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Getting better WiFi speeds

I

imported_blip

Senior member
My current setup is the standard Xfinity modem/router connected to by a couple of iPhones and a 2009 Mac mini via wifi. Comcast just upgraded me to their BLAST!! Internet with 150mbps.

My mini tests at about 20-25 mbps. It also has the super annoying feature of seeming to lose connectivity for a few minutes even though everything looks good (all wifi bars, phones still have fine speed, etc. ). Phones test around 30 Mbps.

First question may be stupid: is there anyway to test the highest wired speed without dragging my mini over near the router and plugging in? Any way the modem can broadcast the speeds it is getting? Trying to determine if I'm getting good speeds that aren't being used via wifi or if the cable speeds aren't that good.

Second question: is it pretty much always better to use a separate wireless router, rather than the one Comcast supplied? Thinking about investing in one to try and speed things up.

Thanks for the help!!
 
Any ideas? I'll probably start with a dedicated wireless router. Looking at the archer ones on Amazon. The amplifi also caught my eye took have the access points
 
Generally, you need to use a wired connection to max out your speeds, if you have a faster internet connection. Wireless rarely maxes it out (unless you have 802.11ac).

Also, generally, it's a good idea to keep networking functionality separate, between modem and router.
 
I also have Comcast Blast 150. On the wire I'll get about 180Mbps and wireless 120Mbps. I use use the sb6121 modem with a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite and AC Lite Pro access point.

At the very least I would send the Comcast modem/router back and get your own modem and separate router.

Wiring wont be an issue with these WAN speeds, bit may limit LAN speeds.
 
OK, I’ve run through some different options, and mainly managed to confuse myself, so I’m hoping for some more advice.

I currently am planning the following:
--Coax in to Comcast modem/router
--Ethernet from Comcast router to TV, Xbox, Blu Ray, and new wireless router (more on this later…)
--New router will be connected via Ethernet to Mac mini (the Mac is about 25 feet from all the other equipment, and I was going to put the new router there as it is more centrally located for better reception)

With this setup, most of the heavy demand items are wired connections. We will then mostly have 2 iPhones using Wi-Fi for surfing and the occasional streaming from the DVR, HBO Go, etc. The current Wi-Fi is a bit slow and spotty, so I was hoping the new router would help with this, but then thought maybe I just needed a range extender or something.

Now for my questions. Will this setup get screwed up because there are 2 routers? I wasn’t sure if somehow they would not communicate correctly. For example, my Mac’s Ethernet will run through the new router, then to the Comcast router. Is going through both of these a bad idea? For Wi-Fi, do I need to tell the Comcast router to be in bridge mode, and let the new router be the main Wi-Fi handler? Is it better to run one Ethernet line from the Comcast to the new router, and then somehow tell the Comcast one just to act as modem, and let the new one act as the router? Does this even make sense?!

I was planning on keeping the Comcast modem/router if possible, as I’ve bought my own modem in the past, and it was always a pain with customer support, etc., especially when my wife had to deal with them. This was a few years ago, so maybe Comcast is easier to deal with if I have my own modem now.

Any router suggestions? I know most of the major brands may be seen as crap, but was hoping for something that’s just dependable. I started to look into Ubiquiti after reading through this and other forums. I definitely don’t want too much of a headache with setup (basic level IT skills here), so once I started reading about things like PoE Injectors I got worried. I saw the Amplifi, which looked pretty cool. Again, I wasn’t sure if putting it after the Comcast unit would somehow take away its usefulness because the Comcast unit would still be in charge (not a technical term) and be the weak link. If I were to get the Amplifi or another router, would I need to switch the Comcast unit out for a straight modem?

Again, I’ll admit I’ve probably complicated this way too much. Please set me straight.
 
Set up the second router as an access point and it should be fine. To do that, connect a computer to the second router, log in to the second router's configuration page and disable the DHCP service on the LAN ports on the router (slightly different process depending on the specific router), configure the WIFI on the second router to the same settings as the Comcast router (but use a different channel, either 1, 6, or 11) if you want devices to automatically connect to the strongest signal or set it up with a different SSID name if you want to manually choose the router that your wireless devices will use, then connect a LAN port on the second router (not the WAN port) to a LAN port on the Comcast router and you should be all set.
 
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