Gigabyte Internet (Spectrum) - $129/mo. Worth it?

[GI Combat]

I have internet service with Spectrum in the Los Angeles area (90034). I have 200mb cable internet costing $69.99/mo. They also have gigabyte internet at $129.99/mo with professional installation at $199 (incl. modem).

Of course, I would like the extra internet speed, but I balk at the monthly price.

Does anyone here have home gigabyte internet? If so, do you think it's worth $129/month? Also, is professional installation necessary? I feel this something I can set up at at home by myself.

[Yugo]

unless you have a server at your house and you host 100mb is more than any regular household needs. Its spectrum it will still be throttled and bog and have issues. Spectrum is garbage but if your area doesn't offer fiber optic you're stuck with the next best thing (spectrum)

I have the 100mb down and 10mb up I have a movie server with 20+ viewers up to 5-6 at a time and they're watching HD movies with no issues.

So to answer your question if you wanna throw away $ go buy some more TP

[GI Combat]

Thanks for the quick reply!

[vino68]

Spectrum is adding end points without adding capacity at the nodes. This means too many people, not enough bandwidth. We are seeing this with all carriers and most circuits.

[SkyHawk]

You will probably need new gear to use that speed. In addition to a new cable modem you need a faster router/nat device. One of the best bang/buck routers I have found for that speed is the Ubiquiti Edgerouter. It also has basic firewall. Of course make sure your wifi network is fast as F too.

https://www.ui.com/edgemax/edgerouter-4/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078PGCGN2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aRDVVXMFzE

[GlockN'Roll]

OP, you won't see true gig speeds.

I went from 150 mbps package to 300 and finally to the 1000 level to address my wife working from home.

The actually download speeds are typically 10-30% less than the promised speed.

Wifi speeds will be even worse, of course.

In my case, the promo monthly price for 1000 was the same $99, as the 300 package from COX, but it also required a modem purchase/upgrade (3.0 to 3.1 docsis)...

[HecklerNKoch]

Just to be clear, it is advertised at 940 Mbps downstream, 35 Mbps upstream.

It's the lack of upstream bandwidth that narrows the scope.

[Mute]

Before you even consider switching, are you running hard lines for your internet connection or wifi? Maybe both? If you're using wifi and not running everything up to at least 802.11ac standards, you won't even come close to taking advantage of that extra speed.

[GI Combat]

Both hard lines and wifi. My current router not 802.11ac (it's whatever the previous generation is), so I guess I should replace it before upgrading my internet speed.

[ibanezfoo]

How many people are using your internet at home? Do you ever have bandwidth issues? Most NICs can’t even go the full 1000 megs.

I wouldn’t give them $200 to plug in a modem or router unless they are going to crawl through your attic and install a homerun or something.

[The War Wagon]

Fios is better and cheaper.

[hermosabeach]

If you increase only the top speed of your car - is that good?


How often are you running out of bandwidth?

How often do you run a speed test while the system is under load?


Do you need to spend $50,000 to increase you cars top speed by 30mPH?
If your daily driving, 0-60 are not changed....


Well I hope you see why I ask it that way.... unless you need to transfer a typical 2 GB file to another party in 2 seconds... I don’t see a need?

Are you bogging now?
Are you getting the speed you pay for now?

[MrFancyPants]

What? A vast majority of NICs these days are gigabit, you only lose typically 10% or so due to overhead, but that's an Ethernet switching limitation, nothing to do with the NIC. I have gig fiber at home and gigabit NICs and I average around 900 Mbps throughput, which is expected.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[GI Combat]

How many people are using your internet at home? Do you ever have bandwidth issues? Most NICs can’t even go the full 1000 megs.

I wouldn’t give them $200 to plug in a modem or router unless they are going to crawl through your attic and install a homerun or something.

Just two people at home. Doesn't seem worth it to get gig internet by the replies here.

[SanDiego619]

Gigabit internet is great. I'm wired with cat 6 and have a newer computer with a gigabit NIC and nvme and SSDs so I can take full advantage of it. I don't download like crazy but when I do, it's nice to be able to download 20 gigabytes lickety split.