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Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

NG_user420
Aspirant

CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Xfinity gigabit internet service. Not getting gigabit speed to router when running speed tests from nighthawk app. Constantly having to reboot router to get WiFi/internet connection. Ethernet speeds are not what they should be either. 200-400 mbps instead of gig. I’ve factory reset everything and still cannot get reliable WiFi/internet. Spent hundreds of dollars on equipment that doesn’t do what I want. Praying a networking wiz has some setting suggestion that I am missing. Please help! Happy to share any logs that may be of assistance. Let me know what you need, thank you all!
Model: CM1100|Nighthawk Multi-Gig Speed Cable Modem—DOCSIS 3.1, R7900P|Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri Band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Start at square 1. Its pointless to troubleshoot a router if the modem or line is the issue.

1. What speeds do you get directly connected to the modem? 

2. the R7960P has wan link aggregation. If you're using it, disable it. Link aggregation has had issues for netgear/arris/etc. its been problematic

3. Take a screen snip of the modem's cable connection page. Make sure you get all the info from that page and post it here. It shows your link back to the isp (a snap shot).

4. If you are speedtesting, don't trust the built in app's speedtest. i haven't found it even slightly reliable. Make sure what you're testing on is hardwired in and try dslreports.com or speedtest.xfinity.com   The others have had issues saturating gigabit. 

5. firmware on the router? 

 

Start at these and let me know results. Like I said, its best to ensure you have full speeds at the modem and then you move on to testing the router. 

Message 2 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

@plemans thank you so much for reaching out. When unplugging the modem from the router and going directly to my laptop, it doesn’t connect at all. I get the message “Ethernet has a self assigned IP address and will not be able to connect to the internet.” I agree testing the modem first is best practice, what can I do to get a working connection from the modem to the laptop?
Message 3 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Mac or PC for your laptop? for either, make sure to reboot the modem. 

Mac:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/connect-mac-internet-a-cable-modem-mchlp1460/mac

windows:

you should just need to reboot the modem with nothing connected and then connect the pc. 

Message 4 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

That was the first move I made and it was successful. Now on chat with xfinity to verify my speeds. Will get back shortly with an update. To answer your question, I have 3 different MacBooks that I can try
Message 5 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

If you log into the modem (192.168.100.1) and click on cable connection, take a screen snip of that and the logs. Post that back here.

And then speedtest it off the sites I recommended. 

Message 6 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

@plemans  Confirmed with Comcast over 900mbps coming from modem to laptop.

 

i then reconnected cm1100 modem to R7960P and am getting the following WiFi speeds:

- speedtest.xfinity.com = 317mbps

- dslreports.com = 195mbps

 

tried posting links to the cable connection and logs of the modem, but I guess those are trapped awaiting approval.  

 

please let me know what you would like to see from the router.  I can confirm I have all port aggregation disabled.

 

thank you!!

 

Message 7 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router


@NG_user420 wrote:

@plemans  Confirmed with Comcast over 900mbps coming from modem to laptop.

 

i then reconnected cm1100 modem to R7960P and am getting the following WiFi speeds:

- speedtest.xfinity.com = 317mbps

- dslreports.com = 195mbps

 

tried posting links to the cable connection and logs of the modem, but I guess those are trapped awaiting approval.  

 

please let me know what you would like to see from the router.  I can confirm I have all port aggregation disabled.

 

thank you!!

 


Make sure you're testing hardwired speeds from the router. Not wifi. Wifi is dependant on device, environment, interference, etc. to many things influence the speed and wireless AC isn't going to max out gigabit. 

Message 8 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Hard wired from the router gets me in 850mbps range. I must plead ignorance when it comes to the WiFi speeds, my understanding was having a gigabit rated modem with gigabit rated router combined with gigabit speeds from the ISP would translate to WiFi speeds of 800mbps at least. Are you saying the best speeds I can expect out of my setup over WiFi are 200-400?
Message 9 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

I'm saying a lot depends on many variables.

