Why am I not getting a Gigabit connection? According to the Motorola Cable Modem specifications, the modem has Gigabit Ethernet ports. However, I am only getting around 100 Mbps in my connection to my cable modem's Ethernet port.
Answer:
The Motorola Cable Modems do indeed have Gigabit Ethernet ports. In order to achieve Gigabit Ethernet speeds, you must connect to equipment that also has Gigabit ports, including routers, PCs, and other client devices. Fairly recent equipment supports 10/100 Ethernet only.
When the Motorola Cable Modems are connected to devices that support 10/100 Ethernet only, the LAN LEDs on the cable modems will display amber and the maximum throughput will be about 100 Mbps. The LAN LEDs will display green for a Gigabit connection.
Note: You must use category 5e or 6 Ethernet cables to achieve Gigabit speeds. The cable that came with the Motorola cable modem supports Gigabit Ethernet; you may need to upgrade cables to achieve Gigabit speeds.
Remember the color of the Ethernet light indicates the connection speed. Connection speed is determined by the device you connect the modem to. The modem automatically negotiates the highest support speed.