CM 1100 Only Getting 300 Mbps with Comcast 1 Gbps Service

[chuellio]

I set up a Nighthawk CM 1100 cable modem with a Nighthawk 7000 Wifi router (yes I had two separate devices).  I was only ever able to get 320 Mbps (in the same room) on my 1 Gbp connection with Comcast. I called Comcast and upgraded my equipment to their model CGM4331COM (whatever that is).  Gotta love Comcast for giving you just enough information to placate the masses without ever really giving the information that you need.  Anyway, the point is, I set up their wifi router and lo and behold I was able to get up to 600 Mbps two rooms away and one floor below where I have the Wifi router set up.  I tried several option with the CM 1100 channels.  After hours of online forum reading and videos, I'm returning all my Netgear equipment for a full refund.  Could I figure it out?  Maybe?  Clearly, Comcast does not want their customers using their own equipment and I suspect that they are doing something on the backend to limit the throughput for customer owned equipment.  Of course Comcast will say, it's not our issue. However, I find it highly suspicious that their equipment works significantly better on the same exact plan, same signal, than Netgear equipment.  

[FURRYe38]

Did you first test a wired PC connected to the back of the CM1100 modem when it was connected? 

If you were trying to test wireless with the R7000. then this would be your problem. You'll not see anything near 900Mpbs on wireless let alone on the R7000 router. Wireless AC usually maxes out at around 400-500Mpbs on 5Ghz AC if conditions are right. I don't think the R7000 is capable of wired speeds near 900Mpbs. Not fully sure if the R7000 has hardware Nat acceleration support which is needed to achieve anthing near 900Mpbs on the ethernet. I know th R7800 has this nat accelleration support. 

I know the CM1100 is well capable of near or over 900Mpbs wired WAN to LAN speeds. I know mine is. Had mine online on a 1Gb service and it works well. 

[chuellio]

When logging into the Nighthawk admin portal, it lists 1300 Mbps as the max speed for the 5Ghs frequency.  Regardless, I tested the wired connection on the CM 1100, set up the port agregation, and I still could only get 300 Mbps direct from the modem to the Laptop.  I tried several Internet tesing sites and that was the high end of the measurement.  

[FURRYe38]

LAG should be disabled on the CM1100, unless you have a router that supports it, which the R7000 does not, LAG should be disabled. 

I would have the ISP check the configuration file again and make sure the modem is fully setup. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Cable-Modems-Routers/CM1100-Modem-Not-All-Channels-Active-quot-Part...

Be sure your laptop or PC can also speed test with near 900mpbs wired speeds. Some older singla or dual CPUs don't support high speed testing. Try another PC or laptop to comare.

Be sure to use Ookals installable speed test app. Use a web browser may not give most accurate results. 

Also be sure to try different speed test servers with Ookla. Different servers maybe busier then others. 

[chuellio]

As I said, I tested every configuration, and I was only able to get 320 Mbps.  I setup the Comcast modem/router and I was able to get 600 Mbps over Wifi two rooms away and a floor below on the exact same devices that the other set up was tested on.  Sure.  I could call Comcast and spend about two hours on the phone with them again (my shortest call with them has been 30-minutes and that was to set up their equipment), but why would I do that when I can plug their equipment and the issue is fixed?  To save $15 a month?  It's not worth my time. 

[FURRYe38]

Possible faulty modem or configuration on the modem. Any any rate. 

Good Luck. 

[vkdelta]

R7000 is a router circa 2013 (It is 11ac wave1).

you are comparing it with 2020's 11ax device 4x4.

If you have compared with RAX80/RAX120, etc  or something similar, it would have been better comparison.

what clients/STA you used to test WIFI speeds?

[chuellio]

Here's the listing from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0DD0I6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's the listing from the Netgear site.

https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/R7000.aspx

They both list 1300 Mbps.  That's on the 5Ghz freq.  Are you saying that this is false advertisement?  

[FURRYe38]

No, compairing to a R7800 that I know does support hardware nat accelleration. However even wireless speed testing on 5Ghz AC maxes out at 400-500Mpbs. You'll not see any wifi speeds over this. 

You need to understand that the 1300Mpbs is a connection rate only between the wifi on the router and the connecting wifi device. This doesn't mean you'll see speed results at or near 900Mbps. 1300Mpbs is a connecgtion rate only, not the actual data flow thru the pipe. Again, most wifi AC supporting devices max out at around 400-500Mpbs. 

I have a iphone 6sP which is only AC supporting. Speed testing on it, I only see around 500Mpbs.

I do have AC and AX wifi routers to test with. Recently tested a RAX80 and ASUS GT-AX11000. 

[chuellio]

There's a little cross next to the speed listed in the product listing that says,

MaximumwirelesssignalratederivedfromIEEE802.11specifications.Actualdatathroughputandwirelesscoveragewillvaryandmaybeloweredbynetworkandenvironmental conditions, including network traffic volume and building construction. NETGEAR makes no representations or warranties about this product's compatibility with future standards"

My mistake. I didn't read the fine print.  I won't make that mistake again.  As fun as it is to debate Wifi tech specs ad infinitum, I'm moving on to something more productive.  Thanks.

[FURRYe38]

Good Luck.