Hi-
I have a xFi Gateway router with Xfinity (rent an apartment and this was the only internet option I was given) and have every so often gotten terrible speeds. It will last a couple days and then get better, but who knows if that will always be the case. Currently getting <20 mbps download speeds which generally seems to work for my devices (streaming, phone, internet use) except for 1 major problem- I work from home and connect to my company’s VPN. The minute I do that, the computer’s internet speed drops to <3 mbps and I can not open or save files saved out on shared drives, which is basically everything I need to do my job. Restarting the router sometimes gets the speeds back up, sometimes doesn’t. It started working terribly yesterday around 2 pm and stayed awful til around 6 or 7. Then today it worked fine from the morning until around 5 pm. Also should add the router is usually hot to touch. There doesnt seem to be any rhyme or reason to it because the last time I had this issue was November. I do have a different coax wall plate option in the apartment, but the wifi network can not complete connection on that jack.
The last time the issue happened in November, I had a senior Xfinity technician come out. They replaced the router, which did not help. Then I believe they went to check out the utility/electric room in the building and from that and other testing, they concluded that the wiring work (I guess in the walls?) was poorly done and the only way to fix it would be to get into the wall. Don’t know what to make of that as I highly doubt my building manager would allow that. He told me someone would reach out in 10 days and no one did. I didn’t mind tho bc of course it all seemed to work fine after that until this week.
My question is, could it be something else other than what xFinity claimed the issue is? They tried a router replacement and different cables and outlets, yet the issue still occurs. I live in a small 1 bedroom loft apartment, distance can’t be the issue. Attaching the speed I’m currently getting on my phone and pic of router- the tape is to cover the blinding light on it’s front as I have no choice but to position it directly in front of my bed.
Xfinity app also has a BuiltIn speed test app to test speed to modem you can try.
Might want to ask in xfinity Reddit.
Connect your computer to the Xfi device with an Ethernet cable and test the speed.
That looks like the XB7, which has WiFi 6. It should be good for at least 500mbit with a new enought laptop. If the tech says the coax in the wall is bad, time to get your building manager involved. It would be the same if the electrical or plumbing in the walls were bad, it would have to be replaced.
Oof that is DTV worthy speed right here
Thanks! Have checked that too, last read just now was 14.9 mbps out of 400 mbps plan speed
Unfortunately neither my work laptop nor personal laptop have an ethernet port. Suppose I can buy some sort of ethernet adapter that fits a USB-c port…
Excuse my ignorance, but so I understand exactly what I’m asking of my building manager…would this entail cutting into/opening up the wall?
I went through this recently. The landlord NEEDS to fix electrical problems. They don’t have to fix cable issues unless its included in the lease. Often they will not even allow you permission to pay out of pocket to fix it if they have had issues with that cable provider in the past (as is allowed in a lot of states; they can’t ban it outright but they need a reason to say no to the installer).
You could be on a shared line with the building and it’s getting saturated.
This is the only way to operate. WiFi is for grandmas and offshore casinos…
Building manager will not touch it unless the lease says something like “wired for cable” or “cable ready”. It’s worth asking but this isn’t something the apartment needs legally so they are not going to attempt anything unless the owner is a saint.
You’ll have to pay out of pocket (if management gives you permission) for the cable to be run and the lines will likely be run through a hole they drill in the wall, through a ceiling or utility area. You may end up with the plug not being exactly where it is or even where you like it at all but it goes where it goes. If the building is very old and tightly packed the wall may need to be cut into but in years of running CAT5 in old building I never ran into that personally so I doubt the cable guy would have to do it.
Last time I had to deal with xfinity on a cable install I believe they quoted me around $125 but it will be different depending on how hard it is. I believe their minimum was $75 but I might be remembering that wrong.