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R2dTOO's avatar
R2dTOO
Guide
Jan 12, 2019
Solved

Slow internet when connected to Wifi

I just got AT&T 1000Mbps fiber internet, as well as an R7000 Nighthawk router. The AT&T RG is in passthrough mode, and the Nighthawk is in router mode. Nighthawk is running firmware version 1.0.9.60_10.2.60. 

 

When I connect my laptop via ethernet to the Nighthawks, I'm getting 900Mbps or higher download. However, when i connect via wifi, I'm luck if I break 100Mbps (usually, it's in the 60s). The only think I've changed from the efault Netgear setup is I did enable Smart Connect.

 

Does anyone know what I can do to fix this?

 

  • OK. I think I have solved the problem. Here is what I did:

     

    1. I got rid of the AT&T Gateway. It's now just the Nighthawk connected to the AT&T ONT via a switch in the middle. Instructions here if anyone is interested.
    2. After getting rid of the gateway, I factory reset the router again. I set the SSIDs up again, changed the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels from "Auto" and whatever the default 5GHz channel was to "06" and "161" (looking at a wifi analyzer, revealed that channel 6 was the least congested in my area for 2.4GHz. Channel 161 was not used at all in the 5GHz spectrum).

    After doing both of these things, I am now getting between 350Mbps and 525Mbps on the 5GHz network.

     

    I had done step 2, with the gateway in place, several times before. I think the combination of the two together is what solved my issue. 

     

    Thank you everyone for the help.

     

13 Replies

  • Disable smart connect, lots of issues with it

     

    on which band are you testing? 2.4 or 5 GHz?

    • R2dTOO's avatar
      R2dTOO
      Guide
      OK. I disabled Smart Connect, and speeds went up a little. I'm now getting around 150-175. I'm testing from both my phone (Samsung Galaxy S9), and my laptop. Before I put the Router in place, and just tested with the AT&T gateway, I would get 400-500+ on wireless.
      • IrvSp's avatar
        IrvSp
        Master

        Are you running two wireless networks???

         

        Define what you mean by " just tested with the AT&T gateway"?

  • Besides turning off Smart Connect, did you ever have faster wireless speeds? If so, how fast, on what device and what band?

     

    What was your ISP speed before? 100Mbps or slower? Did/do you have QoS enabled? If so, turn it off.