Why do I keep getting slow internet when I pay for fast?
Why do I keep getting slow internet when I pay for fast?
I just got a Spectrum plan upgrade and they sent me an ET2551 modem in the mail. After turning it on, I still only get 500 mbps on wire and 500 mbps wireless even though my router can handle gigabit speeds perfectly. When I called Spectrum, they tested the modem and said it actually does shoot out 1 Gbps fine. But my LAN connection won't work at that speed because the router says it's supposed to be a 1 Gbps modem too. I thought maybe it was just the cables but I have Cat8 which handles gigabit speeds easily. I don't know what's wrong here, but I want that actual gigabit LAN even though my wireless is fine with me right now.
I'll start by plugging in a PC to my modem and checking if you get 1Gb on it. If not, then the router won't work well for you at all. If you do get more than 1Gb though, I suggest resetting your router back to factory settings. That way you can turn off some features that slow things down. Just set a strong password, change the admin name, and make sure your WiFi name and passwords are right too. Don't touch anything else. Then try it again with the PC plugged in directly.
Wait, do we really just go with Cat5e? No, that's not enough. Look at the numbers up there; the higher number means better stuff, but it comes with a catch. There are tons of cheap fakes popping out everywhere, especially when people talk about Cat6, Cat7, and even Cat8. You don't need anything fancy from those levels if you really just need Cat5e to work fine for you.
My router stopped working for sure this afternoon because it showed a solid red light but wouldn't connect to our modem anymore. I thought the router might be broken. But when I plugged it straight into my desktop, my internet speed was actually 1.1 gigabytes per second! So I went to Walmart and bought a new TP-Link AX4400 router. Now my internet is working again, and my wife's computer also gets nearly 1 GB wirelessly.
I thought I knew everything about networking until I learned that it was all a total mess. Fortunately, I didn't spend a fortune on the cables—I bought them from Newegg for maybe $3 or $4 each back a few years ago. I can't even remember their exact price then.
You can buy Monoprice Cat5e cables for any length that fits your needs. Check this link to get the best deal: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Flexboo...B00KWS7IN2