Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll look at that. As to wha...

[Spatch]

mdk:

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll look at that. 

As to what router I’m using, the usual Shaw blue curve modem.  I have the devices hardwired through a TP-Link Ethernet switch.

My “tenants” are immediate family and everybody has run of the house. I’m not sure how Shaw would view that. Years ago, before it became a family household, when we had “real” tenants, we did not extend our Shaw services to them.  But I’ll look into it further. Thank you.  

[Spatch]

rstra thanks for your advice 🙂

[rickatk]

@mdk wrote: 

@rickatk -- how long will it be before a matter-transporter (see Star Trek) can use ultra-high-speed Shaw Internet to instantly deliver pizza & root beer into my home?    🙂   

Or, motion-sensors to rattle the chairs in my man-cave when viewing a body-check on a TV broadcast of a Canucks game? That would be "immersive" technology at work (play?).  🙂

Ha: I am amazed how far we have come in just 5 years. I recall reading about Shaw abandoning their IPTV research and eventually joining forces with Comcast. Now we have these cool little wireless TV players, Docsis 3.1 and gigabit serivce, built in streaming services and Cloud PVR. So yes anything is possible. 

[rickatk]

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@Spatch wrote:

Would be interested in advice from those knowledgeable on this topic.  Mine is a family of seven.  My three teenagers are frequently playing online games at the same time (one on Xbox, one on PC and one on PS4).  All three of these devices are hardwired to the router by way of cat6 Ethernet cable.  Then there’s my younger two children on their iPads, and my wife and I on our iphones.  Finally my tenants in our basement suite who use our wifi.  I’m currently on the Fibre+ Gig plan.  Would consideration of the Fibre+ 1.5 Gig plan be wise given my specific circumstances?  Thanks in advance!

Edit to add there’s also frequent streaming of movies, tv shows and music as well by all household members at any given time.

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Hi @Spatch 

I think your scenario is exactly why Gigabit service is now being offered. Shaw customers are placing more and more demands on their household network. Which is a good thing but the bandwith has to be increased. As @rstra suggested, check your bandwith consumption. I have found for now 1Gbps is plenty for my setup which includes wireless TV players, lots of computers, iPads and iPhones and a good helping of home automation devices.

[mdk]

@rstra -- check your data usage history

Another way to check: take your fastest Ethernet-connected computer, and run the Shaw Speed Test when you suspect that the users of all the other devices in your household are asleep, to get the "best results" available from your cable-modem. Repeat the test, when all of them are actively using their devices, to see what "leftover" bandwidth you have available at that moment.

Note: if your first test shows a speed much less than what you are paying for, then contact Shaw Support, to trouble-shoot, before paying any more money to Shaw.

[Spatch]

@mdk 

Oh that’s a good suggestion.  My wife is taking the kids for Santa pictures tonight (yes even the teenagers LOL).  I’ll do a speed test then.

So what you’re saying is that I should be getting reasonably close to 1GB speeds on a single hardwired device when the house is “quiet”?  I’ve used the Shaw speed test before, once just the other day in fact, when I got download speeds at about 250 and upload at 100.  But that was when the house was active with devices.   

In any case I’ll try your idea.  Thanks for the suggestion and advice.

[Spatch]

@rickatk 

thanks for your insight and advice!  Your household sounds much like mine.  Tablets, phones, computers, consoles, TVs, home automation devices and so on and so forth.  Oh my! 

[Spatch]

My results in a quiet house.  Acceptable?  Or should I be squeezing out more on the download side of things?  (I think it’s hitting the upload cap so that’s good).

[rickatk]

@Spatch are you connected over Ethernet or wifi?

Regardless I think your download speed is pretty good. The trick is to fire up a few devices then have a look. 

Looks like you have the new upload service cap. 

[rstra]

@rickatk @Spatch And run a few simultaneous speed tests.