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ScottGrigsby's avatar
Apr 09, 2020
Solved

Nighthawk R7000P speeds extremely slow

For a while now my internet speeds over WiFi have been extremely slow. I’m paying for 400mb/s through Spectrum. On average my DL speed from my ISP’s modem to my Nighthawk averages about 225mb/s while my UL speed is about 20mb/s per the Nighthawk app. On the other hand, while testing my internet speed over WiFi with my iPhone about 3 feet away from the router I am getting at least tonight on average less than 1mb/s while connected to 5G WiFi (50mb/s over LTE not connected to WiFi).

This is getting ridiculous, what do I need to do to fix this? This is supposed to be a “top” WiFi router that is putting out less than 1 mb/s.

Also, I am trying to attach a screenshot, but it won’t let me.

  • ScottGrigsby wrote:
    When I connected my laptop to my ISP modem I, on average, received 300mb/s DL and 22mb/s UL.

    When I connected my laptop to my Nighthawk router via Ethernet I received, on average, 250mb/s DL and 20mb/s upload.

    So, the ISP is shortchanging you.

     

    Your router is also stealing more speed than it should. Try the usual moves of disabling QoS, traffic metering and so on.

     

    I assume that you used the same speed test for both of those.

     


    ScottGrigsby wrote:

    When I connected my laptop to my Nighthawk over WiFi I received, on average, 75mb/s DL and 20mb/s UL.

    The wifi could be down to lots of things. It could be that this is all the wifi can handle. Unlikely, but hard to troubleshoot.

     

     

7 Replies

  • michaelkenward's avatar
    michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User

    What firmware version do you have on the device?

    A number is more useful than "the latest". (It may not be by the time people read this.) There can also be newer versions, or "hot fixes", that do not show up if you check for new firmware in the browser interface.

    It might also help if you told people what the modem is in front of this router. The model number could be useful. Is it, by any chance, also a router, with a set of LAN ports on the back?

    The reason for asking is that a lot of people turn up here trying to put a router behind a modem that is also a router.

    Having two routers on a network can cause headaches. For example, you can end up with local address problems. Among other things, the other router can misdirect addresses that the Netgear router usually handles, such as routerlogin.net or the usual IP address for a router, 192.168.1.1.

    This explains some of the other drawbacks.

    What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

    Apologies for all the questions. But you can help people to help you by providing the information suggested in this forum's header:

     


    Subject (Include model number and brief summary)
    Model (Recommended - Helps the community give the best answers)
    Body (Include additional detail including model version, firmware, OS and environment where relevant.)

     

    They are there for a good reason.

     

     

    • ScottGrigsby's avatar
      ScottGrigsby
      Tutor
      Firmware V1.3.1.64_10.1.36

      The modem is through Spectrum. Ubee E31U2V1. There is only 1 LAN port, which I use to connect the modem to my Nighthawk.

      Also, if it helps, I’ve been trying to check speeds using my PlayStation 4. I “should” be receiving 400mb/s through Spectrum, while over WiFi, according to my PS4, I receive ~40mb/s DL and ~5mb/s UL. I just plugged my PS4 directly into LAN1 via Ethernet cable and the last speed test I ran came back with 49.3mb/s DL and 3.7mb/s UL, so I have no difference from having it connected via WiFi or Ethernet.
      • michaelkenward's avatar
        michaelkenward
        Guru - Experienced User

        ScottGrigsby wrote:

        The modem is through Spectrum. Ubee E31U2V1. There is only 1 LAN port, which I use to connect the modem to my Nighthawk.

        Great. Looks like a plain modem. No router bit to get in the way.

         

        Latest firmware too on the R7000P.

         



        ... I’ve been trying to check speeds using my PlayStation 4. I “should” be receiving 400mb/s through Spectrum, while over WiFi, according to my PS4, I receive ~40mb/s DL and ~5mb/s UL.


        Probably the worst way to measure speeds.  Wifi speeds are down to the wifi clients you test with.

         

        The only reliable speed measurement is with a wired connection and on a browser that gets at one of the recognised speed tests.

         

        To rule out router issues, you should do a wired speed tests directly into the modem. Only then can you rule out stuff going on downstream.

         

        You are paying for 400 Mbps. You should see at least that out of the Ubee E31U2V1. If you don't, then chase Spectrum.

         

        Then connect the router and test the wired speed. There too you should see near on 400 Mbps. 

         

        Only then can you start troubleshooting wifi speeds. They depend on all manner of things.