Ethernet cable for internet 300

[dc2006ster]

I currently have internet 150 on a 2yr plan and am looking forward to internet 300 tomorrow. Should I upgrade my ethernet cable? I presently have a mix of cat 5, cat5e and cat6.

[dc2006ster]

The FAQ for the doubling of internet 150 and 300 states

Do I need to swap my modem to get the increased speeds?

• No. All compatible Cisco and Hitron modems will work up to 300 Mbps, and XB6 modems will work up to 600 Mbps.
• If you are upgrading from a speed below or at 150 Mbps to the 600 Mbps speed, a swap may be necessary.

I am at 150 Mbps with a Hitron CGNM-2250 modem that is also acting as a wifi router. Will I have to change the modem, is mine compatible?

[thaya258 · Accepted solution]

Speeds of cables:
Cat 5: 10/100 mbps

Cat 5e: 10/100/1000 mbps

Cat 6: 10/100/1000/10000 mbps

You will not really need to upgrade cables unless your modem is in bridged mode and you have an after market router. If this is the case, make sure the cable between the modem and router is at least Cat 5e to ensure you get the speeds you want.

Ensuring you are using Cat 5e is more than enough for home use. Heck, even Cat 5 can do gigabit speeds at very short lengths.

In regards to your Hitron modem, yes it will be compatible when the speed upgrade hits. All you need to do is power cycle the modem.

[dc2006ster]

Since yesterdays upgrade from internet 150 to internet 300 my download speeds, as measured at Shaw Speedtest, with no other apps running and after a power cycle have been running well below 150 Mbps. Before the upgrade i was consistently getting around 170. This morning they are around 136. So far the free upgrade has turned out to be a downgrade.  is this the result of teething troubles.

I am using the Hitron as a modem and as a router. Was there some change in settings during the upgrade?

[shaw-tamara]

Hi dc2006ster 

You shouldn't be seeing lower results as a result of the upgrade. Are you using WiFi when you run the speedtests? If you are, try using a direct wired connection as that will give you more accurate results. If you're seeing slower speeds over WiFi, you may need to do some https://community.shaw.ca/docs/DOC-1043 

[dc2006ster]

Oops, is my face red. The ethernet cable had become loose, Now getting 330. Those 130 speeds were wifi speeds - damn good for wifi. Thanks

[shaw-tamara]

No worries! Glad to hear it was an easy fix

[jelly84]

dc2006ster‌

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYl9SAeGdyQ

This is for all the needs and fixes and everything you wanna know on what cable to go buy, if you haven't done this already of course.