 2.5GBs switch to provide internet to our computers for example. So all this said, my network setup is total overkill for most people living in the Villages BUT I do believe over time, wireless is the future. Once Wifi 7 or other future network equipment comes down in price and more devices are equipped with 2.4, 5 and 6Ghz wireless, then Wifi will be very close to wired connections.

Today if you buy a new home in the newer sections in the south of the Villages, the home is equipped with Centric fiber with a router and wifi already installed and powered up. All you need to do is call Centric, turn it On and you have decent wifi all over your home. Incredibly simple for $65/month 1Gbs service, no tax, no contract. This is what I'm sure we will see in the future as the norm.

Forgot to mention, If you get Quantum fiber, they install a pretty good Wifi 6 mesh network in you home giving you excellent coverage with no work by the homeowner as well.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by ChilePepper

I did a side-by-side modem speed check (via direct Cat 5 cabling and wifi) between Century Link and T-Mobile. T-Mobile smoked Century Link by a long shot. Since I already had my cell service with T-Mobile, I just bundled. I have been very pleased with my connections and speed.

I have used Xfinity in the past which seemed good - I just did not appreciate their sketchy business practices. Also, I would invest in Babbel before calling the service line. Also, Xfinity brags about using Verizon's network which is not a lie. What they don't tell you is they only have access to a portion of the towers (I was told approx 1/3).

I believe you can also get Verizon wireless internet for $35/month as well.

These wireless internet providers are the future but while they work OK now, they are still not 100% yet since there is limited cell bandwidth with all the providers. Also with 5G networks you need to be fairly close to a cell tower or line of sight to get a full speed connection. But it does work.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by spinner1001

I went to the local Xfinity store (Leesburg for me) — rather than calling them on the phone — and got a reduced price.

I did not have a hassle and they were very pleasant to deal with in person. I simply asked if they have any specials with lower prices. I am paying $50 per month for internet service and that price is locked for two years. At the end of two years, I will be making another trip back to the store to repeat the process.

So here is the problem. No matter how good the service is from the cable company, and although they will give you a "deal" to get your business, they are banking on you forgetting the term of the deal so they can start charging you full price. What normally happens is most people forget and are charged full price for several months. By the time they notice the increase, several months have gone by and the cable company made up most of what they lost giving you that "deal".

If you can get away from the cable company by going with Fiber or wireless from T-Mobile, Verizon and now AT&T, you can take that task to go back and re-negotiate with the cable company off you list of things to do.

[Sgt Ed]

Originally Posted by RustyandEthel

Hello all I’m paying $80 a month for mediocre Xfinity internet and would like to switch to something cheaper. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I got rid of Century link and got T- Mobile for $50 per month and unlimited data. You have to make sure the salesperson know you want unlimited data other wise the give you about 150 bits and that lasts a day then things slow down or quit.

[BetsyMae]

I use Quatum Fiber and it is great. It is only $45 a month.

[BlueStarAirlines]

Originally Posted by RustyandEthel

Hello all I’m paying $80 a month for mediocre Xfinity internet and would like to switch to something cheaper. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I'm paying $79 for GB speed with Spectrum. Price is locked for two years.

[TomSpasm]

I have the Quantum fiber 500 Mbps and get at least that on my iPhone and iPad. But on my 4 year old desktop computer, I only get 150Mbps. I presume it's due to an older network card or whatever manages the wi-fi. I've been unhappy with the performance of my tv setup, mostly the slowness of the response to cursor movements and the occasional malfunctioning of the remote working fast-forward/reverse operations. It's recently dawned on me that my troubles may be that my 12 year old 60" tv may not be up to the task. Any others with similar issues?

[Hank’s mom]

I’m paying $313 a month and want something cheaper. I don’t even watch TV for more than 1 hr a day!

[bopat]

Originally Posted by biker1

You didn't say where you lived. The internet service providers vary by location. Here are the providers that I am aware of in The Villages. You will have to visit their websites to see if they provide service to your address. I use QuantumFiber for $30 per month - no issues and I have had the service for 10 years (the first 9 under the CenturyLink branding).

Spectrum
Xfinity
QuantumFiber (CenturyLink's new fiber optics to the house brand name)
CenturyLink (DSL service in some northern parts of The Villages)
Centric Fiber
AT&T 5G cellular access
Verizon 5G cellular access
T-Mobile 5G cellular access

The fidelity of the 5G cellular services may vary.

Starlink is now available in The Villages, not cheaper, but another alternative.

$120/mo for service and $599 for hardware.

Starlink

[biker1]

Thank you for the update. I wasn't sure what their status was.

Originally Posted by bopat

Starlink is now available in The Villages, not cheaper, but another alternative.

$120/mo for service and $599 for hardware.

Starlink

[PurePeach]

Originally Posted by RustyandEthel

Hello all I’m paying $80 a month for mediocre Xfinity internet and would like to switch to something cheaper. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

We just switched to Quantum Fiber and it’s great. $50/month for life or unless we change speeds. I have 14 devices connected with no problem. Watch lots of movies, on my iPad a lot, no gaming. Sometimes 2 TVs on at a time and using iPad with no problem.

[rsmurano]

I forgot to state that you are paying an ISP for internet speed not wifi speed. No ISP will guarantee that you will get a certain speed everywhere in your house. Where they place the router you will get the best wifi speed, but after every wall, especially block walls, your wifi speed will diminish and sometimes you won’t even find a wifi signal, especially if you are using 5ghz. Plus, the installation people might not be able to put the router in the most optimal spot because of the cable location.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Hank’s mom

I’m paying $313 a month and want something cheaper. I don’t even watch TV for more than 1 hr a day!

Get an antenna for TV.

[chris237]

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