Comcast wants me to upgrade

[RocketJSquirrel]

Comcast emails me periodically that I should upgrade my cable modem for better upload speeds. They're not trying to sell me a modem, they are suggesting I buy a new one on my own. They suggest that with better upstream bandwidth I'll get better video calls and such. There are 2 of us in the house and it's likely that both of us could be streaming video simultaneously.

My modem & router are pretty old, but still giving good performance. Speedtest.net says I'm getting 919 mbps down and 41 mbps up.

Current equipment:

• Modem: Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1
• Router: Asus RT-AC68U with Merlin firmware (I told you "pretty old")
• WiFi: Netgear Orbi RBR50 main unit & 2 RBS50 satellites with wired backhaul

I'm using the AC68U only in wired mode. I bought the Orbis because Asus hadn't yet started selling AiMesh equipment and my home is too big for a single access point to cover.

My home was wired with Cat5E by the previous owner, and I have loads of 1 gbps unmanaged switches around my large home. I don't anticipate upgrading the in-wall wiring and all the switches. None of my wired equipment can go faster than 1 gigabit anyway.

I have narrowed Comcast's modem suggestions down to the Hitron CODA56. If I get that, I might as well upgrade my ancient router to the Asus RC-AX86U Pro (I need the vertical form factor due to limited space). I would continue using the Orbis for WiFi.

So my question to you all is: Do you think I'll see better performance upgrading to this new modem/router combo? I trust the SNBForums hive mind more than I trust Comcast. Thanks.

 

[Justinh]

No. You are probably getting what they are selling you. That suggested modem is also a DOCSIS 3.1.

What is your Internet plan?

I have a 1Gbps down/60Mbps up plan, with the same equipment as you, and I get what they sell me.

 

[RMinNJ]

Dont have Comcast but if their not suggesting a 4.0 modem I'm stumped what 3.1 modem can do better...perhaps they want you to get one with 2.5 Gbit port to gain better download speed? Are ther 3.1 cable modems with more than 8 upload channels for upload?

 

[Tech9]

Do you think I'll see better performance

Highly unlikely. Your Gigabit plan for 2 people is perhaps mostly unused anyway. Streaming UDH 4k video on two TVs fits in 60Mbps.

 

[robinjoo1]

im runing cat 5e in my house with a sagemcom F3896, aka virgin media hub 5 (non x) cause docsis/coax
1000 down 100 up vodafoneziggo

atleast you dont have to upgrade the internal wiring

here we have this docsis config so intresting to see how it works elsewhere

 

[Tech9]

@RocketJSquirrel don't "need" to upgrade anything. I personally never lock myself with term contracts. Based on experience with residential lines - month to month only. One of my ISPs wanted me to upgrade the modem some time ago. I told them they upgrade whatever they want and I'm not paying for it otherwise I'm switching to another provider. A week later the new modem arrived in the mail.

 

[sfx2000]

Comcast emails me periodically that I should upgrade my cable modem for better upload speeds. They're not trying to sell me a modem, they are suggesting I buy a new one on my own. They suggest that with better upstream bandwidth I'll get better video calls and such.

I received an email like that from CoxHSI some time back - at the time I had a SB6183 which was DOCSIS 3.0, and they said either upgrade or we'll cut your uplink speeds from 30 to 10 (same downlink speeds) - so I pick up an SB8200 which is DOCSIS 3.1...

Anyways - it probably depends on your comm plan - they might not support that particular modem for gigabit and higher - there's been some chatter about it having issues with Link Aggregation... (SB8200 has also been mentioned in the same conversations there).

Anyways - DSLReports has a great subforum for Comcast, and there is some level of corp presence...

Comcast XFINITY forum | DSLReports, ISP Information

Comcast XFINITY forum, broadband news, information and community

www.dslreports.com

 

[Analog-1]

Comcast emails me periodically that I should upgrade my cable modem for better upload speeds.

What they are talking about is Midsplit upgrades for the upstream. Midsplit will allow even over docsis 3.1 upload speeds of up to 200mbps instead of the normal cap of 40 mbps on the highest plans. This is what xfinity comcast calls next gen speeds, there are only a very few of customer owned modems on the next gen approved list. If you don't need or want faster upload speeds stay with what you have.

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful.

Comcast is only suggesting this would improve upstream bandwidth. Maybe a year ago, Speedtest showed Comcast was limiting upstream to 5 Mbps. Now they're allowing 40 Mbps with my current equipment.

We are not gamers, so only video calls like Zoom and FaceTime would benefit and no one has complained yet that my signal is bad.

The MB8600 (which we own) bonds 4 upstream channels. Maybe Comcast thinks I should have more? I have never thought about that until today. But see screen cap below for what they're offering with a faster modem.

Maybe I'm paying for a plan whose capacity is greater than I can use? Not sure how I ended up with 1.2 Gpbs down.

