New Wi-Fi router

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
I've had our current router a couple years - and I'm clearly not getting the speeds we should be capable of.
I know Atlantic Broadband has increased our speeds.
Last speedtest I ran - 30 Mbps. Something ain't right.

Has anyone had any luck improving their speeds with a router upgrade?
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
I've had our current router a couple years - and I'm clearly not getting the speeds we should be capable of.
I know Atlantic Broadband has increased our speeds.
Last speedtest I ran - 30 Mbps. Something ain't right.

Has anyone had any luck improving their speeds with a router upgrade?

That's about the speed I got after installing the new Hitron modem with wireless router from Atlantic BB.
 

koan00

Member
I've had our current router a couple years - and I'm clearly not getting the speeds we should be capable of.
I know Atlantic Broadband has increased our speeds.
Last speedtest I ran - 30 Mbps. Something ain't right.

Has anyone had any luck improving their speeds with a router upgrade?

Can you hard wire ethernet temporarily to remove the wifi performance from the equation?
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Can you hard wire ethernet temporarily to remove the wifi performance from the equation?

To test how much I'm getting right off the cable? I could. I have a bad feeling about it - I already have connected straight onto the router and that's all I got.
 

TWL

Kernel panic: Aiee.......
I've had our current router a couple years - and I'm clearly not getting the speeds we should be capable of.
I know Atlantic Broadband has increased our speeds.
Last speedtest I ran - 30 Mbps. Something ain't right.

Has anyone had any luck improving their speeds with a router upgrade?

Did you have greater than 30 Mbps previously? If not, your cable modem is probably an older DOCSIS 2 modem. You'll need a DOCSIS 3 to get anything greater than 30 Mbps.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
I've had our current router a couple years - and I'm clearly not getting the speeds we should be capable of.
I know Atlantic Broadband has increased our speeds.
Last speedtest I ran - 30 Mbps. Something ain't right.

Has anyone had any luck improving their speeds with a router upgrade?

If your connecting with modern wifi (N or AC) you should really have no problem maxing out your connection on a speed test, even in a congested environment.

Coincidentally, your speeds are in line with the maximum you could expect from a DOCSIS 2.0 modem. If your cable modem isn't DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1, you will never see the higher speeds and should consider upgrading.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
If your connecting with modern wifi (N or AC) you should really have no problem maxing out your connection on a speed test, even in a congested environment.

Coincidentally, your speeds are in line with the maximum you could expect from a DOCSIS 2.0 modem. If your cable modem isn't DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1, you will never see the higher speeds and should consider upgrading.

REALLY thought - however - that ABB was giving us 150Mbps.
 

koan00

Member
To test how much I'm getting right off the cable? I could. I have a bad feeling about it - I already have connected straight onto the router and that's all I got.
I would suggest testing wired to router and then after that, directly to the modem. If they give you all the same low speeds, then likely the issue is modem or something upstream. Two more questions: What model modem do you have? Which internet speed package are you subscribed to?
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
I would suggest testing wired to router and then after that, directly to the modem. If they give you all the same low speeds, then likely the issue is modem or something upstream. Two more questions: What model modem do you have? Which internet speed package are you subscribed to?

I've done both. Somehow I have this gut feeling I am not getting the speeds ABB is advertising. 50, tops.

I have the Arris modem that Metrocast gave(? rents?) me, and I know it's recent - upgraded less than a year ago.

I don't know what package I am getting from ABB - I assume it's the same one I had from Metrocast - their "bundle" with TV, Internet and phone - which had one tier less than their most expensive channel selection.
 
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koan00

Member
I've done both. Somehow I have this gut feeling I am not getting the speeds ABB is advertising. 50, tops.

I have the Arris modem that Metrocast gave(? rents?) me, and I know it's recent - upgraded less than a year ago.

I don't know what package I am getting from ABB - I assume it's the same one I had from Metrocast - their "bundle" with TV, Internet and phone - which had one tier less than their most expensive channel selection.

Just call ABB, they should be able to sort you out. I called last night..about 15-20 minutes on hold to get to someone.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Wow. I measured 76.5 Mbps on the copper and only 27.0 on the wireless.

Soooo - aren't we supposed to be getting 150?

And do you still rent the modem? I realize renting theirs doesn't make a lot of sense, but I do know if I replace it I have to go through the irritation
of calling their tech and having them recognize it. Happened the last time I upgraded.

I'm just wondering if the speed is there but I'm constrained by the modem they issued me.
I know the Arris TM822 is a fairly robust modem - but I am wondering if I am getting what I am paying for.
There's no point in paying for 150 and getting 50.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Ok, I just checked my bill - it's pretty much the identical Metrocast bill page, except they changed the scenery.
Otherwise, everything is the same, right down to the services provided - it even names the bundle VIP digital,
which ABB does not offer.
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
Soooo - aren't we supposed to be getting 150?

And do you still rent the modem? I realize renting theirs doesn't make a lot of sense, but I do know if I replace it I have to go through the irritation
of calling their tech and having them recognize it. Happened the last time I upgraded.