1. devices. Not all wifi devices are created equal. If you've got a wireless ac phone but it only has a 1x1 antenna. its going to connect at a 433mbps link rate. the actual throughput over wireless is roughly 55% of what link rate is (rough) due to wireless overhead. Or if you're device is a wireless N device its going to have lower speeds. If you're device is a 2x2 antenna setup, it'll be faster. So devices matter a lot

2. Environment. things within your home can block wifi. Plaster lathe walls, metal, foil lined insulation, and other things within your home block wifi signals and can lower speeds. 

3. interference. to many wireless signals in an area create interference and can slow down speeds. 2.4ghz is more suseptible to this than 5ghz but they both can be impacted. 

4. Distance. the further away you are from the router, the slower it'll be. 

 

other things influence wifi as well but those are some of the major ones. 

the key is that you're getting full speeds from the hardwired. 

Message 10 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Super helpful.  Do you have any config tips for the router? Noticed you have the RAX200, would I see substantial improvement moving to that router from the R7960P?  Or is that more of a future proofing move and as more devices get better WiFi capability they will be better able to leverage the more powerful router?

Message 11 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Config tips?

1. make sure your high bandwidth devices (streamers/gaming devices) are on the 5ghz streams. Its tri-band so there's 2x 5ghz radios. If you're using smart connect, it should balance the load between them. If you're not, just balance the load between them

2. low bandwidth device on the 2.4ghz. Again, if you're using smart connect, it'll do it for you. 

3. Centrally locate it if possible. routers are omnidirectional. Meaning they broadcast in all directions. If your router is on one side of your home, half the broadcast isn't covering the home. 

4. Firmware updates aren't always awesome as of late. If its running great, I wouldn't worry about it

 

 

In terms of the RAX, its overkill even for my place. i bought it so I could get familar with AX devices and routers. That's all. I actually use my orbi for most of my wireless as it has better overall coverage. 

 

Message 12 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

You may be selling me on Orbi here lol

Have you tried the nighthawk mesh? I’m drawn to the sleekness of the nighthawk brand, but if Orbi is the best then so be it. Thinking of converting the R7960P to an access point if I were to go that route, but that may be wishful thinking.
Message 13 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

How big is your home? the R7960P is quite capable. Its a triband with pretty good coverage. 

Message 14 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Not big under 1500sqft....maybe this is as good as it gets, annoying hearing my father bragging about his 700+ speeds on wifi while I have excellent NETGEAR equipment that barely gets half the speed he does. A hit to my tech ego to say the least lol
Message 15 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

What device are you testing with? 

What 5ghz band are you testing on? 

How far away from the router are you when testing? 

 

Message 16 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Standing directly next to the router with an iPhone 8 Plus, utilizing the second 5ghz band:

Speedtest.xfinity.com just clocked in at 182mbps
Message 17 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

and what materials is your home? if its standard wood/sheetrock the r7960p should cover that fine

Message 18 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

Yes, standard home construction materials from several decades ago, nothing thick or fancy.
Message 19 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

at one point you reports 317mbps. was that on the iphone?
have you tried different devices? 

Message 20 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

mu-mimo worth having on? Figuring if it was important it would come turned on from the factory, that one was a bit of a head scratcher. I have it turned on currently.
Message 21 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

When I run the speedtest app on the same iphone I’m getting 213mbps. I’ll try my iPad now and see if that is different
Message 22 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

The 317mbps I reported early was coming from my laptop (MacBook) after switching to WiFi once confirming my hardwire speeds were sufficient.
Message 23 of 38
NG_user420
Aspirant

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

iPad getting 306mbps on speedtest.xfinity.com

326mbps when running speedtest app
Message 24 of 38
plemans
Guru

Re: CM1100 Modem R7960P Router

What firmware is on the R7960P? 

You can always try version 1.4.1.44 of the firmware. The newer version installed netgear armor and not all routers responded well to it? 

If you downgrade, install the firmware over an ethernet cable, factory reset the router afterwards, and then manually install (not from backup). Don't enable traffic monitoring, qos, or parental controls. 

standing right next to the router, you chould probably be able to hit faster speeds that what you're hitting. hard to say 100% again because of variables. 

Message 25 of 38
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