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Solved
RBR750 issue: 50% speed slowdown
I've owned several Netgear routers, starting with WNDR3700. I purchased the RBR50 once the firmware began to get some good reviews, and it worked well. To keep up with the introduction of WiFi 6 I purchased directly from Netgear the RBR750 in May 2021. Somewhere between July 4, 2022, and last week the download speed of that product fell to 50% (actually a little less) of what my cable ISP subscription provides. A speedtest by the Orbi software on that date showed download speed of 206 Mbps and upload speed of just over 16 Mbps. Noticing that download speed had suffered since then, I began a thorough investigation.
The RBR750 and its two satellites have the most recent firmware. No changes had been made to the Orbi software configuration prior to the slowdown. I tested with my old Netgear R7800 router and the download was a little over 200. (Upload speed is not the issue, so I will stop referencing that feature.) OK, next maybe I should downgrade the firmware on the RBR750: No change from the under-100 Mbps download speed. So maybe I should try my previous Orbi, the RBR50: 200+ Mbps. Same setup as the RBR750, though I did need to turn off UPnP. Still, the RBR50 gets 200+.
So the issue is the RBR750, since both of my previous routers (R7800 and RBR50) get the download speed I'm paying for. The problem is not in the settings, it's not a matter of rebooting the modem or router, and it's not a matter of other devices hogging the bandwidth. Everything I can think of and see in the settings is constant among all three routers. The thing that distinguishes the RBR750 is the 50% drop in speed.
The warranty expired in May. I'm exasperated, disappointed, becoming resigned to having bought a lemon from Netgear. So I'm asking whether there are others who have had this or similar experience with a device that should not fail after only a year. In other words, is mine an isolated case, or is there a thread of RBR750 failures that Netgear should (yes, "should") address.
From my reading on this forum, there are others experiencing a slowdown on the RBR750 series. At least one is thinking it might be the latest firmware, but I've gone to the trouble to install the previous 4.6.8.5 firmware with no change to the problem. That's not it. This is an issue with the router that is beyond configuration and firmware.
I have a reconditioned/refurbished/refreshed RBR750 on the way, due to arrive tomorrow. Thanks to the three of you who responded. Too bad no one has a solution for lightning strikes. đ
I will mark this case "Solved," since the more I have thought about it the more I have concluded that lightning is not a scapegoat but the cause.
20 Replies
conductor wrote:I've owned several Netgear routers, starting with WNDR3700. I purchased the RBR50 once the firmware began to get some good reviews, and it worked well. To keep up with the introduction of WiFi 6 I purchased directly from Netgear the RBR750 in May 2021. Somewhere between July 4, 2022, and last week the download speed of that product fell to 50% (actually a little less) of what my cable ISP subscription provides. A speedtest by the Orbi software on that date showed download speed of 206 Mbps and upload speed of just over 16 Mbps. Noticing that download speed had suffered since then, I began a thorough investigation.
I have not read before of people's Orbi's losing download speed due to Orbi hardware issues, so let's first make sure of your speed measurements. You seem to be relying upon the Orbi's own speed test so also confirm by running speedtest.net ion a PC connected by wired network (not wireless) to your Orbi base router. It should return near to what your cable ISP supplies.
Do you have a cable modem or a combination modem/router? If the latter then Double NAT will also cause substantive speed drops (two routers doing the same work). You can verify this by comparing the http://orbilogin.com / Advanced tab / Internet Port / IP Address to what https://canyouseeme.org/ says for Your IP. If the IP addresses are not the same, then you have Double NAT.
I also would think that hardware breakdown is rare. I've not experienced such a thing with the 7 or so routers I own/have owned. There are 3 speedtests: (1) in the Orbi software, (2) on a Firefox browser on "the last Intel iMac," and (3) on the iPhone 13 Speedtest app. They all agree.
The modem is a Motorola MB8600 Docsis 3.1. There is no "double NAT," and even if there were it would be for all three routers in the comparison.
Thanks for your comments.
Are the satellites wired paired to Orbi router or wireless? What other wired devices do you have in your network?
