Cannot achieve multi-gig speed: What to do?

When your network is not reaching the expected multi-gigabit throughput, even under ideal conditions, network upgrades may be needed. This article provides a list of possible causes and how to solve them.

The uplink path—from your device to the Internet—can pass through several network components, such as Switches, routers, and Access Points. For optimal performance, each component in this chain should support multi-gig throughput.

If any part of the path operates below this threshold (e.g., a 1G device, port or cable), it can become a bottleneck, limiting the maximum achievable throughput, even if other parts of the network support higher throughput.

Multi-gig throughput requires multi-gig network infrastructure

Quick Overview: What to check

• Internet connection speed provided by ISP,
• All uplink devices are multi-gig capable,
• All ports involved in the uplink path are multi-gig capable,
• Connecting cables are multi-gig capable,
• WiFi hardware and setup is multi-gig capable,
• End device (laptop, TV, smart phone, PC, etc.) is multi-gig capable.

For more details, please read on.

Internet connection speed

The maximum throughput you achieve is determined by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). If your ISP-provided speed is not multi-gig, your end devices cannot exceed that limit. You can test your Internet speed using tools like Speedtest.net, Fast.com, or Testmy.net. 

Uplink devices

The uplink chain may consist of multiple network devices, including modem, router, Switches and Access Points. Each device in this chain must support multi-gig throughput. If any device in the uplink chain only supports 1G (or less), it will bottleneck the entire network. If this is the case, consider upgrading your network equipment.

Uplink ports

Devices can have multiple ports with varying speed capabilities. To achieve multi-gig throughput, make sure all Ethernet, fiber, or other interfaces along the uplink path are multi-gig capable.

For example, Plasma Cloud's PAX5400 Access Point includes a 2.5G uplink port and a 1G wired client port. To reach multi-gig throughput, the 2.5G uplink port must be used.

Plasma Cloud PSX series Switches (PSX8, PSX10, PSX28) all support multi-gig Ethernet and Fiber connections. If your Switch lacks multi-gig Ethernet ports but includes SFP+ slots, you can bridge the connection using an SFP+ to multi-gig Ethernet transceiver or Media Converter. Alternatively, consider upgrading your legacy network equipment.

Cables

The Ethernet cables you use must support multi-gig throughput. CAT 5e cables may or may not provide the required capacity. While the CAT 5e standard defines a rating of 100 MHz, it's common to find CAT 5e cables tested for 350 MHz rating in today's market. Only 350MHz rated CAT 5e cables support multi-gig throughput.

CAT 6, CAT 6a and CAT 7 cables fully support multi-gig throughput. For details, please refer to the table below.

WiFi hardware

WiFi throughput is influenced by the capabilities of your Access Point. To achieve multi-gigabit performance, ensure your AP supports modern WiFi standards such as WiFi 6E or WiFi 7. If the AP is wired to your network, it should use a multi-gig-capable uplink port to support high-speed wireless connections.

If you’re still experiencing slow WiFi despite having a multi-gig capable network, refer to this article for guidance on optimizing your WiFi configuration for maximum performance.

End device

If you have a wired end device, ensure a multi-gig uplink port is used in the connection. The negotiated link speed also needs to be multi-gig and cannot be throttled to less. The Plasma Cloud Console allows to monitor link speeds. Detailed information can be found in this article.

In case of a wireless end device, ensure the appropriate WiFi standard such as WiFi 6E or WiFi 7 is used. If your WiFi is slow, please refer to this article.

Verify whether throughput throttling is enabled on any SSIDs, Switch ports, or the router.