Internet optimization help PLEASE!

A few weeks ago I bought the 3 in 1 plan TWC offers with a internet speed of 50Mbps. The router they gave me is a Arris TG862GA2. I got it mainly because it seemed to be the best internet I could get in my area. Also let me admit to you right off the bat I am a noob at all this technical Internet stuff so please bear with me.

Now I want to make a push into the next generation in a big way. I am buying a 4K Tv, a 4K Netflix plan, and a Shield Tv android device to stream 4K media as well as stream 1080p games over the Internet. However it seems my internet cant handle this step forward I am taking. For instance the Netflix 4K plan requires a minimum of 25Mbps. When I test wirelessly on my tablet or over a cable on my PS4 I only average 15-20Mbps. Now I understand that I will never get to truly run at 50Mbps but I think I can do better then this.

I am looking for ways to maximize my internet however I can. If there is a list of optimized settings for my router I would love to implement it. If sacrificing security will improve my connection I am fine with it. I live on 10 acers of land so no on can use my wireless even if they wanted to and I don't do anything sensitive on the net like pay my bills so net security is not high on my priority's. Also if I can get a honest answer if down the road I should buy a new router because the one TWC gave me sucks I would appreciate that.

Also has TWC stated if they are going to offer a higher Mbps Internet package? If so, when? Anyways that's really it. I truly appreciate any help or info your able to give my noob ass so let me just thank you ahead of time for any help given.

I too am on TWC's 50 Mbps internet. I'd recommend going wired on your PS4 if at all possible. For example, there are power plug network adapters that work great in getting wired speeds to devices normally out of wired reach. TWC's modems aren't the best ones out there. I've tested my PS4 not 5 feet from my router and it always hovered around the same speeds as yours does. Then I purchased a fairly decent D-Link AC router and it made a big improvement for me as it improved the signal range by a decent amount. When wired, my PS4 usually hovers between 35-40 Mbps which is more than enough for me on my PS4 (sans the crap TWC upload of 6 Mbps cap). If you decide to buy your own router later on down the road, make sure to call Time Warner and have them disable the wireless feature in your modem as the signals can "interfere" with each other and cause a few hiccups in your network. As to when Time Warner is going to upgrade, I was told by a friend of mine who works with them that we'll be seeing it in west Texas within the next few months. They're almost done upgrading their systems and we'll be running at 100 Mbps down, and 20 Mbps up in the near future.

As far as trying to improve your signal now? You can try the basics like moving your PS4 as close to your modem as possible. If you have a dual band modem or router, get as many compatible items onto the 5Ghz band as possible to clear up the already congested 2.4Ghz frequency. You can go into your modem settings and try and give your PS4 priority on the IP list. Maybe give your PS4 a static IP and toss it into a DMZ. Make sure your modem and router firmware is up to date, etc. There are plenty of helpful tips on the net you can research when you have a bit of time. As far as an optimized list of settings, there really isn't going to be a "perfect all in one solution" for you as no two homes are set up alike. Things like walls, other electronic equipment, distances, etc are never the same. Again, you can change settings on your modem/router, but they aren't quite universal that way.

Just keep security in mind when prepping your network for 4K, especially when trying to do it wirelessly. Don't give up security for bandwidth as it may not be worth it in the long run. I wouldn't tinker too much with network settings that make your network more vulnerable. You're probably better off with just adding a network extender, or again, just going wired where possible.

Long story short...you want to go 4K, go wired...lol.

@JcBoyCool:

To be completely honest, you have a crap router.

To get that 50Mbps, or close to it, you will need to buy a high-end AC router and you would need to disable that Arris doing "router duties" its just not good enough.

Its not hard to do, but is it something you could do?

@GTR12: Yes i could potentially do it if the cost is not insane. Could you make a suggestion as to the best router for me or post a link? Also do you think doing a power line setup would fix any of my problems? Thanks for your input so far.

If your willing to run 1 cable from router to your TV setup... Then all you would need is a switch for a direct connection.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704043

Only $20.

@Truth_Hurts_U: I have a cable running to my setup but like I said in my first post I am not getting anywhere near the speeds advertised using the Ethernet cable. What exactly will this device you linked do for me? Thanks for your help.

@JcBoyCool:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320208

Thats the router I would recommend, if thats too expensive, please post a price range that you would be loooking at.

Power-line with your existing setup wont work, the Arris device you have currently is too slow to do a lot of work, its doing modem duties as well as doing router duties, its not designed for both of those.

Also, is it possible to turn the router functions off on that? I dont live in the US so I dont know. You will need to turn the Arris into a modem only, and use that Asus as the main device.

@JcBoyCool: Plug a laptop/desktop into the either net cable then use this link.

http://speedof.me/

Turn off download and up load graphs on the right hand top corner (off is grey,on is green and yellow). Then run the speed test.

If your getting your full speed then your connection is fine. If not it could be either the ethernet cable, a problem with coax in your home, a node problem or something else.

If you aren't getting anywhere near your rated speeds with a wired connection there is something wrong. Even during heavy usage times it shouldn't be that far off. Wireless is a different story and probably will require you to get a better router. Power line extenders would work if you have an area like upstairs or further away that just isn't getting enough signal.