I recently upgraded to a 2 Gbps internet plan through Xfinity, but my connection has felt worse than it did on 1 Gbps. I play on a PlayStation using a LAN cable connected to an eero Wi‑Fi extender, yet my console and browser speed tests are showing only about 151 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. I expected something closer to 800 Mbps down and 300 Mbps up. The eero app reports around 1.36 Gbps download and 90 Mbps upload, so I'm confused about why the numbers are so different. I've been lagging badly while gaming, streaming TV, and using other devices, even after trying standard troubleshooting steps. Could the extender or Wi‑Fi connection be causing the bottleneck, and what should I test next?
3 Answers
The internet service itself may be delivering the advertised speed, but the wireless section between your router, eero unit, and PlayStation can introduce interference, distance-related losses, and congestion. A cable running from an extender is still limited by the wireless connection feeding that extender. For a reliable test, connect the PlayStation directly to the main router with Ethernet. If that isn’t practical, MoCA adapters are usually a better option than Wi‑Fi when you have coax outlets nearby; powerline adapters are another possibility.
Check the entire wired path as well: the router port, eero port, PlayStation adapter, and Ethernet cables all need to support gigabit speeds. Cat 5e or better is normally enough for gigabit, while newer equipment and suitable cables may be needed for multi-gig speeds. Since you already have newer cables, the most useful next step is testing with one cable directly from the main router and checking whether the link negotiates at 1 Gbps or higher.
I ordered Cat 8 cables, and the eero units came with Cat 6 cables, so I’ll test them directly from the main router and check the negotiated link speed.
Wi‑Fi is probably the bottleneck. Even fast Wi‑Fi is shared and half-duplex, so interference, neighboring networks, walls, distance, and multiple active devices can reduce throughput and increase latency. Devices that need stable performance should ideally be wired directly to the main router, not to a wireless extender. Also, console speed tests aren’t always a perfect measurement of the connection’s full capacity, so compare results from a wired computer connected directly to the router.
I had been using Ethernet from the eero unit to the PlayStation, but I didn’t realize the wireless link to the eero could still be the limiting part.