5GHz can provide faster speed, although its range is shorter than 2.4GHz. Most current routers offer 2.4 and 5GHz networks. Other tips to help bump up your connectivityĬonnect to the 5GHz wireless band. Also, you need to use CAT5e or CAT6 ethernet cable to leverage the higher speed. The ports on the router also must support Gbps connectivity. The device you are connecting may not have a LAN adapter that supports a Gbps connection. If your internet service agreement provides for Gigabit speed, keep in mind there are many factors that can still slow down the wired connection. In this test scenario, there isn't a significant difference between wireless and wired speed. The speed isn't a full Gbps, because the level of internet service tested only supports up to 400 Mbps. You may also need to prioritize your device on the network, if you have roommates or family hogging the line.A slight bump at 403 Mbps down and 23 Mbps up. In either case, it’s essential that you plug in via ethernet to avoid upload reduction due to WiFi. Stadia requires a 10 Mbps minimum, so Ultra is probably worth it if you game daily. The caveat here is game streaming platforms like Stadia, which have bandwidth usage requirements akin to video streaming services like Netflix. In these cases, if you are having issues, it’s not about the bandwidth or “speed” of the connection - it’s about the latency of “ping”, which is not any better on Spectrum Ultra compared with their other plans. If you’re downloading games off Steam, doing PC gaming, or playing large multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, download speed isn’t likely to be your issue, since you only need a couple Mbps to operate the game. Most games actually don’t use much bandwidth. Will 400 Mbps make a difference for gaming? Spectrum Ultra upload speeds cap out at 20 Mbps, compared with only 10 Mbps on their standard plan. See our post on fastest upload speeds by provider in California for more information. If you’re operating a home office, Spectrum Ultra and Gig plans are only really worth considering if you cannot access a faster fiber provider. This is a limitation of cable internet - fiber providers like AT&T or Fios have upload speeds of 500–1,000 Mbps on most plans. Overall, the 20 Mbps upload speed offered by Spectrum Ultra isn’t that much of an upgrade. When you consider that a 4K video stream can use as much as 15 Mbps of bandwidth, you can see how this would be an issue. Spectrum’s standard 200 Mbps internet plan is enough for most homes, but the 10 Mbps upload speed of that plan is extremely limiting if you need to move large files. Spectrum Ultra: worth it for uploads, not downloads Note that Spectrum caps the speed on their TV plans, meaning that you can’t get more than 200/10 download/upload if you also want to bundle TV. Here’s how the pricing between Ultra and standard compares when accounting for equipment fees: Spectrum speed limits for TV plans Therefore, this is basically a tactic to keep the WiFi line item off the price until you’re almost done with the checkout process.Īccounting for the WiFi fee, your overall final monthly price for Spectrum Ultra is quite high: $99.99 per month to be exact. This is obviously not acceptable in the 2020s, as most homes have dozens of WiFi-connected devices, phones, laptops, and etc. The modem is technically enough to get you online… but only if you plug in one device at a time with a physical ethernet wire. The devil is in the details here, as you need both a modem and and router to create WiFi. ![]() This is confusing for some customers, because the company prominently advertises “free modem” when promoting the plan. Here’s how that compares with the Spectrum standard plan:īoth the Ultra and basic Spectrum plans charge a $5 monthly WiFi router fee. But if you’re not able to get a reduction on the bill, you’re stuck with the $94.99 price, which averages out to $82/month over two years as a customer (before any equipment fees). In some cases you can get the price reduced by calling and complaining to Spectrum, or by threatening to cancel. ![]() Everyone does it, from Comcast down to local companies like Sonic. This is a nuisance, but is standard for cable companies.
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