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Friday, September 22, 2017

Extending Xfinity Gigabit Internet Wi-Fi with Netgear Orbi

I just installed Xfinity Gigabit Internet at home. Disclosure: Upgrade cost for me is $17/month, difference between Blast! and Gigabit Internet today, covered by Xfinity for one year trial.



Initial wired speed tests show a big difference. 700 Mbps DOWN, 41 Mbps Up.


Image: Speed Test Results

Results vary depending on your hardware configuration. I have a MacBook Air circa 2011, which I am told cannot support 1 Gig speeds, with a Thunderbolt monitor that has a gigabit ethernet port.

The new modem comes with WiFi built in. I compared it's 5G network to extending the Wi-Fi with the Netgear Orbi System. (Orbi - Two free review units, one purchased)

Here's my earlier review of the Orbi system, Review: Installing Orbi Home WiFi System by NETGEAR, and one of it's competitors eero, eero 2nd Generation installation at Loring Greenough House.

Wi-Fi SPEED TESTS:

OFFICE - 3rd Floor
ORBI (Wired Base orbi) 420 Mbps
Xfinity 5G (Modem sits here) 420 Mbps

LIVING ROOM - 2nd Floor
ORBI 210 Mbps
Xfinity 5G 170 Mbps

KITCHEN - 2nd Floor
ORBI (Wi-Fi Satellite Orbi) 310 Mbps
Xfinity 5G 86 Mbps

DEN - 2nd Floor
ORBI (WiFi Satellite Orbi) 330 Mbps
Xfinity 5G 120 Mbps

FRONT DOOR - 1st Floor
ORBI 250 Mbps
Xfinity 5G 26 Mbps

The new Xfinity Gigabit Internet modem/router coverage is impressive.

In Boston, a current 3 or 2 product customer could get it added to their current suite of services for an additional $15-30/month depending on their package or if they were Internet only it’s $79.99/month for 24 months.

Read more here: Comcast Introduces Gigabit Internet Service in Boston.

New and current customers can visit Xfinity.com/gig to learn about the new service and request additional information.

Later this year Xfinity will be coming out with their own mesh network, Comcast is trying to get in on the mesh router hype
Later this year, Comcast will put out mesh-creating “Wi-Fi pods” that were designed in collaboration with Plume. These pods will plug into customers’ home power sockets and auto-configure to the network, similar to how Plume’s own product works.

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Use this trick to watch Google Play movies on your Amazon Fire TV Stick

Google Play just gave me a 99 cent promo to buy a movie. I clicked through and bought Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and then went to watch it on my Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Oops.

There's no Google Play app on the Amazon Fire TV Stick.

I found this post explaining, Use this trick to watch Google Play movies on your Apple TV.

The tips work for the Amazon Fire TV Stick too.

1. Download the YouTube.com app.

2. Open the Amazon Fire TV Stick YouTube.com app.

3. Authorize via web.

4. Then go to the YouTube.com app menu and choose Library.

YouTube on Amazon Fire TV Stick
Image: YouTube.com menu - Library

5. Then scroll down to Purchases.

YouTube on Amazon Fire TV Stick
Image: YouTube.com menu - Purchases

There's your purchased Google Play movie!

Update:

It won't play!



Wait! What?

Is it just this movie?

Let me know your experience.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

eero 2nd Generation installation at Loring Greenough House

eero 2nd Generation Install.

eero 2nd Generation installation at Loring Greenough House.

The Loring-Greenough House was constructed in 1760 by Commodore Loring, and today is a center for social, cultural, historical, and educational activities in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. It was time for the WiFi to be upgraded.
  1. The Loring Greenough House sits in the center of Jamaica Plain.

  2. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  3. The Comcast/Xfinity modem and WiFi was in serious need of an upgrade. In fact, if you have a modem like this at your home or business, call Xfinity, they want to upgrade them for free.

  4. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  5. A survey of WiFi coverage, before the upgrade, showed extreme variations in speed, with a large dead zone. Note: The Comcast Business Service subscription speed is currently at 16 Mbps.

  6. Loring Greenough House Speeds BEFORE
  7. The higher WiFi speeds were just below the modem/router. The front of the house WiFi was clocking in at a sad 120 Kbps, and at the left hand side of the house, and outside function area, the WiFi was non-existent. 

  8. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  9. After the new modem was installed, the internal WiFi was disabled and the eero base station was activated via the eero iOS iPhone app. 
  10. Thanks to eero for the Home WiFi System which comes with an eero and two eero Beacons, plus the two additional eero Beacons. 
  11. From the eero website:

    eero is the only WiFi access point of its size that’s tri-band, meaning it can broadcast on three wireless radio bands simultaneously. With two Ethernet ports, eero is perfect for media rooms or anywhere you have Ethernet wiring.

    Beacon plugs directly into any outlet and easily expands your system to cover every corner of your home. It also includes a handy and intelligent LED nightlight that adjusts brightness depending on the time of day.

    eero TrueMesh™ software is built from the ground up to work perfectly with eero hardware. Developed using machine learning and data collected from hundreds of thousands of real homes, TrueMesh’s dynamic routing algorithms ensure there isn’t a home layout or connected device eero hasn’t encountered before.

  12. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  13. The user experience was exceptional. After setting up a Network Name and optional password, we proceeded to install the eero Beacons. 

  14. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  15. Sarah uses the eero app to activate and name each eero Beacon.

  16. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  17. The eero app checks the placement of the eero Beacon and notifies you if if needs to be moved or if it's in a prime location.

  18. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  19. Maria Foster Doane Greenough Summer oversees the eero installation.

  20. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.

  21. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.

  22. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  23. Average speed around the house is now 19 Mbps.

  24. Eero 2nd Generation install at Loring Greenough House. All the dead zones inside and out are now covered.
  25. Thanks to Comcast/Xfinity for coming out to upgrade the modem, and eero for the Home WiFi System and Beacons.



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