Advertised vs. Actual Fiber Speed

Internet access discussion, including Fusion, IP Broadband, and Gigabit Fiber!
53 posts Page 3 of 6
by dane » Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:08 pm
Maybe it’s the Ethernet adaptor? Is it an older USB one?
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by timyu94 » Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:23 pm
wfallen wrote:Channel 36 (5GHz, 40MHz)

Tx Rate: 270 Mbps

PHY Mode: 802.11n
msandrof wrote:Your wifi connection is probably the limiting factor. If you're on a Mac, hold down Option and click on the wifi indicator in the menu bar. It should show you additional wifi connection information. Some important things to look at are the PHY Mode, Channel and Tx Rate.
At half duplex with Wireless N protocol at best you'll get 135 mbps so your wifi speeds are about as expected on 40 MHz N protocol.

You need to have a clean Wireless AC signal to reach anywhere near a gigabit and you'd need one of the rare 4x4 MIMO chips as well.

A Macbook Pro has a 3x3 AC chip so at 80 MHz using 3 AC streams (450 mbps + 450 mbps + 450 mbps) you'll get around 700 mbps theoretical maximum on a MBP. The only way to get gigabit reliably and consistently is through hard wired quality CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, and CAT6a cables to a device which has decent gigabit ethernet NICs and a CPU that can process at that speed.

Recommend an
Ubiquiti AC PRO https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079DSW6XX/re ... 57694&sr=1

+ poe injector https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PoE15 ... jector+48w

or a TP-Link EAP245. https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless ... rds=eap245

TLDR: Get a 3x3 AC wireless access point and set bandwidth at 80 MHz.
by dane » Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:22 pm
We see 450-700Mbps on the eero mesh wireless product that Sonic now offers, with the range depending upon both distance from the access point, mesh versus wired uplink, and client capabilities.

Stock on the units is low right now, but in a few weeks folks can contact support if they’d like a full whole-home mesh equipment solution!
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by aanon4 » Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:23 pm
wfallen wrote:Channel 36 (5GHz, 40MHz)

Tx Rate: 270 Mbps

PHY Mode: 802.11n
I'm in North Berkeley, and in the interests of helping debug this I'd be happy to lend you a USB-C gigabit dongle. I know it's not what you want, but would at least verify the WiFi is the problem and not some other bit of your setup.
by msandrof » Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:44 am
You should also be aware that only the newer Macbook Pros with touchbar are 3x3. Non-touchbar are 2x2. Prior to the touchbar versions, Macbook Pros were 3x3 (at least from 2014, because I have one). So unless you have a 3x3 model, the best connection rate you can see for 802.11ac, 80Mhz wide is ~866Mbps. Actual throughput will be much lower.
by cmeisel » Tue Oct 23, 2018 8:37 am
I have not yet enjoyed sonic fiber since it is still on it’s way to the North Berkeley Hill’s (hopefully) but are you saying when it is installed, the installer is not doing a speed test and shows you what the actual speed is ? And he/she then don’t explained to you limitations of your or their wireless? My friend in SF who got sonic said his installer did all of the above and ran tests to show him the speed over Ethernet and then also explains limitations of his hardware and WiFi to him. Makes sense should take another 5-10 min tops.
by larns576 » Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:17 am
Its most likely a wifi issue but the OP stated that they are tech-phobic so they may not have understood everything the installer told them.

With a mixed G/N/AC environment (usually the default setting) speeds wont be great. Only way to improve speeds is to eliminate all non AC devices and set the router to AC only mode.
by wfallen » Tue Oct 23, 2018 11:43 am
Thanks kindly for your offer to do a test with your Ethernet to USB-C dongle. Should I want to experiment in the future, however, I'm likely to buy my own. I do appreciate the offer.

Since I prefer to stick with a wifi connection, and since it isn't certain that a new router (unless very expensive) will make a difference in my wifi speeds, I'm going to stick with my existing setup. The speeds are much improved, and more than adequate for my simple needs.

I can understand that Sonic would be hesitant to get into a 'second stage' installation involving the idiosyncrasies of individual customers' equipment. Could get complicated and require another level of expertise and training.

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.

aanon4 wrote:
wfallen wrote:Channel 36 (5GHz, 40MHz)

Tx Rate: 270 Mbps

PHY Mode: 802.11n
I'm in North Berkeley, and in the interests of helping debug this I'd be happy to lend you a USB-C gigabit dongle. I know it's not what you want, but would at least verify the WiFi is the problem and not some other bit of your setup.
by dane » Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:15 pm
During installation the technician will test the speed with an Ethernet-connected laptop that they have which we've selected because it can do full Gigabit speed, and will show that to the customer if they're around.

But many consumers do have systems or ethernet LANs that do not deliver the full Gigabit speed, or are using WiFi, so we'll be working on an article to send them with tips and tricks, or perhaps just a link to the Speedtest.net article.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by wfallen » Sat Nov 03, 2018 3:52 pm
Any reason why the Google router linked below would not improve wifi speeds on my home network? (The fiber installer told me that my existing Airport Extreme router was better than, presumably, a Sonic-supplied router, which I was not offered.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MDJ0HVG/

The Ubiquiti 'router' recommended in responses above does not have wifi, and a second bit of expensive hardware (an access point) is required, not to mention configuration skills way beyond the 'plug-and-play' ones with which Apple has thankfully spoiled me.
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