I'm just wondering if the speed is there but I'm constrained by the modem they issued me.
I know the Arris TM822 is a fairly robust modem - but I am wondering if I am getting what I am paying for.
There's no point in paying for 150 and getting 50.

Yes, I rent their modem. Truthfully I don't remember what speed I'm supposed to be getting. I dug through all my old bills and service paperwork, and I don't see it listed anywhere. All I do know is that I had the VIP Basic bundle with Metrocast.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Yes, I rent their modem. Truthfully I don't remember what speed I'm supposed to be getting. I dug through all my old bills and service paperwork, and I don't see it listed anywhere. All I do know is that I had the VIP Basic bundle with Metrocast.

I guess I assume it would be faster, since none of their packages show anything slower than 100.
 

koan00

Member
Yes, I rent their modem. Truthfully I don't remember what speed I'm supposed to be getting. I dug through all my old bills and service paperwork, and I don't see it listed anywhere. All I do know is that I had the VIP Basic bundle with Metrocast.
Here is and updated cost sheet from VA. http://www.townofportroyal.us/2018_01_MetrocastRateChange.pdf

It notes VIP Basic should have "turbo" level internet, which is now 100Mbps. 75 is pretty close, but it still wouldn't hurt to have the signal levels checks. The wifi performance is another issue.
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
For what it's worth, don't rent the equipment. Metrocast was renting out modems that could only handle 50 Mbps when the speeds offered were higher.

Shop Amazon or Best Buy for your modem or router or modem/router. I went with a Netgear modem and I had a Netgear Nighthawk Router already. I had Metrocast's 150 Mbps as of this past December and I noticed after someone mentioned a speed change after a full reboot of their equipment. I did that and a firmware upgrade, then I was getting 200 Mbps on wireless as well as hard-wired.

(Ensuring your router is up to date on the firmware is a HUGE deal as I found out - not just for your security safety but also being able to pull the speed from your ISP)
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
For what it's worth, don't rent the equipment. Metrocast was renting out modems that could only handle 50 Mbps when the speeds offered were higher.

Shop Amazon or Best Buy for your modem or router or modem/router. I went with a Netgear modem and I had a Netgear Nighthawk Router already. I had Metrocast's 150 Mbps as of this past December and I noticed after someone mentioned a speed change after a full reboot of their equipment. I did that and a firmware upgrade, then I was getting 200 Mbps on wireless as well as hard-wired.

(Ensuring your router is up to date on the firmware is a HUGE deal as I found out - not just for your security safety but also being able to pull the speed from your ISP)


Do you have a model that you recommend? Obviously, I want one with telephony. I was nearly tempted to just buy one exactly like the one Metrocast issued me, just to be reasonably sure of a seamless transition.
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
Do you have a model that you recommend? Obviously, I want one with telephony. I was nearly tempted to just buy one exactly like the one Metrocast issued me, just to be reasonably sure of a seamless transition.

I ordered this modem (NETGEAR CM700 (32x8) DOCSIS 3.0 Gigabit Cable Modem. Max download speeds of 1.4Gbps): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M981YYL/ref=twister_B07CPKNCB4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

And I ordered this router (NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band WiFi Router): https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-Parental-Controls-Compatible/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1526303671&sr=1-3&keywords=netgear+nighthawk


All you have to do is hook up the new modem and call Atlantic Broadband and give them the MAC address of the new modem and you're set (I'd call to ensure nothing special is required but it shouldn't be)

There are other Nighthawk models (some cheaper and some more expensive) but I like this one because it's range is amazing (I can stream my music with no issue from the back of my yard (I think that's 70-80 yards from the router?) and it uses dual bands (which I didn't use until now) - so, certain wireless items can only use the old speeds (my garage door opener for example) while you can use your cell phone, Apple TV, FireStick, laptop, etc on the faster side. It also offers VPN support so if you want to do anything from your phone and you're elsewhere you can make adjustments.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
I ordered this modem (NETGEAR CM700 (32x8) DOCSIS 3.0 Gigabit Cable Modem. Max download speeds of 1.4Gbps): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M981YYL/ref=twister_B07CPKNCB4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

And I ordered this router (NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band WiFi Router): https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nigh...=1526303671&sr=1-3&keywords=netgear+nighthawk


All you have to do is hook up the new modem and call Atlantic Broadband and give them the MAC address of the new modem and you're set (I'd call to ensure nothing special is required but it shouldn't be)

There are other Nighthawk models (some cheaper and some more expensive) but I like this one because it's range is amazing (I can stream my music with no issue from the back of my yard (I think that's 70-80 yards from the router?) and it uses dual bands (which I didn't use until now) - so, certain wireless items can only use the old speeds (my garage door opener for example) while you can use your cell phone, Apple TV, FireStick, laptop, etc on the faster side. It also offers VPN support so if you want to do anything from your phone and you're elsewhere you can make adjustments.


So I am guessing you don't have telephone with Atlantic Broadband also? I noticed this one doesn't have telephony.
 
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