Assistance with bridging setup Get help with connecting configurations
Assistance with bridging setup Get help with connecting configurations
Hi there, welcome to the group. I’m facing an issue and hope some of you can offer guidance. My setup includes an Arris SGB6580 cable modem/WI-FI at home and a computer in my workshop. I connected it with Cat5e cable to link the shop to my PC. The shop is about 200 feet away from my house. At home, my connection runs between 175-200 Mbps, whereas in the shop it drops to 70-75 Mbps. Even when I disconnect everything from the modem inside my house and only use the Ethernet cable to connect the shop PC, the speed remains slow. What could be causing this slowdown? My provider is Suddenlink, which offers up to 400 Mbps, and the SGB6580 supports up to 343 Mbps. I have only one internet connection at home. I’ve read online that it’s possible to bridge two SBG modems together, but I’m not sure if that’s feasible. Even Arris staff mentioned you can’t combine the same model modem for this purpose. I own two SGB modems and was wondering if someone here could help me set them up as a bridge. I also have photos attached to explain my setup better. Sorry for the lengthy message! I found some guidance on bridging: connecting one modem in bridge mode and linking them via Ethernet lets the device act as a router, sharing your internet. This is handy if you need separate network zones at home. BUT I’d rather avoid creating two distinct networks unless necessary. Adjusting IP settings is crucial for this process. On your primary modem, connect to the internet and your PC. Note its IP address and subnet mask. Then connect your PC to the second modem, turning off its DHCP settings (sometimes labeled as enabling bridge mode). Choose a static IP for it, matching your router’s IP except changing the last digit. In the subnet mask fields, use the same number as your router. Make sure the physical connections are secure: plug the modem into the internet and an Ethernet cable into one of its LAN ports. If you need devices on both networks to communicate, link the other end to the LAN port on the second modem; if just sharing the internet with separate devices, connect the cable to the WAN port. This approach seems possible. Would it help achieve faster speeds in the shop while maintaining home performance? Thanks in advance for your help!
The speeds shown for cable modems follow the Docsis standard, similar to WiFi specifications but only tested in controlled environments. I suspect your setup includes an 8x4 modem, which on Comcast networks typically caps at just over 200 Mbps. Actual performance depends more on the cable provider than the manufacturer. I switched from the SB6141 to the CM1000 because Comcast offered speeds above 300 Mbps and my older unit couldn’t keep up. Cat5e supports up to 2.5 Gbps over short distances, but cheaper Ethernet cables with only copper-clad aluminum may struggle with higher speeds or stability. Trying to bridge the two devices won’t solve the problem. It seems you might be dealing with an issue with the Ethernet cable—only four wires are needed for 100 Mbps, yet eight are required for gigabit or faster. This matters because damaged connectors or faulty cables could limit performance.
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, using an inline connector can affect performance. It might cause a slight slowdown. Switching to a 200' Cat6 cable could help. Regarding the 8x4 reference, it seems you meant the cable size or configuration—please clarify if needed.
Modern cable connections boost performance through channel bonding. A standard 8x4 setup includes eight data channels and four voice channels. The number of channels a modem can handle sets its maximum speed. Common configurations are 4x4, 8x4, 16x4, 24x8, and 32x8. Docsis 3.0 typically uses 4x4 or 8x4, while 3.1 requires 32x8 for speeds beyond gigabit. Using a modem with more channels than necessary helps manage congestion by distributing the traffic.