Multi-gigabit (multi-gig) Internet is a network connection with speeds greater than 1 Gbps. Multi-gig Internet connections used to be very rare but are becoming more widely available in many areas.
Historically, Gigabit Ethernet ports were the fastest type of port used in most consumer modems and routers as maximum Internet connection speeds did not exceed the 1 Gbps limit that Gigabit Ethernet ports are restricted to. However, with Internet speeds now exceeding 1 Gbps, newer types of Ethernet ports like Multi-Gig Ethernet and 2.5G Multi-Gig Ethernet are becoming more common on modems and routers to support these higher speeds.
Depending on the type of modem and router combination that you use, you might need to set up Ethernet port aggregation to achieve multi-gig speeds on your home network. If your modem and router both have Multi-Gig Ethernet or 2.5G Multi-Gig Ethernet ports, your home network needs no additional setup to achieve multi-gig speeds with a multi-gig Internet connection. However, if your modem or router only has Gigabit Ethernet ports, and your devices support Ethernet port aggregation, you can link two Gigabit Ethernet ports and treat the linked ports as a single connection.
For more information:
- What are Multi-Gig and 2.5G Multi-Gig Ethernet ports?
- What are link aggregation and LACP and how can I use them in my network?
- What is the difference between LAN aggregation and WAN aggregation?