Hi. I have a 6150v2 range extender, configured to use Fastlane. It connects with my router using 2.4GHz (wireless N) and with my devices using 5GHz (wireless AC). When I'm connected directly to the router, without the extender, I get around 85mbps, so I was hoping I could get almost the same speed using the extender, but nowhere near that. When using the extender the max speed is around 35mbps, around half the speed I was hoping. I understand usual extenders work this way, reducing the speed to half, because they receive and send data using the same frequency, but I thought using Fastlane that wouldn't be a problem. Is this how it should be working? Is everyone getting half the speed even when using Fastlane?

Fast lane has nothing to do with how extenders work.. It allows you to select is to be your uplink - 2.4ghz or 5ghz. You can always try swapping your fastlane uplink, to see if that improves your throughput. Looke like there are 3 options for Fastlane. Yes, you would need a wired connection. If running Ethernet is a hassle, have a look at powerline to set up a LAN connection from an AP to a Base router. Look for AV2 powerline. RE: Fastlink link: https://kb.netgear.com/24662/What-is-FastLane-Technology-and-how-do-I-configure-it

Hey! Yes same thing here in either fast lane mode speed is halved, so that's router to extender in either but not both 2.4 or 5 ghz and then router to device on the opposite. What's interesting though is that simply leaving the default with fast lane off and broadcasting both frequencies from the extender I get nearly the full connection speed. Ill be leaving my extender in the default without fast lane as it's twice as fast for me. Interested to hear if others see the same.

Hi, I've just got an EX7000 extender and have been playing with Fastlane. Tried it all ways (2.4Ghz to modem & 5Ghz to devices & other way or just basic mode of both frequencies to moden & devices). I think that as soon as you use 2.4 Ghz, it'll slow down a 5GHz device. I got 80Mbps with an iPhone 6 connected directly to the modem (standing next to it) and then connected to the EX7000 5GHz WiFi, I got 60Mbps standing next to the extender. That's a 25% loss and connecting to the extender on 2.4GHz is much slower again at around 21Mbps.

Hello CCBaxter Have you tried to change the wireless channel to see if you get a faster connection? DarrenM

Hi, thanks for the reply. Haven't tried that yet, will try it later today. About Fastlane, do you use it? Do you have the same speed as when connected directly to the main router?

Half speed even with Fastlane? | NETGEAR Communities

12 Replies

DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator
May 25, 2017
Hello CCBaxter

Have you tried to change the wireless channel to see if you get a faster connection?

DarrenM
- CCBaxter
  Aspirant
  May 27, 2017
  Hi, thanks for the reply.
  
  Haven't tried that yet, will try it later today.
  
  About Fastlane, do you use it? Do you have the same speed as when connected directly to the main router?
  - netwrks
    Master
    May 27, 2017
    Using an extender will give you a 50% loss in throughput. So, 35Mbps, is about right.
    EDIT: your extender supports AP mode, you should strive to set it up in AP mode.
- CCBaxter
  Aspirant
  May 29, 2017
  Tried changing channels, I get the same results.
  
  Phone directly connected to the router - 80Mbps
  Phone connected to extender - 35Mbps
  
  This isn't bad at all, and 35Mbps is enough for the streaming I do in the room that had poor wifi.
  I'm just wondering if anyone here knows exactly what are the benefits of using FastLane and clarify if people should expect better speed when using it, or the usual 50% loss that's common in range extenders.
Geochron
Initiate
Aug 04, 2017
Hey! Yes same thing here in either fast lane mode speed is halved, so that's router to extender in either but not both 2.4 or 5 ghz and then router to device on the opposite.

What's interesting though is that simply leaving the default with fast lane off and broadcasting both frequencies from the extender I get nearly the full connection speed.

Ill be leaving my extender in the default without fast lane as it's twice as fast for me. Interested to hear if others see the same.
- CCBaxter
  Aspirant
  Aug 08, 2017
  Hi Geochron, thanks for the reply.
  
  I just tried turning off fastlane and using "basic mode", but the results are basically the same. Maximum speed is about half of when connected directly to the router. Curious that it's twice as fast for you, I wonder if anyone else is getting faster connections with fastlane off.
  
  My results:
  
  Phone directly connected to the router - 80Mbps
  Phone connected to extender with fastlane ON- 35Mbps
  Phone connected to extender with fastlane OFF (Basic Mode)- 35Mbps
  - exxtreme76401
    Aspirant
    Aug 09, 2017
    Note that distance and obstructions from the extender plays a great deal into how fast the connection speed is. My Netgear ex7300 can do 1300 mb/s but realistically does more like 866 across the room. That real world speeds of ~170 MB

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Half speed even with Fastlane?