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Solved
R8000 Slow WiFi download Speeds
Hi guys,
I'm wondering if anyone can help me as I am on my second Nighthawk R8000 and I am getting nowhere near the download speeds I should be getting, any suggestions would be appreciated.
I am on Virgin Media Vivid 200 using the Superhub3 in modem mode. My PC is connected into the R8000 by ethernet and I get around 220Mbps dl and 12Mbps ul.
My first router I set up and let it update the firmware. I was getting around 130Mbps on my phone and Shield TV but only about 35Mbps on the Xbox One. I searched various forums and read that a few people mentioned their download speeds dropped after the latest firmware update. I tried a previous version but no joy. I contacted Netgear Support who asked me to change wireless channels, MTU size, DNS and fragmentation settings but nothing worked so I replaced it for another from Amazon.
The new one I got I skipped the firmware update and was getting about 175Mbps on phone and Shield and 85Mbps on Xbox One.
I read on a post somewhere here and found someone had the same issue but resolved: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/Nighthawk-X6-R8000-Looking-for-best-settings-for-online-gaming/td-p/1319706 using 1-0-3-48 firmware.
The download speeds now start slower and drop while carrying out a speed test.
I have tried with 2 5GHz SSID's and then naming both bands the same, QoS, network traffic meter switched off, changing region to Asia, I have basically tried everything I have found on forums but nothing gets me close to 200Mbps. My Shield TV and Xbox One are about 5 metres away from the router in the same room, there is nothing in the way that would cause interference.
As I say any help is really appreciated, I will try anything as I am so dissapointed with this now.
Thanks,
Raymond
I am sorry an exchange did not work for you.
I did not use the "smart connect" feature - when I enabled this in the original router it seemed to slow my speeds down.
I settled on 2 seperate 5ghz wifi networks just as it comes out of the box.
Mine has been rock steady now since the exchange - I changed absolutely nothing at all out of the box - I only opened a port for a torrent file.
I am still amazed that I regularly get over 300 meg dload a floor above on a 300meg line - hardwired to the router it nudges 320 meg dload - just amazing.
The only thing I have noticed is that my NEST thermostat seems to disconnect from wifi every few days - it auto reconnects every single time so no big dramas - but I'm not too sure if it needs re-pairing to the new router or whether it's NEST servers.
Everything else connected to the router works flawlessly (around 25 different items) - Smart TV's, Nvidia Shield, Ring Doorbell, Tablets, Phones, Pc's etc.
Dave
9 Replies
Hi RaymoC,
Can you try this firmware.https://kb.netgear.com/000045842/R8000-Firmware-Version-1-0-3-54
Hi
I have same set up as yourself - apart from I am on Virgin Media 300 dl / 20 up.
My original X6 was same as yours - slow speeds and disappearing wifi.
I tried everything - different firmwares - factory resets - changing values in set up - it would work for a day - maybe 2 - but then would crap out again.
Netgear seem to take 3 weeks just to answer questions on here - so I gave up and swapped it for another X6 (I purchased it from Amazon - they were happy to swap it)
The new one is flawless - I get 300 meg dl/19up a floor above the superhub3 which is in modem mode.
It's my opinion that there is a "bad batch" of routers out there - swap it and hopefully it will solve your problems.
Dave
Thanks Dave I'll get in touch with Amazon and see if I can swap for another.
This is my second one I am on now, this one seems like it has more recent packaging as it has an European Awards 2016 on it the last one didn't.
I'm really disappointed with this router for one it's not the cheapest - I kind of just accepted that this is what I will be getting.
Thanks very much for replying and letting me know, fingers crossed Amazon can help me and I get a good one.
I'll let you know how I get on!
Raymond
Hi James,
I updated the router to this version after I had posted here as I hadn't had any reply and I'm now back to the speeds on the original firmware but it's still nowhere near what I should be getting.
I am going to contact Amazon as Dave had mentioned he has had the same issues on his original router to see if another one works.
Hi
My replacement router is perfect.
One thing I didn't do is updat the firmware when I set it up.
The prompt is there - but I resisted - just in case it messed everything up.
I set it up as european region - everything on default settings out of the box - apart from a few ports I opened.
Dave
Well the new router came today and low and behold this one is even worse!
Default settings out of the box I got 56.80Mbps and using both 5GHz with smart connect I get 21.13Mbps download speeds. I still get around 12Mbps upload.
This issue is only on wireless - wired connection I get the full 220Mbps download.
I checked the serial numbers and the new one ends in 01R7 and the last one was 01R12 so it could well be a bad batch but I won't waste my time on trying any others. This is 3 days I have wasted now just waiting on the delivery alone.
I'm going to contact Amazon to see if I can exchange it for another brand altogether. Netgear was the only brand I used for networking products both at home and work, this is 3 same routers and one switch at work that have failed (or never worked properly in the case of the routers) this year. I will stay clear of Netgear from now on.
Thanks again for your advice Dave it was worth a try changing it for another but I guess I have been really unlucky.
I am sorry an exchange did not work for you.
I did not use the "smart connect" feature - when I enabled this in the original router it seemed to slow my speeds down.
I settled on 2 seperate 5ghz wifi networks just as it comes out of the box.
Mine has been rock steady now since the exchange - I changed absolutely nothing at all out of the box - I only opened a port for a torrent file.
I am still amazed that I regularly get over 300 meg dload a floor above on a 300meg line - hardwired to the router it nudges 320 meg dload - just amazing.
The only thing I have noticed is that my NEST thermostat seems to disconnect from wifi every few days - it auto reconnects every single time so no big dramas - but I'm not too sure if it needs re-pairing to the new router or whether it's NEST servers.
Everything else connected to the router works flawlessly (around 25 different items) - Smart TV's, Nvidia Shield, Ring Doorbell, Tablets, Phones, Pc's etc.
Dave
It was worth a try mate, I guess I have been really unlucky with these. It's a shame because I really like the look of the router - if I could even have got close to the speeds I would have just kept it. It would have been a waste if I wanted to upgrade to the 300 package and not getting half of the speed.
Amazon have said they would exchange it as many times as it took to get a working one or to accept a refund so I have decided to take a refund and purchase another brand of router. I did think about trying another but if I've had three in a row that's never been right I wouldn't be confident I would get one that would be right (and then I would have to wait in all day for the replacement).
I'm glad you got a good one Dave and thanks again for your advice!
Kind Regards,
Raymond
