What Is Gigabit Internet, And Do You Need It?

How fast is Gigabit Internet?

Internet speeds are measured according to how fast data travels over an Internet connection. Available today mostly through cable and fiber-optic technology, Gigabit Internet runs at a blazing-fast 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) or Gigspeed. That’s equal to one billion bits of data per second, or 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps).

Gigabit Internet is fast enough for you to download an entire HD movie in a matter of a few minutes, take part in video conferences with ultra-high definition, or update your smartphone’s operating system within seconds, notes Xfinity, one of many Gigabit Internet providers.

If your carrier doesn’t yet offer Gigabit Internet in your area, you might be able to get a connection of 500 Mbps or more in your home. A 500 Mbps link will only run at half the speed of Gigabit Internet, but it’s still pretty fast compared to some other options.

Who is Gigabit Internet for?

Gigabit Internet is pricier than slower-speed Internet connections. To take full advantage of the extra speed on your home WiFi network, you need a state-of-the-art Internet gateway or router, available through your carrier, as well as up-to-date devices. All this equipment must support the latest home networking standard, WiFi 6. However, the additional cost of Gigabit Internet can be well worth it, especially in the four following scenarios.

Scenario 1: Your household runs lots of Internet-connected devices.

Most homes today seem to fit into this category. According to a 2020 Statistica survey, the average American today has access to 10 connected devices in the home.

Generally speaking, though, when researchers talk about Internet-connected devices, they’re referring not just to a PC, Mac, or tablet, but to any device in the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). That could be a smartphone. smart TV, microphone, audio speaker setup, HVAC system, security camera, garage door opener, or lightbulb, for instance.

But when you’re figuring out how much Internet speed your home needs, it’s important to recognize that the Internet data streamed to your household — also known as your bandwidth — must be shared by all devices running on your home WiFi. So, even leaving IoT devices out of the equation, if family members are running a laptop, iPad, and desktop PC all at the same time, each of these devices is likely to get around 300 to 400 Mbps of bandwidth.

Yet if you were operating these same three devices over a 100 Mbps connection, each device would receive less than 40 Mbps of bandwidth.

Scenario 2: You crave top-speed connectivity for working from home

While it might not be the best fit for everyone, working from home (WFH) offers perks such as flexible hours and the ability to save time and money by skipping the commute, experts say.

Gigabit Internet provides practically the maximum amount of speed you can get in the US for working from home, just as you would over a corporate network. You can efficiently surf the web and do group collaboration over Teams or Slack, even while performing more bandwidth-intensive tasks like data analysis, computer programming, or videoconferencing.

Scenario 3: You or your kids (or parents) are Zooming

Video conferencing surged in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to be a staple for work, education, healthcare, and socializing.. People use Zoom, Skype, WebEx, and other video conferencing platforms not just for remote work but also to stay in touch with friends and family. Many children engaged in distance learning during the pandemic and are now well accustomed to video calling.

Video conferencing is one application that benefits in particular from Gigabit Internet. An important reason is that a high-speed connection helps to reduce latency, or the amount of time it takes to send a packet of data over the Internet link. High latency results in lag, which can cause the slow delivery of a data packet, leading to a brief delay in everyone's reactions during a video or audio call.

Sometimes packets of data can even get lost completely due to network congestion on a slow Internet link, causing an issue called packet loss. When packet loss happens, the video or audio can cut out entirely for a little while.

It can also be challenging to maintain a smooth connection on a slow link if you’re using bandwidth-intensive HD or 4K video, allowing a lot of people on the call, doing screen sharing, or running other apps in the background.

Don’t forget, too, that you’re sharing the amount of bandwidth you get from your provider with other household members. With Gigabit Internet, it’s a lot more practical to perform Zoom calls with work colleagues if your kids are doing e-learning online elsewhere in the house, and your spouse likes to use the Internet, too, to play his favorite game on a day off from the job.

Scenario 4: There’s a hardcore gamer in the house

Gamers also need to avoid high latency and packet loss. In gaming, lag is the delay between player input and the game's response. Yet serious gamers can’t afford a delay of even one second.

Effects can include low frame rates, game stuttering, and overall bad performance. In fact, the whole game can crash. Packet loss of more than one or two percent can also interfere with real-time gaming. Often, overloading of Internet connections is the culprit. But Gigabit Internet will give you plenty of bandwidth in your Internet connection.

Internet will give you plenty of bandwidth in your Internet connection.

Is Gigabit Internet Worth It?

For some households, Gigabit Internet is a clear upgrade. For others, it's more speed than you'll ever actually use.

Gigabit Internet makes sense if your household:

• Has 5 or more people regularly using the Internet at the same time.
• Relies on the connection for remote work, video calls, or a home business.
• Includes one or more serious gamers or 4K/8K streamers.
• Runs a large number of smart home devices alongside phones, laptops, and tablets.
• Regularly uploads large files, like video content creators or designers.

Gigabit Internet may be overkill if your household:

• Has 1 to 2 users with moderate habits: browsing, standard-definition video, and occasional video calls.
• Doesn't run many devices simultaneously.
• Doesn't work from home or stream in 4K.
• Lives in an area where fiber isn't available, and cable gig speeds aren't consistent.

