[rsmurano]

If you want a good network setup with good coverage and fast speeds, you really need to get a good network technician to set 1 up, and that's not someone from the Geek Squad or any of the xfinity/spectrum/att vendors, these guys are normally clueless. I was doing large enterprise networks in the late 80's.
Don't expect to get the best modem/router from xfinity and get say 400Mb from anywhere in your house on every device unless you do it right. Every wall/ceiling you go thru you lose signal strength, every device (Ecobee, garage doors, direct tv receiver, peacock receiver, iPhone, iPad, etc...) either use the 2.4ghz/5ghz/6ghz network bands, and when to setup ipv4 and ipv6.
Also, you have 3 networks, 1 wired to the internet, 1 wired internal network, and 1 wireless network. Xfinity/spectrum/att/or any other IP will state their speeds at the wired location coming into the house at the modem/router. So if you want to test the maximum internet speed, hook up a laptop with a ethernet cat5e or better cable to the modem/router and do a network speed test. The internal wired network can be any speeds from 10Mb to 10Gb or higher depending on network setup and equipment and setup. Then you have your internal wireless network which can vary in speeds from 10Mb to over 1Gb depending on equipment and setup.
I use a mixture of the Xfinity modem/router and another pair of mesh routers (wired bridge using wifi 6E) in my house and I get close to 1Gb wireless speeds from my iPhones and iPads, and all my home automation gear inside and outside gets great coverage and speeds.

[Professor]

I learned that my download speed was actually limited by the computer I was measuring it with. Computer is only a couple of years old but was getting around 250 with my modum and maybe 300 on my new iPhone. Switched to the xfinity modum and still only got 250 on the computer but the iPhone jumped to 800 consistently.

[Windguy]

When I use a VPN, my download speeds drop by a factor of 2-3. I’ve had this problem with both NordVPN and Norton’s VPN. If you are using one, try disabling it to see if that helps.

[wawriwwawriw]

Wow! I must be really dumb. These all sound like Chinese to me.

[Streamers]

[QUOTE=billethkid;2182938]I have Xfinity internet, category "fast" at 400 mbs.

My modem...an Aris Surfboard 586141....and have never hit 100 mbs yet.....ussually runs around 40 mbs. Has not been a problem until recently when I am running streaming options and experience the spinning wheel of death/pausing/loading and some no connection at all. Hence the need to pursue higher modem speeds.

I called Xfinity today. He did a modem restart and ran an analysis to see if there were any connection issues outside/inside/et al.

He had me move my modem away from the window to a more inside location. That brought the speed from around 40 mbs to around 80 mbs.......still a long way from 400!!

There were no connection issues. He "suggested" using an Xfinity" modem ($15 per month). I advised him I was already paying Xfinity too much and was looking to fix that.

My plan at the moment is to pursue Xfinity for internet (assuming I can been adequate speeds). I will go with Apple TV, using Direct TV stream for programming and recording....and of course the myriad of other apps for other "stuff".

Any suggestions regarding my current inability to get the high enough speed from Xfinity.

It has been a long study for me but cord cutting is just around the corner!!



____________________________________________


Xfinity has two modem speeds, one if you are hardwired and one for WiFi. If you plugged a computer into the modem directly , you would get the 400. WiFi is a different story.

[Janie123]

In Colorado I had Comcast, speeds were slower before 8 and after 3 before and after school and work. the comment of you sharing with your neighbors could be valid. I would check CenturyLink which is now Quantum and see if they can get you 1GB speeds over fiber. I pay $65 for 1GB and I think they have a slower cheaper option as well. Since you are cutting the cord for TV, no reason to stay with you current TV provider.

As for cutting the cord, I and many on this board use YouTube TV for regular programming.

[jabacon6669]

Where do you get the speed readings? I have 400 maps from Xfinity. Modern is right beside the TV, and I am using a ethernet cable. But still on occasions get the pause and spinning circle. I'm told that 400 will serve up to eight devices. I believe we have 7. 1 computer, 1 printer, 1 iPad, 2 iPhones, and 2 TV's. So I should be alright. Will the speed show up in your settings somewhere. Also I do use a Xfinity rented modem.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by jabacon6669

Where do you get the speed readings? I have 400 maps from Xfinity. Modern is right beside the TV, and I am using a ethernet cable. But still on occasions get the pause and spinning circle. I'm told that 400 will serve up to eight devices. I believe we have 7. 1 computer, 1 printer, 1 iPad, 2 iPhones, and 2 TV's. So I should be alright. Will the speed show up in your settings somewhere. Also I do use a Xfinity rented modem.

