F5F Stay Refreshed Power Users Networks Do I have any hardware that is over a gigabyte?

Do I have any hardware that is over a gigabyte?

Do I have any hardware that is over a gigabyte?

J
Jaws_01
Member
60
09-27-2026, 10:04 AM
#1
Hey friends! My internet company is moving to a streaming-only TV plan, so I need to switch my internet and TV setup too. A new company moved into town recently and might be pushing me toward their services instead of mine. I don't know what computer parts fit with gigabit or 2gig plans. My provider says if you pick a 2gig or 5gig plan, you have to buy your own gear. For example, we already have four laptops, phones, a gaming PC, two TVs (one is a big screen projector), and stuff like Amazon Echo dots around the house. I'm really worried about moving from wired coaxial internet to wireless Wi-Fi. Is it safe to run two TVs and all those gadgets on WiFi? It might slow things down because our speeds used to be okay before. Also, I don't want to rush into a 2gig plan just to find out later that my new gear can't handle it. Thanks for any advice you can give me while we make this change!
J
Jaws_01
09-27-2026, 10:04 AM #1

Hey friends! My internet company is moving to a streaming-only TV plan, so I need to switch my internet and TV setup too. A new company moved into town recently and might be pushing me toward their services instead of mine. I don't know what computer parts fit with gigabit or 2gig plans. My provider says if you pick a 2gig or 5gig plan, you have to buy your own gear. For example, we already have four laptops, phones, a gaming PC, two TVs (one is a big screen projector), and stuff like Amazon Echo dots around the house. I'm really worried about moving from wired coaxial internet to wireless Wi-Fi. Is it safe to run two TVs and all those gadgets on WiFi? It might slow things down because our speeds used to be okay before. Also, I don't want to rush into a 2gig plan just to find out later that my new gear can't handle it. Thanks for any advice you can give me while we make this change!

A
Antez03
Member
174
09-29-2026, 04:28 AM
#2
Streaming is 40Mbits or under. Even if you use "all streaming," getting over a gigabyte is almost useless.
A
Antez03
09-29-2026, 04:28 AM #2

Streaming is 40Mbits or under. Even if you use "all streaming," getting over a gigabyte is almost useless.

D
Dude76258
Member
112
09-29-2026, 04:45 AM
#3
The equipment is there, but most people use it without knowing how much they're using it. In real terms, streaming doesn't take up too much space on the network, and you don't really need gigabytes just to have several people watching at once.
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Dude76258
09-29-2026, 04:45 AM #3

The equipment is there, but most people use it without knowing how much they're using it. In real terms, streaming doesn't take up too much space on the network, and you don't really need gigabytes just to have several people watching at once.

B
banshee45
Senior Member
726
10-04-2026, 01:15 PM
#4
Streaming service speeds are way too slow compared to a Blu-ray disc. Normal high-definition streams use about 6 megabits per second, while true 4k video needs around 15 megabits per second. This is nowhere near the speed of gigabit internet plans. Teenagers can easily run out of bandwidth when their games update on consoles or PCs, but that only happens during updates and not while they play normally. To fix this, I built a router with an old processor to use a traffic shaping program called CAKE. This tool balances your internet usage so you get the most value from it, keeps everyone else happy, and stops slowdowns almost completely. If things do slow down, it's just for a couple of seconds while a new connection starts up and the system finishes its work. People watching TV or movies won't notice because they always have more than two to four seconds of buffer time in front of them.
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banshee45
10-04-2026, 01:15 PM #4

Streaming service speeds are way too slow compared to a Blu-ray disc. Normal high-definition streams use about 6 megabits per second, while true 4k video needs around 15 megabits per second. This is nowhere near the speed of gigabit internet plans. Teenagers can easily run out of bandwidth when their games update on consoles or PCs, but that only happens during updates and not while they play normally. To fix this, I built a router with an old processor to use a traffic shaping program called CAKE. This tool balances your internet usage so you get the most value from it, keeps everyone else happy, and stops slowdowns almost completely. If things do slow down, it's just for a couple of seconds while a new connection starts up and the system finishes its work. People watching TV or movies won't notice because they always have more than two to four seconds of buffer time in front of them.

B
BlueSkyHorizon
Member
220
10-04-2026, 01:24 PM
#5
Thanks so much! It looks like making that jump from gigabit to wifi tv is probably coming up soon. Any good threads about hardware for the gig setup? I think I'll need to upgrade my router, check how fast my switch is, and see what my ubiiti ap's can handle.
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BlueSkyHorizon
10-04-2026, 01:24 PM #5

Thanks so much! It looks like making that jump from gigabit to wifi tv is probably coming up soon. Any good threads about hardware for the gig setup? I think I'll need to upgrade my router, check how fast my switch is, and see what my ubiiti ap's can handle.

N
Nixation
Member
222
10-13-2026, 10:30 PM
#6
If you dig around for over ten years, it's unlikely you'll see anything about upgrading to one gigabit. Most of what you find actually has gigabit ports. You will mostly just see cheap stuff with 10/100 ports.
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Nixation
10-13-2026, 10:30 PM #6

If you dig around for over ten years, it's unlikely you'll see anything about upgrading to one gigabit. Most of what you find actually has gigabit ports. You will mostly just see cheap stuff with 10/100 ports.

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_AnimeGaming_
Member
94
10-15-2026, 04:13 PM
#7
Before buying a modem or router, check with your internet company or other customers to make sure those tools work for them. It's important details.
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_AnimeGaming_
10-15-2026, 04:13 PM #7

Before buying a modem or router, check with your internet company or other customers to make sure those tools work for them. It's important details.

C
ClumsySky
Senior Member
526
10-18-2026, 03:31 AM
#8
Internet connection speed and using Wi-Fi are two different issues. Getting gigabit internet from your ISP is fine, but streaming on Wi-Fi can still cause trouble with multiple devices at once. You should use a wired connection for most of your stationary things like computers or consoles. Keep Wi-Fi just for mobile phones or tablets.
C
ClumsySky
10-18-2026, 03:31 AM #8

Internet connection speed and using Wi-Fi are two different issues. Getting gigabit internet from your ISP is fine, but streaming on Wi-Fi can still cause trouble with multiple devices at once. You should use a wired connection for most of your stationary things like computers or consoles. Keep Wi-Fi just for mobile phones or tablets.