Gig-speed requirements 

Is your internet gigabit ready? Customers with CenturyLink Fiber Internet may have bandwidth plans of up to 940 Mbps. With this much bandwidth, there are a few things you need to check to make sure you get the fastest speeds you can. Before you run a speed test or start troubleshooting your WiFi, go through this checklist to cover the basic gig-speed requirements.

Does your computer have the right specs? 

Your computer needs to have a "Gig Ethernet" port. Other device specifications also affect how much speed it can transmit, including the operating system, processor, memory, and network adapter. Even the browser and the number of apps you have running can impact speed test results. 

Recommended computer specifications:

• Operating System: Windows 10 (64 bit) or Windows 11
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-3320M CPU @ 2.60GHz (4 CPUs)
• Memory: 16 GB or more
• Network adapter: 1 Gig or more

Do you have a fiber-ready modem?

Your modem or SmartNID needs to be fast enough to handle these speeds. Here are some CenturyLink fiber modems that are compatible with speeds of up to 940 Mbps:

Do you have the right kind of Ethernet cable?

You need a category 6 (CAT-6) cable or newer. The Ethernet cable has been evolving since 1985. As technology has changed, new categories of cables have been developed, each with greater speed capabilities. 

Is your WiFi up to standard?

If you have Premium WiFi, you can rest assured it is! Using our SmartNID setup with Premium WiFi pods will ensure you have fast and consistent WiFi coverage throughout your home.

But no matter what your setup, it's good to remember that wireless speeds are typically lower than wired speeds on the same network. Each WiFi device will show less speed than your full connection bandwidth. For that reason, with certain devices like gaming systems, work computers, or streaming devices, a wired connection is worth considering. Ethernet will often deliver a faster connection than WiFi and can reduce latency (ping).

If you're using a CenturyLink gateway with WiFi built in, there are several things you can do to improve your connection. Start by making sure your device and modem are both using the 802.11ac* standard and are connected at 5 Ghz. Then follow our tips to optimize your WiFi signal.

*802.11ac has a theoretical speed of 1.3 Gbps. Real-world factors like interference and distance can reduce speeds dramatically.

Consider all your devices

When you have multiple devices using your high-speed internet, your bandwidth is shared across all of them. Be aware of everything that can eat up your bandwidth: computers, gaming and streaming systems, smart security cameras and doorbells, smart thermostats or other appliances, DVRs, smart TVs, VoIP digital phones, wireless printers, smartphones, tablets, and many more. The beauty of gig-speed is that you should still get plenty fast speeds on each device, even when they're all running at the same time.