Arris SB8200 Modem Question...

[billyk]

So, with the insights from another thread regarding replacing my old Asus N66U router, I started my upgrade effort by purchasing a new modem, then I'll buy the router. My old Surfboard modem is 7 years old. I called my ISP (Comcast) to provision my new Arris SB8200 modem today and that's when the issues started.

The initial provisioning went fine, but the top speed connecting my laptop directly to the new modem was 93mbps, from my 600mps Comcast account! Then, when I tried to connect my N66U, it just wouldn't recognized the SB8200. Comcast tech support re-provisioned the modem, but with no luck. I was going to return the SB8200.

Then, I pressed the reset button on the back of the SB8200 for 10 seconds and boom - my N66U now saw the modem.

But, here is my question...

With a 600mbs download speed, shouldn't the N66U perform maybe just a little better with this new high-speed modem? The old modem had a 300mbps limit, the N66U has a 450mbps limit. So I was ok seeing 200mbps over the 5ghz channel out of the 600mbps source. But now, the SB8200 has a 3gb speed, I have a 600mbps source, and my N66U still delivers the exact same 200mbps. Shouldn't there be a little bump up? Not convinced yet that the SB8200 is a healthy modem.

What do you think?

 

[ColinTaylor]

With a 600mbs download speed, shouldn't the N66U perform maybe just a little better with this new high-speed modem? The old modem had a 300mbps limit, the N66U has a 450mbps limit. So I was ok seeing 200mbps over the 5ghz channel out of the 600mbps source. But now, the SB8200 has a 3gb speed, I have a 600mbps source, and my N66U still delivers the exact same 200mbps. Shouldn't there be a little bump up? Not convinced yet that the SB8200 is a healthy modem.

Provided your N66U is using hardware acceleration you should be able to get up to 720Mbps from a wired Ethernet connection. If you don't have hardware acceleration enabled you'll get <200Mbps.

 

[billyk]

I'll look into that.
Thanks!
-bk

 

[Val D.]

I have a 600mbps source, and my N66U still delivers the exact same 200mbps.

In order to see close to your new maximum 600Mbps speed on a single client, you need a minimum 3x3 AC router and a 3x3 AC client connected at maximum link rate of 1300Mbps. In other words, you need to upgrade the router AND the clients connecting to this new router. Speeds like this are possible only with clients close to the router, in the same room, for example. The further the client is, the lower the link rate, the lower the throughput. Also, the maximum throughput of the router is shared between all clients. The more active clients, the lower the throughput per client. It's not that easy to push 600Mbps through WiFi to a single client.

 

[billyk]

Thanks for your insights Val!

 

[Val D.]

Thanks for your insights Val!

You don't need to reach every client with full ISP speed. Two clients with maximum throughput of 300Mbps will still fully use your 600Mbps ISP line when working together. You don't need 600Mbps on most mobile devices anyway. What a phone or a tablet will need 600Mbps for, for example? I mean, it's not really necessary to spend a ton of money in upgrades to ALL of your clients. Upgrade only the most critical ones, like laptops and desktops, the rest can wait.

 

[billyk]

Val,
Got it.
Thanks!!