Sonic.net

My late 2011 MacBook Pro -- connected with Ethernet to the Sonic router -- managed over 800 Mbps.
Then its graphics card flaked out (a known recurring problem).

Now I'm using a late 2011 Mac Mini, which is getting about 130 Mbps, using the same Ethernet to Sonic hookup.
(The Mini does have fast Ethernet: 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet, but it's awful slow in practice)

(Both computers were markedly slower using Wifi, even located six feet from the router)

I don't want to start a religious war here, just assume I'm staying with the @(*$#%^& Apple hardware because software.

And so I'm probably going to buy a refurbished computer fairly soon, since I'd never buy a new Apple product -- and I'm wondering who here has a satisfactory fiber connection using a few years' old Apple computer model they can recommend.

2015 MBPs are much liked as the last one Apple got right, but they're damned expensive even refurbished.

iMacs are dirt cheap refurbished, but I have no clue which model might work well with Sonic fiber.

Help?

One hint toward an answer, from a troubleshooting thread full of things that can go wrong:

"Since 2007 iMacs have been gigabit"
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/no ... 733/page-3

I have a 2009 MacPro that works great with fiber. I get about 750MB down. I wouldn't recommend one that old, but maybe you can find a 2012/13 in your price range?

Hmmm. Got a 2010 iMac, and

download speed is 254.73 Mbps
Your upload speed is 232.17 Mbps

Time to power cycle the router, I guess.

Power cycled the router,and:

download speed is 171.6 Mbps
Your upload speed is 125.72 Mbps
That's with Ethernet on, and wifi off.

hmmm

Turned wifi on,Ethernet still on and Ethernet priority:

download speed is 194.85 Mbps
Your upload speed is 149.39 Mbps

And a retry with the Sonic page speedtest gives:

download speed is 166.57 Mbps
Your upload speed is 68.1 Mbps


Most peculiarly, the "Ookla" speedtest app, using a Sonic server in San Jose as I read it, says
Download 927 Mbps
Upload 925 Mbps

Well, heck. I don't know what I've got here.

Using a browser for speed tests uses a lot of processor power, and you've got a pretty old machine. The app will give you more reliable results. It sounds like you're getting the right speed.