Go to the website "speedtest.net" and do a speed test. It's very easy.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by jabacon6669

Where do you get the speed readings? I have 400 maps from Xfinity. Modern is right beside the TV, and I am using a ethernet cable. But still on occasions get the pause and spinning circle. I'm told that 400 will serve up to eight devices. I believe we have 7. 1 computer, 1 printer, 1 iPad, 2 iPhones, and 2 TV's. So I should be alright. Will the speed show up in your settings somewhere. Also I do use a Xfinity rented modem.

Whoever told you that 400 will serve up to eight devices probably meant that it would serve eight devices simultaneously streaming. I personally believe that number is low but I don't have eight streaming devices to test it. I have two dozen devices connected to my 75Mbps service with no problem at all (only a few are streaming devices).

You can get speed readings by connecting to speedtest.net or speedtest.xfinity.com.

[maistocars]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Are you measuring when wired into the cable modem, or when using a wireless connection?

The former will give a much faster reading.

Exactly - wired connection direct to the modem will give you those higher speeds.

[jabacon6669]

I'm getting 471.81 according to speediest.com. I'm contracted with Xfinity for 400.

[Pinball wizard]

Originally Posted by KeithD

Try quantum fiber. I get the numbers I pay for.

Did they give you a free Router?

[tuccillo]

A good point. I suspect many people don't realize just how little bandwidth is consumed when streaming video. 1080p Hi-Def uses about 5 megabits per second of bandwidth. While 4k (2160p) consumes about 20 megabits per second of bandwidth, there is not a lot of material out there. We currently have 200 megabits per second nominal download service (QuantumFiber) only because it was lower cost than our previous 80 megabits per second service. Prior to that, we had 10 megabits per second nominal download and had no issues streaming two 1080p sources to two TVs at the same time via Wi-Fi (centrally located router). Unless you are regularly moving around large files (say 50 gigabytes or more), nominal download bandwidths of hundreds of megabits per second will probably be indistinguishable from lower bandwidths, say less than 100 megabits per second (perhaps webpages with substantial amounts of graphics load slightly faster). I could upgrade to QuantumFiber's 1 gigabit per second nominal download service but it would not provide any additional functionality (I'm retired and don't move around big tar balls anymore) but would more than double my cost.

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Whoever told you that 400 will serve up to eight devices probably meant that it would serve eight devices simultaneously streaming. I personally believe that number is low but I don't have eight streaming devices to test it. I have two dozen devices connected to my 75Mbps service with no problem at all (only a few are streaming devices).

You can get speed readings by connecting to speedtest.net or speedtest.xfinity.com.

[Cheapbas]

Tell Xfinity to get their technician out to fix it and don’t let them leave until they prove you’re getting what your paying for.

I had FIOS 1000mps and was still getting spinning circles with Dstream with a warning on the tv that “when the network is busy”. It was infrequent but enough to be annoying , like It would happen with bases loaded in the ninth.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by maistocars

Exactly - wired connection direct to the modem will give you those higher speeds.

another old networking guy here. . though worked in the finance department bidding on large networks and working with network architects, so learned by doing with them . .

all depends upon the network design and network equipment . . .
cable companies buy in bulk from cheapest supplier for the current minimum demands and the industry innovation moves more quickly than their purchasing and installation. Do not expect HIGH end equipment from a cable supplier who is bidding on neighborhood supply to the Villages. They are bidding low and therefore you start with low end equipment.

If this is your long term destination house, not sure how "handy of a man" you are, if its greek, get a design consult from one of the posters here, or Galaxy who was at one point the main supplier of networking to the builders here, or do some reading on the internet on smart home network design and then buy the equipment on line. I have a about 500 foot roll of ethernet cable left over from rewiring our current MA house, which I will bring down and donate to individual causes later this year. . .

I had to have a second wiring closet installed for all the equipment in our house with that god awful HUNTER watering system get rid of that as well. . i specd out hard wiring everywhere prior to the fast wireless of today. .

good luck

networking guy