Maybe I should downgrade my plan to 1000 Mbps down and whatever Mbps up comes with that?

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

What they are talking about is Midsplit upgrades for the upstream. Midsplit will allow even over docsis 3.1 upload speeds of up to 200mbps instead of the normal cap of 40 mbps on the highest plan

Aha. This is news to me, thanks for the info!

 

[Tech9]

You'll be equally happy with something like 100-200Mbps fiber if available in your area. Plenty for 2 people. I have 100/40 ISP for my parents house. No Internet speed complaints whatsoever even when my family of 4 is visiting. My main residence has 300/30 and everyone is happy.

 

[Wisiwyg]

See my signature... Comcast 1g/20. They overprovision about 20%. So with an older Netgear modem capable of WAN Agg and my older AX88U also capable of WAN Agg, I'm able to pull ~ 1.1+g through the 1g ports on the AX88U. Normally thats about 850-900mb, considering handling overhead on the 1g ports. This was plenty for a household of 4 going full bore during Covid, with 2 adult fte working, zooming, and 2 kids in school by day, gaming and streaming at night. And I get those emails and postcards from Comcast. I don't know what we'd do with the add'l bandwidth.

 

[Tech9]

I don't know what we'd do with the add'l bandwidth.

Speed tests.

 

[sfx2000]

My main residence has 300/30 and everyone is happy.

Was for the longest time on CoxHSI - 300/30...

Did the bump for 500/50 a couple of months back and didn't really notice any change in real-world performance

 

[EmeraldDeer]

The Comcast e-mails are no more sophisticated than this:

• Your plan is 1200 Mbps down
• Your modem is 1000 Mbps down

Would it surprise me if you bought and provisioned a 1200 Mbps modem but experienced no performance increase? No, it would not.

In my case of SB8200:

• Plan is 1000 Mbps down
• Modem is 957 Mbps down

By the way, the modem manufacturers may have higher ratings which the ISPs never implemented.

 

[bluzfanmr1]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful.

Comcast is only suggesting this would improve upstream bandwidth. Maybe a year ago, Speedtest showed Comcast was limiting upstream to 5 Mbps. Now they're allowing 40 Mbps with my current equipment.

We are not gamers, so only video calls like Zoom and FaceTime would benefit and no one has complained yet that my signal is bad.

The MB8600 (which we own) bonds 4 upstream channels. Maybe Comcast thinks I should have more? I have never thought about that until today. But see screen cap below for what they're offering with a faster modem.

Maybe I'm paying for a plan whose capacity is greater than I can use? Not sure how I ended up with 1.2 Gpbs down.

Maybe I should downgrade my plan to 1000 Mbps down and whatever Mbps up comes with that?

View attachment 55396

This is saying you are capable of getting the new upload speeds of up to 200 Mpbs.

I believe that right now as it stands:

1. If you use their device you will get the 200 Mbps.
2. If you use your own equipment, and it's on their approved device list for next gen speeds, you should get 200 Mbps.
3. If your device is not on the approved device list for next gen speeds, you will not get 100 Mbps.

Recommended Devices for Our Internet Plans

 

[Analog-1]

3. If your device is not on the approved device list for next gen speeds, you might or might not get 100 Mbps.

If the device is NOT on the next gen modem list it will NOT get the upgraded upload speeds. That is assuming his area has been upgraded for midsplit.

 

[bluzfanmr1]

If the device is NOT on the next gen modem list it will NOT get the upgraded upload speeds. That is assuming his area has been upgraded for midsplit.

Sorry, fixed it above, didn't mean to type that.

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

They sent me a very short list of 5 modems & modem/router combos. I don't want a combo, which is why I narrowed it down to the CODA56.

I don't know what's in it for them since I'm already paying for the plan and I'd be buying the new modem retail. I might do it just for the sake of upgrading to something newer.

Faster internet speeds now available

Upgrade your internet equipment today!

Good news
You can now enjoy up to 5-10x faster upload speeds and smoother connections with your current Xfinity Internet package.

Easy next steps
Your internet equipment is unable to deliver these new speeds, but here’s a list of compatible devices to purchase:

• Hiltron Technologies CODA
• Hiltron Technologies CODA56
• NETGEAR CM3000
• NETGEAR CBR750
• ARRIS SURFboard G54

 

[Analog-1]

They sent me a very short list of 5 modems & modem/router combos. I don't want a combo, which is why I narrowed it down to the CODA56.

I don't know what's in it for them since I'm already paying for the plan and I'd be buying the new modem retail. I might do it just for the sake of upgrading to something newer.

There is nothing in it for them (comcast) but they will not provision any customer owned modem for the upload boost unless it's on there next gen list. The next gen list modems have been tested and certified to work properly with midsplit upstream channels and speeds. Yes the list is very short as of now. You can rent there gateway XB8 or XB7 i believe those are ready for midsplit.