TomB571
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Too many devices on my Home Network

Hi Apple community. I have a problem and am looking for someone who knows what they are talking about. I run Comcast broadband internet with an Arris gateway(i think that is what it's called) with the modem and router built in one. I called Comcast and they said I have the fastest internet speeds they provide. The problem is I have extremley slow internet. Its directly caused by having 15+ devices connected. We have a large household and the upstairs is an aoartment we rent out to a husband and wife. So here is the list of devices I know are connected ti the Internet...

 

6 iphones

2 desktops

3 or 4 laptops

2 xbox 360s

1 wireless printer

1 smart tv

 

and probably other devices I am unaware of that the couple renting from us have.

 

So to the point.. Is there any way that I can speed up my internet with all of the devices connected?? The only wired connection I have is my Xbox 360 which still is very laggy and sometimes my chat is laggy as well. Would a top performance Router help or a range extender or anything? I NEED HELP!

 

Thank You!

Posted on Feb 20, 2014 6:50 PM

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TomB571

Q: Too many devices on my Home Network

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  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Feb 20, 2014 9:02 PM in response to TomB571
    Level 9 (52,347 points)
    Wireless
    Feb 20, 2014 9:02 PM in response to TomB571

    You need a router that can control the use of internet by your renters.. and all the people in the house and share it justly.. at a guess they are using torrents for downloading.. or someone is.. or downloading videos or watching youtube or running netflix etc.. and that will completely smash your network.

     

    There are almost no out of the box solutions but the easy one is flashing a router to gargoyle firmware.. please google it as Apple deletes the information if I post more.

     

    I recommend a WDR3600 or 4300 .. which are well under $100, good and sufficiently powerful routers and doing the firmware update is nothing more than select and upload much as a standard router upgrade.

     

    It provides things like daily quota and throttling. But here is where it gets messy.. you already have a modem router.. you may need to get Comcast to help you bridge it or look up how to setup the gargoyle router into DMZ of the Arris.

     

    As a start I want you to do some measurements. Turn off the wireless and use just one computer by ethernet. Run a standard internet speed test. Do you get what Comcast is promising.. minus say 10-20% for overheads.

     

    If not they may have provisioned you for the highest speed but they are not delivering it.

  • by Crematum,

    Crematum Crematum Feb 21, 2014 5:50 AM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 21, 2014 5:50 AM in response to LaPastenague

    Another solution to the problem is not to share the internet with your renters.  Comcast can run a seperate line to their apartment and they can get and pay for their own cable and internet.  You can also see what devices are connected through Airport Utility, that will give you and idea of how many devices they have connected.  This is all assuming that its bandwidth hogs causing the problem and not just a "not so good" gateway device.

     

    The gateway Comcast is providing might not be that good and just cannot handle your network.  A seperate cable modem and router combo using one of the more popular and well known routers (like Netgear and Apple's Airport) might also solve your problem.