John,
I believe that CAT5 only goes up to 100Base-t, not 1000.
https://www.cdw.com/content/cdw/en/articles/hardware/cat5-vs-cat6-ethernet-cables.html
So the maximum bandwidth is only 100 Mbps at 100 Mhz. Please correct me if this
reference is wrong.
-Kristan
KI5VVT
Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/) secure email.
On Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 11:18 AM, John Holmes via BVARC
<bvarc@bvarc.org> wrote:
> Don’t confuse the CAT5 maximum frequency 100Mhz with the maximum throughput
> which is up to 1000BASE-T which is more than capable of 1 gigabyte when all 4
> pairs are connected. That said I use CAT8 on my system because the difference
> in price is minimal
>
> 73 John W Holmes K4VMG
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> From: BVARC <bvarc-boun...@bvarc.org> on behalf of gshockxcc via BVARC
> <bvarc@bvarc.org>
> Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2024 9:11:17 AM
> To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <bvarc@bvarc.org>
> Cc: gshockxcc <gshock...@pm.me>; ron.l...@gmail.com <ron.l...@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [BVARC] Routere
>
> Ron,
> Xfinity provides a link where you can check if your device is "approved" for
> use with Xfinity internet. That just means that they tested it and confirmed
> that it works.
>
> https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/list-of-approved-cable-modems
>
> Click on "My Device Info" to check specific devices. Some may recommend
> Amazon, but I would start with figuring out what you need and can handle,
> versus what you want.
>
> Because you asked about replacing the Xfinity router, I'm making an
> assumption that Xfinity has provided you with a combination cable modem and
> router. If this is not correct, then you may disagree with my statements
> below, they may not make sense, or I may be off base entirely.
>
> That said...
> I learned the hard way.
>
> - With Xfinity, you're not buying a router. You're buying a Cable Modem. Keep
> that in mind, because you need two devices, unless you get a combo cable
> modem and router, and usually you only get that from Xfinity.
> - Your cable modem needs to handle as much bandwidth as Xfinity can provide,
> unless you don't care and you're buying a modem based on price or
> reliability, and not on bandwidth. With a cable modem like Arris, for
> example, you get (typically) a single Ethernet output. That connects to the
> input of your router, e.g. Asus, Arris, Netgear, etc.
> - If either the cable modem or router handle lower speeds than what Xfinity
> is sending to the house, the lowest speed device will be your bottleneck, and
> that will set your max upload/download speed.
> - If you do like I did, and grab any old CAT5 cable from the cable modem to
> the router, you may also limit your speed, because older CAT5 cables are not
> rated for 1Gbps like we have available today. Typically, CAT5 can only handle
> 100Mbps.
> - If you take the output from the router, and feed it to a network switch
> that provides Ethernet in other rooms throughout the house, the speeds at
> those jacks will be limited to whatever each specific Ethernet cable can
> handle.
>
> In my case, I have older CAT5 everywhere (circa 2011 - 2012). The house was
> wired that way. I upgraded to AT&T fiber, which has been fine. But the CAT5
> can't handle that bandwidth. So I'm limited to about 100Mbps at an Ethernet
> jack, but my WiFi speed is 450+ Mbps. I can get 1G from the AT&T modem/router
> if I directly connect an Ethernet cable to the back of it. So, if you have
> high speed internet, when you bring that into the house and to the back of
> the modem, the actual speed you will get will depend on how you want to
> connect your devices from there. If Xfinity can only provide 500 Mbps to your
> location and you get a 1G cable modem and router, you won't get 1G. Likewise,
> if you have 1G coming to the house, and you want to go from the cable modem
> to a router that feeds Ethernet jacks throughout the house, the speed you
> will get will be limited by the Ethernet cable you run (or that's already
> installed) and the router you're using.
>
> In my case, I have an AT&T fiber modem, which they provide, but I can also
> use it as a router. I choose not to, and I connected an ASUS router so that I
> can administer the network the way I want. From the ASUS router, I ran a
> CAT6e Ethernet cable in my office to my main computer so that I get 1Gbps
> (+/-), and I ran another Ethernet from the ASUS router to the network switch.
> The house was already wired so my speed to the Network switch is limited to
> about 100+Mbps, even though the switch itself can handle more, the CAT5 cable
> coming to it is the bottleneck, like I mentioned before. But this is still
> plenty fast enough for streaming video (Roku, etc). Most of the remaining
> devices are on the WiFi from my office router. Because of obstructions in the
> house, I have a second router that is connected via the same slow speed
> Ethernet jack I mentioned before. The second router itself can handle 1Gbps
> also, but the WiFi is only as fast as the Ethernet feeding the router, so I
> typically get about the same 100+ Mbps from that one. But, for my needs, I'm
> mostly using it to run WiFi cameras, iPads, Laptops, etc. So I don't need the
> bandwidth, and I wouldn't spend the money on a highspeed router for that
> purpose. Although, I'm using one just because I happen to have it. I didn't
> buy it because I needed the bandwidth for those devices. I probably could
> have used WiFi repeaters instead, but with the angles in my house, I would
> need several. So I just used a spare modem I happen to have and stuck with
> the slow CAT5 cable that is already in the house.
>
> A note on cables, too. There's CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6e, and CAT6A. CAT6e is
> an enhanced version of CAT6, but there's no actual standard for it in the
> Telecommunications Industry Association. But, it can handle speeds up to
> 1Gbps. When you get ready to start connecting devices, or however you want to
> set up your network, you'll need to be aware of each piece in the chain,
> because that could be your bandwidth-limiting connection.
>
> Probably way more than you wanted to know, but details matter and I thought I
> would try and spare you the same aggravation I went through if you go into
> this not knowing the details above.
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> -Kristan
> KI5VVT
> Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/) secure email.
>
> On Saturday, March 9th, 2024 at 4:06 PM, ron.litt--- via BVARC
> <bvarc@bvarc.org> wrote:
>
>> Anyone recommend an internet router to replace the Xfinity router?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Ron Litt
>>
>> 281-961-4570
>>
>> ron.l...@gmail.com
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