Updated high-speed internet isn't delivering performance anywhere near expectations
Updated high-speed internet isn't delivering performance anywhere near expectations
I recently relocated for a new position and managed to secure gigabit internet from Spectrum (cable connection). This is quite impressive—previously I had Frontier DSL and achieved around 1 Mbps on favorable days. Now, regardless of whether I’m using wired or wireless connections to my computer, speeds rarely exceed 100 Mbps. Currently it’s around 56 Mbps, with wired connections capping at about 95 Mbps. My motherboard appears capable of gigabit Ethernet, but I’m still not reaching that level. When I use Wi-Fi on my phone with a 5 GHz signal, I can only reach roughly 300 Mbps—better than my current wired setup, though still far from the service I’m paying for. The connection is also unpredictable; speeds swing between 50 and 300 Mbps.
I’ve experimented with various modems, routers (including a Spectrum Nighthawk R7000), coaxial cables, and even a new CAT6 cable. Still, I can’t consistently hit over 100 Mbps, even when connecting directly to the modem. I mainly rely on speedtest.net for testing, which shows around 350 Mbps—significantly higher than my actual bill, but nowhere near my subscription.
Any suggestions on possible solutions? A technician mentioned they’re seeing about 1.2 Gbps at the modem, suggesting hardware might be the issue.
Connect to 192.168.100.1, navigate to the bottom, and it will display the link speed for each connected port. It appears your device is attempting a connection at 100mbps rather than the expected 1 gigabit. This is what you should observe at the end of the interface.
It doesn't appear to be an Arris model; it seems more aligned with Hitron. The sole branding visible is Spectrum on both the modem and router. I don’t have further details on the Ethernet ports from the router side.
Speedtest.net shows speeds around 95 Mbps. On DSL Reports I see about 350 Mbps.
The device is a Hitron E31N2V1 modem and the network equipment is a Sagemcom FAST5280 router.
I'm having trouble locating product details on the manufacturer's website from the modem itself. It seems the GUI isn't accessible online. This is the first time I've seen a cable modem paired with a router for a customer. Most setups provide a gateway that combines both devices. If speed problems persist, possible causes include incorrect configuration files on the modem or signal issues. I'm not entirely sure how many downstream channels are needed for gigabit speeds, though the modem supports up to 32.
I initially didn’t rely on their router; I used my Netgear Nighthawk R7000 instead. After adding another router from them, I’m testing mine now to check for improvement. I’m still hoping it helps, but I suspect the issue isn’t with the modem since I’ve already replaced it once. It seems like I might just be unlucky.
As discussed, it might be a signal problem. Docsis 3.0 and Docsis 3.1 (Gigabit capable) rely on channel bonding. Lack of sufficient bonded channels or interference can cause slow speeds and drops. I’ve been with Comcast for more than ten years. Their support has been unreliable, so I’ve learned how it all functions. Plus, I don’t use hardware provided by the ISP—I own my own modem and router. Their equipment tends to be poor quality in most cases.