@DrMike I'm surprised that @RogersZia didn't respond to you earlier. I believe that you should be able to upgrade to the XB7 either by calling tech support or by sending a message to the moderators requesting a modem switch.
Fwiw, you shouldn't have any problems running the 1.5 Gb/s service over Cat 5 assuming that we're not talking about a long cable. The modem and any downstream device will be running N-Base T specs which were developed to run up to a maximum of 100 m over Cat 5e or Cat 6 cabling. So, a reasonably short distance, good quality Cat 5 should be ok. If in doubt, buy a good Cat 6 cable.
Also fwiw, to get the maximum out of the modem, if its running in Gateway mode, you would need a multi-gig switch so that any device that are connected via ethernet, beyond the pc in question can use data rates up to 1.5 Gb/s. That is of course assuming that you might have other devices that can exceed 1 Gb/s.
The problem these days is distributing that 1.5 Gb/s or faster beyond the modem or router. There are multi-gig switches that can solve that problem, but, routers with the ability to accept and transmit over 1 Gb/s simultaneously are in short supply and expensive.
The tech is wrong. The XB7 has one 2.5 Gb/s port, which the lower right hand port (port 4) as you're looking at the back of the modem. Here's Comcast's marketing sheet for the XB7:
https://update.comcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/dlm_uploads/2020/01/xb7-fact-sheet.pdf
Look at the lower left hand corner. The marking is a little off. It should point to the lower right hand ethernet port (port 4).
This modem and the XB8 are also used for Fibre to the Home (FTTH) installations. On these modems, the coax port or port 4 are used as WAN ports. The setting is located at Gateway >> Connection >> WAN Network. The drop-down should be on Auto, but you can select between DOCSIS and Ethernet. By using port 4 as a WAN port, that allows Rogers to offer data rates up to 2.5 Gb/s with the combination of the Fibre Optical Network Terminal and the XB7 or XB8 modem. The drawback is that using port 4 as the WAN port means that you can only obtain 1 Gb/s thru the other ethernet ports, so, you're looking at an aggregate data rate thru all of the other ethernet ports and wifi. You can however remove the modem and connect the ONT directly to a router that has a 2.5 Gb/s port. From there, its up to you as to how you distribute multi-gig data rates to the rest of your network.
If you have a coax fed installation, as Rogers increases its data rates over coax, you should be able to use port 4 as an ethernet feed to a multi-gig network, either thru a router or a multi-gig switch.
As for upgrading to the XB7, I'd say hold off on that one. There appears to be problems with the upgrade and customers are reporting that they're seeing much slower speeds after upgrading to that modem or upgrading their speeds to the 1.5 Gb/s plan. So .... I'd wait for the dust to settle before upgrading. It should be a simple task, replace the modem if required, provision the modem for 1.5 Gb/s downstream data rates and go. But, its not working out that way for some reason.
There are reports across the internet of XB7 users seeing data rates above 1 Gb/s, in accordance with their internet plan and I've seen one post indicate 2.5 Gb/s on a speedtest, and that's with a 1.2 Gb/s plan. So, it can be done, just have to work the bugs out of the system.
@DrMike wrote:
Your answers made it clear to me that that the XB7 has at least one 2.5GB ethernet port but I just chatted into tech support on the Rogers support page and the tech assured me in no uncertain terms that the XB7, like the XB6 ONLY has 1 GB ethernet ports.
The person that you spoke to was incorrect. Here's Comcast's XB7 Fact Sheet:
https://update.comcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/dlm_uploads/2020/01/xb7-fact-sheet.pdf
Note where it says. "Built for speed: A 2.5Gbps Ethernet port to support wired speeds greater". Their graphic points to the wrong port but it is there.
So I asked what Is the point of even having a 1.5 gigabit Internet speed plan if the only modems that can handle it (XB8) are only being given out to fiber customers . He indicated that the 1.5 gigabit bandwidth was available across my devices but that no single device could exceed 1GB .
Yes and no. Rogers is positioning their higher-speed services as a way of getting higher aggregate bandwidth into your home. With an XB7 gateway, a single device can attain 1.5 GB/s (and typically more) by connecting to Ethernet Port 4, which is a 2.5 GigE port. You could also hit those speeds with Wi-Fi 6 on the XB7 if Rogers would only allow you to configure a 160 MHz channel width on the 5 GHz band. You can attain those speeds using the Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz band, which also supports a 160 MHz channel width.
If your devices only support Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 5, then those devices will be able to attain transfer rates in excess of 900 Mb/s and multiple active devices can collectively max out a 1.5 Gb/s link.
That certainly doesn't comport with what the two of you were advising me. So my question to you and any moderator here is whether or not I should be calling Rogers to upgrade my XB6 to an XB 7 or will it make a whit of difference. I have already purchased a cat 7 cable to run from the modem to my PC And I have purchased an USB-C adapter to allow me 2.5 gigabit speeds on my ethernet, but if upgrading the modem isn't going to make any difference then what was the point of all of this. Can one or both of you clarify ?
Even Comcast lists the XB6 as having a Maximum Data Throughput of 1Gbps.
If you have the Ignite 1.5 Gigabit service, then DEFINITELY get yourself upgraded to the XB7. You also qualify to receive an XB8 but those are currently in VERY short supply, and are also only really useful to those who have Wi-Fi 6E devices in their network.
As the others said, there is a 2.5 GB port on the XB7. Port 4, it's got an orange line beside it. You should request a modem upgrade.
I requested my upgrade online via chat. I told them I was upgraded to 1.5 GB Ignite, but my modem doesn't have any LAN ports that support the speed. I would like to upgrade my modem.
Tech knew right away what I was referring to and put in a request for a tech visit.
The fastest speed test I have got was 1.3 down so far.
@DrMike wrote:
When you asked for your upgrade, did you have much leeway as to *when* a tech would come out to install? Between my wife and I on constant Zooms etc, I do not have so much convenient time to be "down". I'd really rather pick the thing up and install myself unless there is some trick here that really needs a tech. How long did the whole thing take if you don't mind me asking?
You can schedule a tech to visit at a time that is most convenient. Another option would be to send a private message to @CommunityHelps to see if they can arrange for an upgraded gateway to get sent to you. The only caveat is that in the past, Rogers treated all Ignite Gateways as interchangeable; there was no way to specifically order an XB7. Hopefully, they have a mechanism in place that would prevent them from sending an XB6 to an Ignite 1.5 Gigabit or FTTH customer. If they cannot do that then the @CommunityHelps team should still be able to assist you with dispatching a technician to swap the gateway.
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