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Get the Most From Your High-Speed Internet Service

Stanford University has designed a high-speed Internet service for non-student residential housing using fiber-optic internet. This complex technology enables data to be transmitted in the form of light rather than electricity, for less lag time and much faster speeds of up to 1 gigabit with a wired connection. In addition, fiber is less susceptible to weather conditions than traditional cable, which helps to minimize unplanned outages. 

High value, competitive pricing

You can purchase the enhanced internet as a stand-alone service or bundle it with other services. Your cost for the improved solution is similar to what residents of other campus neighborhoods pay for this level of service. When it comes to speed for the price, we’re confident you’ll also find the rates are quite competitive in the market outside of Stanford. 

Fiber internet overview

With your high-speed service, the fiber internet cable runs all the way to your building or home and connects to a piece of equipment called the optical network terminal. This device sends a signal into your home through an Ethernet connection. The Residential Gateway distributes that connection inside your home through a wired connection or Wi-Fi. 

Factors affecting internet speed

Stanford University provides a high-speed Internet service up to 1-gigabit over a wired connection. However,  certain situations may impact network speeds.

  • Please remember, bandwidth is affected by wiring in the buildings and other factors outside of Stanford's control. Wired connections are always faster than wireless connections. When possible, connect your computer directly to your Residential Gateway with an Ethernet cable.
  • Network performance and speeds may be reduced during peak usage times. With COVID-19 policies in effect, these times can be irregular. But typically peak usage falls between 6 and 11 p.m.
  • If your VPN service is not capable of providing 1-gigabit throughput, your network speed may be reduced to the maximum speed of the VPN service capability.
  • Network traffic leaving Stanford University’s network cannot be guaranteed by our maximum speeds due to routing traffic beyond our control.
  • Other devices on your network share your internet connection. Video streaming will take priority over a data stream.

Troubleshooting speed issues

To improve the speed of your connection, try following these easy tips.

  • Use an Ethernet cable or USB Ethernet adapter rated for 1-gigabit. Cabled connections are faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi and will enable you to achieve optimum speeds.
  • Make sure that your equipment is up-to-date and properly configured. Older devices prior to 2015 may not perform as well due to their technical limitations.
  • Update your browser. Most will send you an alert you when updates become available. Simply follow the prompts given to you by the browser program to download and install these updates.​

Wi-Fi performance

Maximum expected Wi-Fi speeds occur under good conditions with a capable device. Your results will depend on various factors affecting your speed which are beyond our control.  For better WiFi performance, consider the following.

  • Check the location of your Residential Gateway. The closer it is to your personal devices, the better the Wi-Fi quality will be.
  • Try to identify and manage sources of interference and low signal strength that can significantly reduce your Wi-Fi speeds, including neighboring Wi-Fi networks, device capability, Wi-Fi obstruction, and other causes of signal interference.

Residential Gateway internet speeds

You can get the fastest possible Internet speeds by connecting your computer directly to your Residential Gateway with an Ethernet cable.
 
For faster speeds, try using an Ethernet cable or USB Ethernet adapter rated for 1 Gbps. When you connect to Wi-Fi, you won’t be able to reach maximum high-speed Internet speeds. Wi-Fi speeds will depend on a variety of factors that affect your Internet such as the type of equipment connecting to the Fiber, the equipment you have (such as device age, model, and capability), and the location of your Wi-Fi device relative to the Residential Gateway. Older devices prior to 2015 may not perform as well due to their limited capabilities.
 
Maximum expected Wi-Fi speeds occur under good conditions with a capable device. Your results will depend on various factors affecting your speed which are beyond our control.
 
The tables below describe what the maximum possible speeds that can be achieved using Stanford University’s non-student residential network service on a wide range of wired and wireless devices. 
 

Computers (Ethernet to Residential Gateway)

Year Released  Ethernet Connection  Maximum Possible Speed

2010 or later

Direct connection (Ethernet)

1 Gbps

2013 or later

USB 3.0 Ethernet adapter

950 Mbps

2009 or earlier

USB 2.0 Ethernet adapter

450 Mbps

Computers (Wi-Fi)

Year Released  802.11 Version  Maximum Expected Speed

2013 or later

802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)

130-650 Mbps

2009 or 2012

802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)

60-150 Mbps

2008 or earlier

802.11a/b/g 

27-54 Mbps

Mobile Devices (Wi-Fi)

Year Released  802.11 Version  Maximum Possible Speed
2019 or later

802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)

130-430 Mbps
2013 to 2018

802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)

30-75Mbps
2013 or earlier

802.11a/b/g 

15-54 Mbps
Last modified August 27, 2021