topic Re: Gigafast broadband connection in Broadband

Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:33:20 GMT

Hi,

I have recently upgraded to Sky Gigafast broadband, I have received an email saying there is no engineer appointment required as everything is done outside my house. All I need to do is wait for the connection date. That was almost 3 weeks ago and I have heard nothing more, although SKY have charged me for it this month on the bill. Anyone know what the procedure is will I be advised when it's happened or happening, will I get a replacement Hub for the Sky one I already have. Sky have just gone quiet and taken the money. I can't even find a phone number to talk to anyone about it. Would appreciate any info from anyone who has upgraded to Sky Gigafast from their existing Sky Broadband package ( I did have ultra fast already.

thanks

James

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:54:35 GMT

@rpeel wrote:

Would appreciate any info from anyone who has upgraded to Sky Gigafast from their existing Sky Broadband package ( I did have ultra fast already.

As long as the previous Ultrafast service was over FTTP (optical cable to an ONT) rather than G.fast (copper phone line to a master socket) then there's no need for installer attendance, and the speed increase should occur as soon as the order is processed. However G.fast to FTTP is a whole new installation.

Historically Ultrafast 1 (up to 150Mbs) could be either FTTP or G.fast. 500Mbs and Gigafast can only be FTTP.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:57:56 GMT

@rpeel wrote:

will I get a replacement Hub for the Sky one I already have.

Sky now supplies the white Max Hub for all new Ultrafast connections: I don't know if that's also the case for speed upgrades on existing Ultrafast though.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:17:16 GMT

Thanks for the reply I am pretty sure it's FTTP. I just don't understand why nobody has contacted me about an activation date yet after nearly 3 weeks. From another reply it looks like I should be receiving a new white hub ( which I haven't received). Do you know the protocol for an upgrade, am I waiting for Sky or Openreach to contact me?

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:18:03 GMT

Thanks do you know if that's automatic to time with activation date?

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:19:15 GMT

@rpeel

Do you have a powered ONT on an inside wall before the Sky Hub, with LEDs for LOS and PON (lit or not)?

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:28:25 GMT

Yes I do have all of that

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:31:07 GMT

@rpeel

In that case there shouldn't be any delay.

If you post your Hub stats, we'll have some information about your current connection.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:46:31 GMT

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:47:02 GMT

Is this the info you require?

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:48:28 GMT

@rpeel

Try the 'Show Statistics' link in that page.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:52:48 GMT

Here you go, thanks for your help.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

Chrisee — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:57:00 GMT

@rpeel the page you posted shows your connection as being 999 Mb/s which is Gigabit. Normally FTTP speed upgrades are pretty quick often the same day as all that changes is a setting controlling the maximum throughput. Although that should mean you gat faster speeds it is rare any app would nedd to use more than a small fraction and the SR203 Broadband Hub's WiFi tops out at 600Mb/s as it is a WiFi5 device.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 11:58:51 GMT

@rpeel

That would seem to indicate the connection has been upgraded to Gigabit.

You won't see anything like that speed over WiFi though, particularly from a black Sky Broadband Hub.

I'd suggest rebooting the Hub and then using a device on an ethernet connection (which you know has a gigabit ethernet chipset) to run a speed test from fast.com

Older ethernet devices will only have 100Mbs ethernet.

It might also be worth checking that the Hub ethernet ports are set to 'gigabit' rather than 'fast ethernet' (which is 100Mbs)

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:03:03 GMT

Thank you for all your help.
1) I only have two questions then, do you believe if I request a white hub I will then get better wifi performance?

2) how do I check my current hub Ethernet ports are at "gigabit" and not fast Ethernet?

Thanks

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:06:26 GMT

Ok thanks Chrisee,

it doesn't feel any quicker then before, I have also downloaded an app to check Wifi speed and the download speed is normally only around 200mps. Not sure how accurate these apps are, but there are places in my home ( I don't live in a mansion!!), that drop to less then 50mps.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 13:07:49 GMT

@rpeel wrote:

1) I only have two questions then, do you believe if I request a white hub I will then get better wifi performance?

The Max Hub is specified to WiFi 6, so in theory should be 'better' when WiFi 6 (802.11ax) client devices are in use: the Broadband Hub is WiFi 5 (802.11ac)

Numerous posts in this forum tend to indicate that Max isn't yet entirely reliable though.

2) how do I check my current hub Ethernet ports are at "gigabit" and not fast Ethernet?

That's somewhere in the Hub settings accessed through the Hub IP address.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:16:12 GMT

@rpeel wrote:

the download speed is normally only around 200mps. Not sure how accurate these apps are, but there are places in my home ( I don't live in a mansion!!), that drop to less then 50mps.

Both of those are entirely plausible, although 'around 200mps' shows the broadband is definitely faster than Ultrafast 1.

I have 500Mbs FTTP from BT which 'tests' as a fraction of that on my phone: 180Mbs just now, one room away from the BT Hub.

WiFi always drops to zero Mbs over enough distance or through sufficient building fabric no matter how fast the incoming broadband connection is.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

TimmyBGood — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 13:04:21 GMT

@rpeel

It's perhaps worth remembering that the real purpose of a gigabit connection is to supply numerous devices in simultaneous use with 'enough' bandwidth for whatever they are doing (i.e. each streaming at their maximum possible resolution). Giving an individual device ten times more connection than it actually needs doesn't bring any additional benefit.

ISPs habitually advertise on headline speed being delivered to their router, which tends to be rather misleading.

Re: Gigafast broadband connection

rpeel — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:27:40 GMT

This has all been really useful and enlightening. Thanks for all your help and feedback.