Connection lag on the PC exceeds the bandwidth provided by the router.
Connection lag on the PC exceeds the bandwidth provided by the router.
You're experiencing a noticeable speed difference between your connection and what you expect. The biggest factor seems to be the physical cable length and the port limitations. Since your PC only has a 1Gbps port, it's likely that the distance from your router to your PC is contributing to the loss. Even if you remove other devices like your phone or TV, the 144mbps drop from the port suggests the cable isn't ideal. To improve this, consider using a higher-quality Ethernet cable (preferably Cat6 or better) and ensuring the cable runs as short as possible. If the issue persists, upgrading to a wired connection with a longer cable or switching to a wired adapter closer to your PC might help.
I’m not familiar with cat8. There are several categories like cat 5, cat 6, and cat 7, but nothing exists called cat 8. It might be a new concept.
It's typical for people to focus on concerns. Your internet speed limit is 1 gigabit or 1000 megabits per second, which is the top rate your network card can achieve with an Ethernet connection. It doesn't matter whether it's Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, Cat7 or Cat8—your device can only reach 1 gigabit or 1000 Mbps. When you download, information arrives in packets with a header and extra details like error correction. For every 64 KB of actual data, there are roughly 20-64 bytes in the header. Once these packets arrive, the system checks their integrity using the header info; if a packet is damaged, it requests a retransmission. It also sends periodic updates to let the server know everything is fine and to request more data. These pauses and exchanges can occasionally slow things down noticeably, so you won't always get the full speed each second. Additionally, while you download, other programs use part of your connection, and your card must temporarily prioritize their needs so they don’t feel sluggish. A small fraction of your total bandwidth is used for these overheads, and some data loss can occur because other apps need to communicate. The 1144 mbps number might relate to combined speeds—like 1 Gbps Ethernet plus about 144 Mbps wireless (around 2.4 GHz)—but that’s not standard.
I pay for a 1gbps plan, yet my ISP is quite generous and often exceeds the offered speed. When I was on their 300mbps package, I ended up getting 360mbps or more. Although it's not huge, it's still a 5% or more advantage.
The Ethernet device is limited to sending only up to 1000 Mbps over the connection, regardless of the ISP’s performance. Even if the router supports speeds like 2 Gbps or 10 Gbps, your network card can only reach the router at a maximum of 1 Gbps, and the actual data sent is reduced because of how information is packaged. Other methods such as UDP or similar protocols could be used instead of TCP/IP—these have smaller headers or none at all, allowing closer to 1 Gbps transmission. However, they come with trade-offs like a higher risk of missing transmission errors. When you signed up for a 300 Mbps plan, your card still connects to the router at 1 Gbps or 1000 Mbps, and the modem talks to the ISP at 1 Gbps or 1000 Mbps, but the ISP’s network can throttle your data down to just 300 Mbps. Many providers have flexible settings that let you exceed the plan slightly or apply restrictions after a certain amount of data is sent or time has passed. For instance, they might delay slowing down a new connection until after 5-10 seconds or once more than 20 MB has been transferred. This means small files like images in your browser could download at nearly 1 Gbps even if your plan was capped at 300 Mbps, giving you a smooth experience. Or, a 100 MB/s download might start at 500 Mbps for the first few seconds, then drop to 300 Mbps until 20 MB are downloaded, resulting in an average speed of about 360 Mbps.
He really understands what he’s talking about. He gets into things I’d rather not deal with, and he’s probably around my age. When he tells you to relax, it’s likely true—you’re probably overreacting.
Many cat7 and cat8 Ethernet cables are essentially upgraded versions of Cat6A, using improved materials like thicker wires and better insulation between pairs. These standards apply when the product isn't a specific brand name, provided by a trustworthy maker. They should perform adequately without causing damage, though nothing significantly better than Cat6A is needed for typical 10 Gbps speeds over 100 meters. Cat7 cables are designed to work with Cat6A but have tighter limits on crosstalk and higher frequency capabilities (up to 500 MHz). Each pair uses its own aluminum foil insulation, and additional shielding with thicker copper or aluminum braid is added for better performance. These enhancements aren’t required in standard Cat6 or Cat6A cables. For instance, this cable rated at 600 MHz features thicker AWG22 wires, which could benefit power over Ethernet applications. Cat7a was intended to push frequencies up to 1000 MHz, supporting speeds like 25 Gbps and 40 Gbps—though in reality it might reach 40 Gbps up to 50 meters or 100 Gbps up to 15 meters. In practice, fiber is often preferred. Cat8 is meant for short distances, typically up to 30 meters, and is available in patch cables ranging from 30 cm to 5 meters, such as the one listed here: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/deta...H/12316380
Cat7 is essentially similar to Cat 6A, offering improved electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electrical field (EMF) shielding. It's typically employed in environments with significant heavy machinery that could generate noise affecting Cat 6A performance, or where extending the cable length is necessary—essentially covering the same use cases but with enhanced protection and reach.