Imagine your internet plan's speed as a large highway. Bandwidth refers to the number of lanes on that highway. In your case, the 2.5 Gbps plan offers a wider "highway" with more lanes for data to travel simultaneously. Here's what you can expect from a 2.5 Gig internet plan, considering both its advantages and limitations:

Advantages:

• Faster Downloads and Uploads: Compared to a 1 Gig plan, you'll experience significantly faster download and upload speeds. This translates to quicker downloads for large files, smoother streaming of high-resolution content, and potentially lower latency for online gaming.
• Multiple Device Performance: With the increased bandwidth of 2.5 Gbps, multiple devices on your network can benefit from a faster and more responsive internet experience, especially when used concurrently. This is ideal for households with several users streaming, gaming, and downloading content simultaneously.
• Future-Proofing: The technology for 2.5 Gbps devices is becoming more prevalent. By having a 2.5 Gbps plan, you're setting yourself up to take advantage of future devices that can fully utilize the higher speeds.

Limitations:

• Router LAN Port Speed: Our routers currently come with a 2.5 Gbps WAN port, which is fantastic for receiving the full speed of your internet plan from the fiber optic network (ONT). However, the LAN ports on our current routers are limited to 1 Gbps. This means that while the internet connection itself can handle 2.5 Gbps, individual devices connected via ethernet cables to the router can only utilize speeds up to 1 Gbps.
• Device Compatibility: Even if the router had 2.5 Gbps LAN ports, most consumer devices currently don't have Network Interface Cards (NICs) capable of handling 2.5 Gbps speeds. Think of the NIC as the network card in your device that allows it to connect to the internet. A 1 Gbps NIC is the standard for most laptops, desktops, and even some newer gaming consoles.
• Wireless Speeds: While Wi-Fi 6 routers can distribute the 2.5 Gbps bandwidth more efficiently to multiple devices, individual Wi-Fi speeds will still be limited by factors like distance from the router, signal strength, and the device's Wi-Fi capabilities. Most devices won't reach the full 2.5 Gbps wirelessly.

Wi-Fi 6 and Sharing the Lanes:

While the individual LAN ports are limited to 1 Gbps (like a single lane), your Wi-Fi 6 router can act like a multi-lane on-ramp to the internet highway. Wi-Fi 6 can distribute the 2.5 Gbps bandwidth more efficiently to multiple devices using the same Wi-Fi signal.

Here's the key:

• Multiple Devices, Shared Speed: Several devices on your Wi-Fi network can benefit from the overall increased bandwidth of the 2.5 Gbps plan, even though individual connections are capped at 1 Gbps. This is because they're not all downloading at the same time.
• Real-World Speeds: The actual speed each device experiences will depend on several factors, including:
  
  • Number of devices using Wi-Fi simultaneously.
  • Distance from the router and signal strength.
  • Individual device's Wi-Fi capabilities (most won't reach the full 2.5 Gbps).

Imagine a family road trip. The 2.5 Gbps plan is a highway with 3 lanes (bandwidth). While each car (device) can only travel at 60 mph (1 Gbps LAN speed), they can all benefit from the wider highway (more bandwidth) to avoid traffic jams if they're not all trying to use the same lane at once.

However, It's Not Perfect:

• Sharing Has Limits: If you have many devices all downloading large files simultaneously, the shared bandwidth can become congested, slowing down individual speeds.
• Limited by Device Wi-Fi: Even with Wi-Fi 6, most devices won't reach the full 2.5 Gbps due to their internal Wi-Fi capabilities.

Ethernet Remains King for Top Speeds:

For activities requiring the absolute fastest and most stable connection, like high-speed gaming or large file transfers, a wired ethernet connection directly to the router will still be the best option, even with a 1 Gbps LAN port.

The Takeaway:

A 2.5 Gig internet plan offers a significant boost in internet speed and bandwidth compared to a 1 Gig plan. It's a great choice for households with heavy internet usage or those who want to future-proof their network for upcoming advancements in device capabilities. However, it's important to consider the limitations of router LAN ports and device compatibility to ensure you can maximize the benefits of the plan. While the 1 Gbps LAN ports limit individual wired connections, the 2.5 Gbps plan offers increased overall bandwidth that can benefit multiple devices wirelessly on a Wi-Fi 6 network. However, for top speeds on specific devices, ethernet remains the way to go.

What You Can Do:

• Direct Connection for Testing: As you mentioned, you can directly connect your device to the ONT with an ethernet cable to test the full 2.5 Gbps speed. This helps confirm the internet plan is delivering the advertised speed.
• Upgrade Considerations: If absolute top speeds are crucial for specific devices, consider upgrading those devices with 2.5 Gbps NICs (usually through an adapter) or looking into routers with 2.5 Gbps LAN ports (these are becoming more available, but may not be offered by us yet).

We're constantly evaluating technology and may offer routers with 2.5 Gbps LAN ports in the future. In the meantime, if you have any questions about upgrading your devices for higher speeds or finding the right setup for your needs, please don't hesitate to ask!