11-22-2020 12:55 PM - last edited on 11-22-2020 01:14 PM by RogersTony
I currently have Ignite 75 wireless internet with a Rocket modem, 3 years old and wired in the basement. On the bedroom floor of the house - second floor - my download speed has been anywhere from 25-38mbps and upload of 10.9 mbps. Rogers is offering me Internet Ignite 150 with the XB6 modem upgrade for the same price as I am currently paying. I have to hook it up after courier delivery - which could prove a challenge for a limited tech capable person. Is this a better option for me or would an extender do just as well?
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11-22-2020 01:15 PM - last edited on 11-22-2020 01:20 PM by RogersTony
@jordi2012 when you say that the current modem is wired in the basement does that mean that the modem is connected to the incoming RG-6 cable and that is it, or that the modem is also connected to ethernet cabling at that point as well?
Are you running any other services with Rogers such as Home Phone or Cable TV with the Nextbox set top boxes?
Do you have a house alarm system running?
Fwiw, the modems can be located anywhere in the house where there is a cable port nearby. The modem doesn't have to sit in the basement, but, thats a qualified statement depending on whether or not the modem is connected to any ethernet cabling and whether or not you might have a wallplate that has both cable port and ethernet port.
To connect the modem upstairs, you would have to locate one of the RG-6 cables that goes to the intended location upstairs. Then, you would connect that cable to the incoming cable using an F-81 connector that looks like this:
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ideal-3ghz-f-splice-adapter-10-pack-/1000751479
When that is done, connect the modem to the upstairs cable port using a short RG-6 cable run and you would be in business, as they say.
Now, if you had an ethernet port at that location, and in various rooms in the house, all you would have to do is connect a modem LAN port to that wallplate ethernet port. In the basement, you would connect the other end of that cable run to an unmanaged gigabit switch, and then connect all of the other cable runs to that switch. That would give you ethernet capability throughout the house.
If you currently have a Rogers Home Phone, that complicates the issue as the usual location for the phone modem is in the basement. In theory, all you have to do is remove the Rogers Home Phone and in the case of the XB6 which also provides telephone service, connect the XB6 Tel 1 port to any of the telephone ports in the house, which should enable all of the telephone ports in the house.
If you have a home alarm system, that complicates the issue as the alarm system needs to be the first device that connects to a telephone system, as the alarm has to be able to capture the line and interrupt any ongoing call. There are ways around that, but for now, I'll leave the question open as to whether or not you have a home alarm system running.
You can use an extender, or in this case a wifi pod system to run in conjunction with the XB6 modem, but, it might be easier and simpler to move the modem upstairs, depending on whether or not you have other Rogers services and an alarm system running.
11-22-2020 03:07 PM
Wow, thanks for such an excellent tech response which most of it I do not understand! However, when this house was built no cable outlets were wall installed. I use Shaw satellite TV and my home phone is VOIP and that is connected to the Rocket modem. There is only one cable hooked to the modem and that is the line that hooks to the outdoor Rogers cable coming into the basement so that is where the XB6 modem would have to hook up.
11-22-2020 03:58 PM - edited 11-22-2020 04:26 PM
Ok, so, no wallplates of any type upstairs? Typically, when a house is built the builder will install telephone and cable tv cables to each room. That will be a single run of telephone wiring and a single run of RG-6 cable for tv/satellite to each room. Usually they will be run to an electrical box and a wallplate installed over the electrical box. The builder will usually have someone install the correct cable end for the telephone wiring or cable tv RG-6 cable and leave the rest behind the wallplate for the homeowner to discover and put to use.
If there are empty wallplates on any of the walls, I'd take a look behind any wallplate just to see what's there. By empty, I mean a wallplate without any telephone jack or cable tv connector. Just a wallplate to cover the electrical box. The other end of those cables will converge in the basement at a cabinet that sits in between the wall studs. Depending on how old the house is you may or may not have an actual cabinet. You'll have a collection of cables that converge at a single point, which is where the external cable usually ends up and where your current modem is located.
Ok, for now, if you were to upgrade to the XB6 modem, that would be a straight swap, disconnect the Hitron modem, and connect the XB6 and power it up.
Would this just be for internet purposes? The XB6 usually arrives with internet, telephone and tv services, although I've seen posts which seem to indicate that the XB6 modems can be used for internet only purposes. So, a word of warning at this point, make sure that you're absolutely clear on the services that are to be provided, as in internet only, or internet, telephone and Ignite TV.
Ideally, the modem should be located upstairs, unless of course you make good use of the basement and use the internet while you're in the basement. So, with the modem in the basement, which is the worst place for it to be when you're running wifi to the upstairs areas, that usually means running extenders or in this case pods, just a matter of preference. Rogers can supply the pods, just a question of what you prefer, to own your own extenders or pay for the pods. @-G- can give you more info on the pods aspect.
The other item of note is the ability to control the XB6 modem using an application or online. Usually when you do that, the modem ends up controlling items like wifi channels on its own, so you lose control over this and some other functions. If you simply log into the XB6 to adjust the settings and never use the app or online control, then you would or should retain control over all of the modem functions.
So, the simple answer is yes, you can simply swap modems.
I'm assuming that the satellite tv cables enter the house on an external wall, and then travel to the receiver? Just a suggestion, the basement is the worst place for the modem. There would be two ways to move the modem upstairs, run a cable into the house at the main floor level, or, possibly run an RG-6 cable up to the main floor from the basement. That would depend on whether or not the basement area were the modem is located is actually finished. If you have access to that basement ceiling area, it would be possible to snake an RG-6 cable up to a wall on the main floor so that you can locate the modem on the main floor. That would result in better wifi data rates and possibility to connect to the modem via the ethernet ports. Food for thought .....
I'd also look behind any wallplates that might exist, just to see what's hiding behind the wallplate.
11-25-2020 12:12 AM
I use Shaw satellite TV and my home phone is VOIP and that is connected to the Rocket modem. There is only one cable hooked to the modem and that is the line that Nox App Player hooks to the outdoor Rogers cable coming into the basement so that is where the XB6
11-25-2020 06:06 PM
Thanks for all the info. I got the XB6 modem set up and do have higher speeds but do need to move it upstairs from the basement but connectivity is an issue so will try to address that. I do have an issue that I would like some help with and that is when I was setting up the modem and the Rogers WiFi hub I did not use a proper username - messed that up - but my question is how do I change the user name - the PW is fine but the username is not?
11-26-2020 05:56 PM
Hello, @jordi2012
Welcome to the Rogers Community Forums! We hope that you will stay for a while. 🙂
It's great to hear that your modem is working now and you are getting much higher speeds. Can you confirm which username you were looking to change? Is it the username to access the Ignite WiFi Hub app or is it the WiFi network name that you would like help on changing?
We look forward to hearing from you!
RogersTony