[SOLVED] New gigabit internet - not getting speed results anywhere close

[Riccaforte]

I just moved for a new job, and I was able to get gigabit service to my apartment from Spectrum (cable, not fiber). This is already amazing - I used to have Frontier DSL and got ~1 Mbps on a good day. However, when I do a speed test, either wired or wireless to my desktop or laptop, I don't even break 100 Mbps. Right now it's showing 56 Mbps, and I haven't seen more than 95 Mbps on a wired connection. My motherboard does support gigabit ethernet (or so it seems).

 

Using Wi-Fi on my phone with a 5 GHz signal, I can only reach about 300 Mbps - which is better, but obviously not the gigabit service that I'm paying for. This is also very inconsistent, sometimes it hits 300, sometimes 50.

 

I've already tried a different modem, router (both from Spectrum, tried my own router first - Nighthawk R7000), coaxial and a new CAT6 cable. I still can't get over 100 Mbps, even if I connect directly to the modem.

 

Note that I've primarily used speedtest.net (both web based and desktop app), however I've tried a few tests with DSL Reports and it gets ~350 Mbps. Much better, but again, not close to what I pay for.

 

Any ideas on what I can try? I've had a technician over already, and they say they're getting ~1.2 Gbps to the modem, and say it's my hardware that is the problem.

[Skiiwee29]

If you have an Arris modem, go to 192.168.100.1 and go down to the bottom and it will show you the link speed of each port that is plugged in. Sounds like your computer is negotiating at 100mbps instead of 1 gig. This is what you will look for at the bottom of the screen:

 

[RAM555789]

What are you using to do your speed tests? Results will vary depending on some test you use, and some sites could be measuring your speed in bytes instead of bits so you need to watch for that.

[Riccaforte]

15 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

If you have an Arris modem, go to 192.168.100.1 and go down to the bottom and it will show you the link speed of each port that is plugged in. Sounds like your computer is negotiating at 100mbps instead of 1 gig. This is what you will look for at the bottom of the screen:

 

I don't think it's an Arris, I think it's from Hitron. The only branding on both the modem and router is Spectrum.

 

Here's the only info on the ethernet ports I can find in the router back end:

[Riccaforte]

8 minutes ago, RAM555789 said:

What are you using to do your speed tests? Results will vary depending on some test you use, and some sites could be measuring your speed in bytes instead of bits so you need to watch for that.

Speedtest.net - I haven't seen more than ~95 Mbps. On DSL Reports (http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest) I get ~350 Mbps.

[LienusLateTips]

What modem is this?

[Riccaforte]

1 minute ago, LienusLateTips said:

What modem is this?

The modem is a Hitron E31N2V1. The router is a Sagemcom FAST5280.

[Donut417]

14 minutes ago, Riccaforte said:

The modem is a Hitron E31N2V1. The router is a Sagemcom FAST5280.

I cant find product info from the manufacture from the modem, even on their site. So I cant begin to figure out what is going on. From posts online it seems the GUI is not user accessible. This is the first time I have seen a cable co give a modem and a router to a customer. Most give a gateway which have both combined. 

 

Generally if there is an issue with speed, id say 1) your modem has the wrong config file, 2) Some sort of signal issue. Im not 100% sure how many down stream channels you need for gigabit, but the modem has up to 32 it can use. 

[Riccaforte]

14 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

I cant find product info from the manufacture from the modem, even on their site. So I cant begin to figure out what is going on. From posts online it seems the GUI is not user accessible. This is the first time I have seen a cable co give a modem and a router to a customer. Most give a gateway which have both combined. 

 

Generally if there is an issue with speed, id say 1) your modem has the wrong config file, 2) Some sort of signal issue. Im not 100% sure how many down stream channels you need for gigabit, but the modem has up to 32 it can use. 

I originally wasn't using their router, I have a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 that I normally use, so I tried that first. I added a router from them later to see if that would help.

 

I'm trying my router now to see if that will help at all, but I don't think it will. I've already replaced the modem once (went and got a new one from their "store"), so I doubt it's the modem at this point, unless I'm just that unlucky.

[Donut417]

3 minutes ago, Riccaforte said:

I originally wasn't using their router, I have a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 that I normally use, so I tried that first. I added a router from them later to see if that would help.

 

I'm trying my router now to see if that will help at all, but I don't think it will. I've already replaced the modem once (went and got a new one from their "store"), so I doubt it's the modem at this point, unless I'm just that unlucky.

Like I said, could be a signal issue. Docsis 3.0 and Docsis 3.1 (Gigabit capable) use channel bonding. If you dont have enough channels bonded or have interference on those said channels you can have slow downs and disconnections. Been a Comcast sub for over a decade. There support is worthless so I learned how shit works. 

 

Also I dont use ISP supplied hardware. I own my own modem and router. I find their hardware is garbage in most cases. 

[Riccaforte]

5 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Like I said, could be a signal issue. Docsis 3.0 and Docsis 3.1 (Gigabit capable) use channel bonding. If you dont have enough channels bonded or have interference on those said channels you can have slow downs and disconnections. Been a Comcast sub for over a decade. There support is worthless so I learned how shit works. 

 

Also I dont use ISP supplied hardware. I own my own modem and router. I find their hardware is garbage in most cases. 

What kind of modem do you use/suggest? I've never tried a different modem because I thought you had to get one from the ISP.

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, Riccaforte said:

What kind of modem do you use/suggest? I've never tried a different modem because I thought you had to get one from the ISP.

