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Poor range and poor speed
I just bought this router thinking that it would provide faster speed and better coverage in my 2000 sq ft (one level) house, but this is the worst wireless router I have ever had When I connect directly to the modem, I get 120 mbps, when I connect via the Netgear router wirelessly, I get 60 mbps. The range is just as bad, it doesn't reach to the back bedrooms like previous routers (not Netgear) routers I have had. I have no other option to move the router and modem but where it is at.
I have spent hours researching what could be wrong and have confirmed the MTU is the correct value; confirmed that QOS is disabled, traffic meter is disabled; and changed channel. We live on a rural farm, so interference is not an issue.
This appears to be a defective device.
grahamfa wrote:
HI,
1) I'm assuming it's V1 since there is no v2 next to the model name.
Good assumption. It is usually the only way to tell.
grahamfa wrote:
2) Modem is TP-Link TC-7620 cable modem DOCSIS 3.0
Not a modem router that can cause local conflicts.
grahamfa wrote:
3) Clients - I tested with Windows laptop, ipad, iphone, and android
The killer. These things are capable of better speeds than you see.
grahamfa wrote:
4) Router Firmware Version - V1.0.2.98 - I did check for the latest firmware version and the one shown is the latestThese things rarely arrive with the latest firmware, which suggests that you may have updated it yourself. In which case, did you reset the router to factory settings after the firmware flash?
New firmware sometimes introduces changes that are not compatible with the old configuration.
So while it isn't guaranteed to fix problems a factory reset is the first thing to try if you have issues with new firmware. And wifi seems to be prone to these post-flash issues.The range thing is something else. The WNDR4300 doesn't claim to be a long range device. Are you connecting at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. The latter is faster but has shorter range. Paradoxically, you may get better speed using 2.4 GHz when you are not near the router.
Having said all that, if there is a way to return the device at no cost to you and replace it with something more capable, and probably more expensive, that is what I would do. Your call.
8 Replies
Is it really an WNDR4300? That's a pretty basic box. (Is it the original v1 or the newer v2?) Note the lack of antennae that come on flashier Nighthawk kit. But they cost a heck of a lot more.
grahamfa wrote:
When I connect directly to the modem, I get 120 mbps, when I connect via the Netgear router wirelessly, I get 60 mbps.
Remember wifi depends on the transmitter (router) and the receivers (wifi clients). 60 Mbps is the top speed that you will get for some wifi clients. You don't say what clients you are using.
What is the modem?
What is the firmware version on the router?
HI,
1) I'm assuming it's V1 since there is no v2 next to the model name.
2) Modem is TP-Link TC-7620 cable modem DOCSIS 3.0
3) Clients - I tested with Windows laptop, ipad, iphone, and android
4) Router Firmware Version - V1.0.2.98 - I did check for the latest firmware version and the one shown is the latest
grahamfa wrote:
HI,
1) I'm assuming it's V1 since there is no v2 next to the model name.
Good assumption. It is usually the only way to tell.
grahamfa wrote:
2) Modem is TP-Link TC-7620 cable modem DOCSIS 3.0
Not a modem router that can cause local conflicts.
grahamfa wrote:
3) Clients - I tested with Windows laptop, ipad, iphone, and android
The killer. These things are capable of better speeds than you see.
grahamfa wrote:
4) Router Firmware Version - V1.0.2.98 - I did check for the latest firmware version and the one shown is the latestThese things rarely arrive with the latest firmware, which suggests that you may have updated it yourself. In which case, did you reset the router to factory settings after the firmware flash?
New firmware sometimes introduces changes that are not compatible with the old configuration.
So while it isn't guaranteed to fix problems a factory reset is the first thing to try if you have issues with new firmware. And wifi seems to be prone to these post-flash issues.The range thing is something else. The WNDR4300 doesn't claim to be a long range device. Are you connecting at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. The latter is faster but has shorter range. Paradoxically, you may get better speed using 2.4 GHz when you are not near the router.
Having said all that, if there is a way to return the device at no cost to you and replace it with something more capable, and probably more expensive, that is what I would do. Your call.