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New xFi Gateway Vs. SB8200 & Google Nest Mesh Router - Any Benefit to Switching? 1 GIG Plan
Hello,
Not super techy, and we had a friend suggest a few years ago that we grab our own modem/router combo due to the savings vs. renting.
However, I've got spammed like crazy recently with Xfinity emails about upgrading to this new xFi Modem/Router Gateway Combo.
From a hardware and quality of service perspective is there any true benefit of upgrading or switching to this new Gateway if we have the 1 GIG plan?
We currently use a SB8200 Modem w/Google Nest Routers Mesh Wi-Fi currently and pull on average around 550MB down, but have tons of devices connected to our network.
Just trying to understand if we should get closer to our advertised speeds up up to 1.2GB if we switched?
Thanks for the reply ahead of time
- Backwards
Accepted Solution
flatlander3
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1.5K Messages
2 years ago
What's going to be the difference? You will have added $14/month to your bill using an Xfinity gateway, with limited functionality and a wonky app based configuration interface that may or may not work all the time.
Up to speed = theoretical number based on the DOCSIS modems and number of channels aggregated. The reality of cable distribution is quite a bit different, and even things such as oxidation on a connector will impact your speed, as well as users/congestion in your area, and condition of the lines in your area plus what they are connected to. Identical Netgear gateways in two of my locations were similar in speed, until a storm wiped out a ton of infrastructure at one of them. Now that one is way faster than my primary residence.
If you truly need 1GB speed for some reason, go with fiber. It will be consistent, although what you are talking to, and the infrastructure in the middle will also come into play, so in your day to day experience, you won't notice. Where that comes into play is if you have a whole bunch of users, all pulling bandwidth at the same time (aka server farm/small office).
*I'd also add, if you are doing a speed test, don't do it on WiFi. Use Ethernet directly. Depending on your Ethernet port, there is also a bottleneck there. A 1Gbps Ethernet 'may' be capable of 900Mbps, but there's some driver overhead. A 2.5Gpbs port, IF your gateway has one, will exceed that.
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