US Federal law says we can pick our own modem. I personally have the SB6141, most cable cos wont do more than 200 Mbps. You need a Docsis 3.1 modem. Ive heard the Motorola one is good, but I have not used any of these modems as we have 150 Mbps service where I live. Using a customer own modem on Comcast is a must, they charge $11 a month for their crappy modem/router combo. 

 

Just keep in mind Docsis 3.1 modems are not cheap per say. I think they are around $150 maybe a little more. ALSO, Im not sure what modems are compatible with your ISP. Comcast keeps a list of modems they have tested and update. Im not sure what your ISP's policy on customer owned modems are. I know some companies are cool, others are like use them at your own risk, we wont help you. 

[Skiiwee29]

Any Docsis 3.1 modem should be just fine. Pretty sure thats what they are likely using to offer 1 gig service, though it is technically possible on 3.0. @Donut417 Arris bought out Motorola a few years back so its all the same, just different name on the side. 

[Alex Atkin UK]

1 hour ago, Donut417 said:

Like I said, could be a signal issue. Docsis 3.0 and Docsis 3.1 (Gigabit capable) use channel bonding. If you dont have enough channels bonded or have interference on those said channels you can have slow downs and disconnections. Been a Comcast sub for over a decade. There support is worthless so I learned how shit works. 

 

Also I dont use ISP supplied hardware. I own my own modem and router. I find their hardware is garbage in most cases. 

Although if the tech said they saw 1.2Gbit to the modem it would kinda suggest not a signal issue.

 

I'd try some actual downloads from things like Steam and see how they perform before assuming there is an issue.  The fact speedtest.net and DSLReports differ so much does suggest its possibly an ISP or server issue rather than local.

[Riccaforte]

After doing some more searching on this topic (specifically being limited to 100 Mbps), I found someone else had the same issue. They said Windows Reset (in Win 10, Settings, Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC) worked for them.

 

So I tried that - although I cringed at the thought of letting Windows reinstall itself - and it worked! Speedtest.net still reports speeds of around 400 Mbps, but DSL Reports speedtest gets me the ~950 Mbps speed I was looking for.

 

Thanks for the help everyone!  It must have just been a setting or something in Windows. If anyone else has this issue, just try a reset!

[Alex Atkin UK]

It could have been the network card driver, so it might be worth keeping an eye on it when you update the drivers.

[LienusLateTips]

31 minutes ago, Riccaforte said:

After doing some more searching on this topic (specifically being limited to 100 Mbps), I found someone else had the same issue. They said Windows Reset (in Win 10, Settings, Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC) worked for them.

 

So I tried that - although I cringed at the thought of letting Windows reinstall itself - and it worked! Speedtest.net still reports speeds of around 400 Mbps, but DSL Reports speedtest gets me the ~950 Mbps speed I was looking for.

 

Thanks for the help everyone!  It must have just been a setting or something in Windows. If anyone else has this issue, just try a reset!

If you ever get a latency issue btw, it's your modem. That thing is derived from a unit that has a class action against it.

[Donut417]

10 hours ago, Skiiwee29 said:

Any Docsis 3.1 modem should be just fine. Pretty sure thats what they are likely using to offer 1 gig service, though it is technically possible on 3.0. @Donut417 Arris bought out Motorola a few years back so its all the same, just different name on the side. 

While the Docsis 3.0 standard can do Gigabit. Good luck getting any cable co to push that. They all require Docsis 3.1, none of the cable co's can run the standards at the top end. According to the Docsis 3.0 standard my SB6141 should get over 300 Mbps, but Comcast will only do 200 Mbps. Its just how things are. 

 

9 hours ago, LienusLateTips said:

If you ever get a latency issue btw, it's your modem. That thing is derived from a unit that has a class action against it.

I think your confusing this with the Puma 6 chips. Those were only used in Docsis 3.0 32 channel modems. While under the standard they can do up to 1.2 Gbps, in practice cable co's cant deliver this. None of the Docsis 3.1 modems use the Puma 6 chip. So all those modems are safe, hell I think they all use broadcom chips instead of Intel. 

[LienusLateTips]

15 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

I think your confusing this with the Puma 6 chips. Those were only used in Docsis 3.0 32 channel modems. While under the standard they can do up to 1.2 Gbps, in practice cable co's cant deliver this. None of the Docsis 3.1 modems use the Puma 6 chip. So all those modems are safe, hell I think they all use broadcom chips instead of Intel. 

The CODA-45 units use PUMA 7. I have one PUMA 7 unit on hand (Arris TG3482ER). It's not as bad as my Hitron CGNM-2250 but it's still much worse than Broadcom units.

[fatal124]

On 9/23/2018 at 12:10 AM, Donut417 said:

US Federal law says we can pick our own modem. I personally have the SB6141, most cable cos wont do more than 200 Mbps. You need a Docsis 3.1 modem. Ive heard the Motorola one is good, but I have not used any of these modems as we have 150 Mbps service where I live. Using a customer own modem on Comcast is a must, they charge $11 a month for their crappy modem/router combo. 

 

Just keep in mind Docsis 3.1 modems are not cheap per say. I think they are around $150 maybe a little more. ALSO, Im not sure what modems are compatible with your ISP. Comcast keeps a list of modems they have tested and update. Im not sure what your ISP's policy on customer owned modems are. I know some companies are cool, others are like use them at your own risk, we wont help you. 

If you  do decide and  get a new modem cuz i  have the same thing as u from spectrum and im signed up  for 400mbps and i get that...but like i said if u do get a new modem u will have to call them and put ur new mac address on ur account to replace the old one...

[Alex Atkin UK]

How was this solved?