Just upgraded to Fiber Optic feed ( 500Mbps) from Spectrum (250 Mbps) OMG


I just wanted to let everyone know, I just got fiber optic service into our neighborhood. The glass fiber feed into my home instead of Spectrum’s copper feed (for the last twenty years) is like night and day thru my Main stereo system. The sound quality is like a veil has been removed from my LUMIN T2 streamer/dac. 
 

I have paid $100 per month for 300 Mbps with Spectrum - throttled back constantly to 200 Mbps. My new provider in SC - Upcountry Fiber costs $60 per month for 500 Mbps -  currently getting 590Mbps.

God Bless competition!!

there is even visual improvements on my 4 K Sony TVs.

if you have access to hard wired glass fiber - grab it!

Happy Listening

 

 

 

tom8999

@sfgak 

Which Router did you buy?

I have been a fan of "prosumer" equipment like the UniFi line by Ubiquti for a long while. Their latest offering, Cloud Gateway Max, looks interesting. I then buy separate WiFi access points (like the U6 Pro or U6 Long Range). To get them set up in different areas of your home, you can either run ethernet cable, or if that is not practical, then use the MoCA ethernet over coax adaptors, which can be found on Amazon. These allow you to turn the existing RG6/RG59 cable TV wiring in your home into a gigabit eithernet network. They work like a charm.

I am using one gateway (one generation behind the one I mentioned) plus 3 access points (upstairs, downstairs, and garage), connected via MoCA adapters / coax. Speeds are awesome, and with three access points, there are no dead spots in the house. You can also run multiple wifi SSIDs. I have one for computers, one for devices (smart scale, Tesla, etc.), and one for guests. Keeps random IoT devices from infecting your computer network.

And once you have >500 Mbps, then you can skip cable TV, and subscribe to streaming services in addition to your Qobuz/Tidal/whatever.

@sfgak 

Thanks.

I'll be having ATT install FO to the house and then an Ethernet port near my equipment rack for my streamer. Likely getting an EtherRegen switch so I can send a signal to my streamer and satellite box. 

The router will go upstairs to my desktop so I'll have ATT do FO port upstairs as well if necessary as I just need Chromecast to receive WiFi signal from upstairs which it now does. 

Everyone - just to be clear - I am a retired Chemist, not an EE. The company supplied their own router - it is a Calix GigaPoint GP1101X. I am hard wired via Ethernet from their router to both streamer/dacs (LUMIN T2 and LUMIN D2). I have two big stereo systems. I run all 3 4k Sony TVs wirelessly via my EERO system which is also hard wired via Ethernet to the new Router. 

I hope this helps.

Thanks to sfgak for his much more detailed response

  • I upgraded my Comcast cable to an 850Mbps down connection and was averaging just over 400Mbps through a CM1200 modem and R7000 router running DD-WRT.  After re-purposing an old i7-4770 as a pfSense unit (PC acting as the router) my average download increased to over 500Mbps.  And it never gets over 1% CPU usage.  The R7000 was relegated to Wi-Fi only.