Shaw Speed Test

This diagnostic utility validates the throughput of your Shaw Fibre+ connection (now part of Rogers). While marketed under the "Fibre+" brand, Shaw primarily utilizes a Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) network running on the DOCSIS 3.1 standard. This means that while fiber optics reach your neighborhood node, the connection to your home typically relies on coaxial cable, which dictates specific latency and upload speed characteristics.

Understanding Your Speed Metrics

When analyzing your connection integrity, focus on these three performance vectors:

Download Throughput: Shaw offers high-speed tiers like Fibre+ Gig 1.5. On these plans, download speeds should be robust. However, because bandwidth is shared at the local node level, you may observe slight fluctuations during "Prime Time" (7 PM - 11 PM) in densely populated neighborhoods.

Upload Throughput: Unlike pure fiber-to-the-home providers, Shaw Fibre+ plans are usually Asymmetrical. For example, the "Fibre+ Gig 1.5" plan typically offers ~100 Mbps or 150 Mbps upload. This is a physical limitation of the DOCSIS technology and does not indicate a line fault.

Latency (Ping): On a healthy Shaw connection, latency to local servers (Vancouver/Calgary/Edmonton) should range between 15ms and 35ms. If you experience lag spikes in gaming, it is often due to bufferbloat caused by saturating the limited upload bandwidth.

What Results Should You Expect?

The "2.5G Port" Requirement

If you subscribe to the Fibre+ Gig 1.5 plan, your hardware setup is critical. Benchmarks include:

Download Speed (Standard Port): Capped at ~940 Mbps. (Ports 1, 2, and 3 on the Fibre+ Gateway are Gigabit only).

Download Speed (Port 4): Up to ~1.5 Gbps. You must use the Ethernet port marked with a Red/Orange Line on the XB7 or XB8 gateway, connected to a computer with a 2.5GbE network card.

BlueCurve Wi-Fi: ~600-900 Mbps (on Wi-Fi 6 devices close to the gateway).

If you pay for 1.5 Gbps but your wired speed test caps at exactly 940 Mbps, you are almost certainly plugged into a standard Gigabit LAN port or using a Cat5e cable, which cannot physically carry 1.5 Gbps.

Why Is Your Shaw Connection Slow?

Before contacting support, verify these common configuration faults:

Loose Coax Cable: A loose coaxial cable at the wall outlet is the #1 cause of intermittent drops. Ensure the connection is "wrench tight" (slightly tighter than finger tight) to prevent signal leakage.

BlueCurve Pods: If you use Shaw BlueCurve Pods to extend Wi-Fi, they must be placed halfway between the Gateway and the dead zone. Placing them inside the dead zone renders them ineffective as they cannot receive a signal to repeat.

Gateway Overheating: The Fibre+ Gateway (XB7/XB8) generates significant heat. Ensure it is standing vertically in an open space, not stuffed inside a media cabinet, to prevent thermal throttling.

Shaw Technical Configuration Data

How to Get an Accurate Test

Wireless testing is scientifically unreliable for verifying Multi-Gigabit speeds due to hardware limitations.

To confirm the actual speed delivered to your home, connect a Cat6 or Cat6A Ethernet cable directly from Port 4 (Red Line) on the Fibre+ Gateway to a laptop with a high-speed Ethernet port. This isolates the ISP connection. If this wired test shows full speed, your line is healthy.

When to Call Support

Escalate the issue to Shaw support if you observe these specific failures:

Blinking Amber/Green: The gateway is unable to lock onto the cable signal frequencies (Upstream/Downstream).

Solid Red Light: Indicates a critical hardware failure or total signal loss.

Speed Mismatch: If your wired upload speed is consistently below 50% of the advertised rate.

You can restart your modem and check for neighborhood outages via the Ignite HomeConnect App (formerly BlueCurve) or by calling 1-888-472-2222.