500 Mbps Vs 1 Gig Vs 2 Gig: Which Speed Tier Fits Your Home?

Not sure which speed tier you actually need? Here’s a breakdown based on how you use your connection.

Gigabit Internet Equipment Checklist

Getting Gigabit Internet to your devices isn't just about picking the right plan. The equipment in your home can make or break whether you actually experience those speeds or not.

Here's what you need:

• Modem: Your modem connects your home to your ISP's network. For Gigabit cable service, you need a DOCSIS 3.1 modem. Older DOCSIS 3.0 modems can't support Gigabit speeds. Many ISPs will rent you a modem, but buying your own (typically $80 to $150) saves money over time.
• Router: Your router distributes that connection across your home. To get full Gigabit speeds wirelessly, you need a WiFi 6 (802.11ax) router. WiFi 5 routers will work, but you won't consistently hit Gigabit speeds over WiFi.
• Gateway (modem/router combo): Most ISPs offer a gateway that combines both functions in a single device. This is the simplest setup, especially if your home isn't large or complex. If your ISP provides a gateway, confirm it's WiFi 6 compatible before assuming it will deliver full speeds.
• Ethernet cables: For the fastest and most reliable speeds, connect your most demanding devices, like a gaming PC, work laptop, or smart TV, directly via Ethernet. Use Cat6 or Cat6a cables, which support speeds up to 10 Gbps. Cat5e technically supports Gigabit, but Cat6 is the better investment.
• Network switches: If you have more Ethernet-hungry devices than router ports, a Gigabit network switch lets you expand your wired connections without sacrificing speed.
• Device compatibility: Even with the right modem, router, and cables, your devices need WiFi 6-compatible network adapters to fully benefit from Gigabit speeds over WiFi. Most laptops and smartphones from 2020 onward include WiFi 6 support, but older devices may max out at speeds below Gigabit regardless of your plan.

What Devices Support Gigabit Internet?

Devices in the home need to be connected to a WiFi 6 network to get the full benefit of Gigabit Internet. Despite the growing abundance of IoT devices, desktop and laptop PCs will gain the most right now because of the higher bandwidth requirements of their software applications and the fact that they’re most likely to be connected to WiFi.

Smartphones have lower bandwidth needs and are able to connect to the Internet through a choice of cellular or WiFi. Many tablets offer both connectivity options, too.

Meanwhile, IoT devices like lightbulbs have fewer bandwidth requirements than even smartphones, of course. Many of today’s IoT devices can connect to the Internet independently of WiFi, cable, or fiber connections. Some smart TVs, for instance, connect directly through a satellite dish. Other devices, such as home alarm systems, are able to use cellular connectivity.

However, new WiFi-6-compatible Gigabit Internet gateways now being issued by carriers to consumers also include radios for Bluetooth LTE and Zigbee. Zigbee is an emerging standard for short-range, low-rate wireless data transfer to low-power IoT “thingies” like light switches and home energy monitors.

So it looks like there will be an explosion of IoT devices running off of Gigabit Internet via WiFi 6 in the near future. Whether or not a specific device needs all that much speed, your household can gain the convenience of fewer types of Internet connections to look after.

Gigabit Internet For Gaming And Streaming

Speed matters in gaming and streaming, but it's not the only number that counts. Latency, ping, and consistent bandwidth all play a role.

Gaming

When it comes to online gaming, lag is the enemy. Lag happens when latency, the time it takes for data to travel between your device and the game server, gets too high. A latency above 100 milliseconds (ms) is noticeable. Above 150 ms, it affects gameplay. Competitive gamers target under 30 ms.

Gigabit Internet, especially over fiber, helps in a few specific ways:

• Lower ping: Fiber connections tend to deliver more consistent, lower-latency performance than cable connections, which can help keep ping times in the 5-20 ms range on well-routed servers.
• Reduced packet loss: More bandwidth means less congestion on your local connection. Packet loss above 1 to 2% causes stuttering, freezing, or disconnects mid-game.
• Room for other users: With Gigabit speeds, a family member streaming 4K video in another room doesn't eat into your gaming bandwidth.
• Fast game downloads: A single modern game can run from 50 to 150 GB. At 1 Gbps, a 100 GB game downloads in roughly 15 minutes. At 100 Mbps, that same download takes over two hours.

Streaming

Streaming resolution drives bandwidth demand more than most people realize. Here's what each tier actually requires:

A Gigabit connection can comfortably support 20 to 30 simultaneous HD streams or 6 to 8 simultaneous 4K streams. For households with multiple TVs, streaming sticks, and a mix of 4K content across services like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube TV, Gigabit removes the risk of one user degrading the experience for everyone else.

Who Offers Gigabit Internet In The US?

Right now, Gigabit Internet is offered in the US in two ways: cable broadband and fiber-optic technology. Theoretically, the emerging 5G cellular technology can also offer Gigabit connectivity, but in practice, 5G speeds don’t yet come close to meeting that level.

Fiber-optic Internet offers two major advantages over cable. First, upload and download speeds are the same. Second, upload and download speeds each amount to a full 1Gbps.On the other hand, download speeds for cable are generally just below a full 1 Gbps, typically above 900 Mbps. More importantly, upload speeds for cable are much slower, typically well under 100 Mbps. Upload speeds mainly matter for gaming, video calls, and uploading large files to YouTube or other platforms.