On Xfinity Internet Service. Using a Netgear CM1200 cable modemNighthawk RAX120Using Nighthawk App, Wired and Wireless connectionsNighthawk App reports 326Mbps; Speedtest.Net app on wired connection to CM1200 reports 320MbpsSpeedtest.net App on wireless connections for laptop, desktop and iPad: consistent 20-24Mbs downloadMix of testing connections 2.4 and 5 ghz, same results regardless of networkHave reset to factory, same resultsHave turned on then off then on then off QOS and AX supportNo combination changes the wireless download speed. I'm coming to the conclusion that the RAX120 is a broken box. It's so frustrating as I had switched to another vendor's gear for years and returned recently to take advantage of the higher speeds Comcast offers. I'm getting those speeds on the cable modem, but not even close on wireless. Suggestions?

After further experimentation and several resets/reboots using latest firmware in beta V1.0.1.100QOS on 2.4ghz = horrible performance - 1.4MbpsQOS off 2.4 = average performance - ~24MbpsUsing an older computer with wireless card that supports 2.4 only, so could be bandlimited at the client QOS on 5ghz = excellent performance - nearly full bandwidth of ISP, ~160-300MbpsQOS off 5 = average performance - ~24MbpsUsing a new HP Laptop and an iPad Pro 10in (gen 6) So something appears to be throttling bandwidth when QOS is off for 5ghzI have no idea what is happening with QOS on for 2.4ghz. But for now I can at least rely on the 5ghz. With default set of rules

Hello, I still have additional information.I verified that, when the router renews the lease with the wired device, the speed is halved (this happens even if the lease is renewed manually from the "connection status" panel). In this case it is enough, with the qos activated, to open the "connected devices" panel, select the device connected by cable and simply click on "apply" (even without changing any settings) and the speed returns to maximum. However, at the first automatic renewal of the lease, the speed will be halved again. I gave this information, like all the information I have given to you so far, to the technical support, which transmitted it to the engineers.I don't think they will be limited to generic requests to do useless tests. It is all too obvious that this is a software problem and it is up to them to solve it if they do not want to be faced with massive product returns.In this regard, I believe that the fact that the problem is widespread and does not concern only one person is a good thing.

1. What firmware is on your RAX120? make sure to update over a hardwired connection. 2. You've stated you factory reset the device. good work. 3. Did you disable smart connection to seperate out the 2.4ghz and 5ghz signal?4. Can you do a wireless channel scan and post a screen snip/shot here?5. Have you tried reinstalling the firmware?6. have you tried downgrading a firmware version if you're on the latest? It wouldn't be the first time a new firmware broke something.

Thanks for your questions. 1. firmware is latest listed: V1.0.1.903. Yes, Smart Connect is turned off and the 2.4 and 5 have different names4. I live on 4 acres with few houses anywhere near. I'm sure it's not channel congestion. But, no I don't have a scanning tool so haven't tried that. 5. No, I haven't tired reinstalling same version. It's firmware. How would reinstalling the same firmware change anything (that a factory reset doesn't)? 6. This is the firmware that came with the box and I haven't seen any down-version downloads from netgear site. So no, I haven't tried this. I'll try 5. but if that works, netgear has done some very poor engineering. I'm happy to try 6 if there's a place to access down-versions. thanks.

Reinstalling firmware can help when something was corrupt during the install process. Factory resetting only removes the settings but doesn't load a backup firmware. So even if you factory reset, if the firmware was bad, its going to stay bad. The newest firmware is 1.0.1.100. Try downloading that, install over a hardwired connection, factory reset it, and see what happens. https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rax120

RAX120 slow wireless download speed (24Mbps) with High Internet Speed (325Mbps)

15 Replies

plemans
Guru
Oct 03, 2019
1. What firmware is on your RAX120? make sure to update over a hardwired connection.
2. You've stated you factory reset the device. good work.
3. Did you disable smart connection to seperate out the 2.4ghz and 5ghz signal?
4. Can you do a wireless channel scan and post a screen snip/shot here?
5. Have you tried reinstalling the firmware?
6. have you tried downgrading a firmware version if you're on the latest? It wouldn't be the first time a new firmware broke something.
- dlwhite66
  Guide
  Oct 03, 2019
  Thanks for your questions.
  1. firmware is latest listed: V1.0.1.90
  3. Yes, Smart Connect is turned off and the 2.4 and 5 have different names
  4. I live on 4 acres with few houses anywhere near. I'm sure it's not channel congestion. But, no I don't have a scanning tool so haven't tried that.
  5. No, I haven't tired reinstalling same version. It's firmware. How would reinstalling the same firmware change anything (that a factory reset doesn't)?
  6. This is the firmware that came with the box and I haven't seen any down-version downloads from netgear site. So no, I haven't tried this.
  
  I'll try 5. but if that works, netgear has done some very poor engineering.
  I'm happy to try 6 if there's a place to access down-versions.
  
  thanks.
  - plemans
    Guru
    Oct 03, 2019
    Reinstalling firmware can help when something was corrupt during the install process. Factory resetting only removes the settings but doesn't load a backup firmware. So even if you factory reset, if the firmware was bad, its going to stay bad. The newest firmware is 1.0.1.100. Try downloading that, install over a hardwired connection, factory reset it, and see what happens.
    https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rax120

Forum Discussion

RAX120 slow wireless download speed (24Mbps) with High Internet Speed (325Mbps)