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Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

manicmoddin
Tutor

XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Hi,

 

This is a last ditch effort to restore my faith in this router.

 

I purchased this in June, to upgrade the WiFi in the house and utilise some of the other features of the router, to turn a couple of virtual Machines off which the router would do (VPN mainly).

 

To cut a long story short I seem to be caped to about 70 MBs (speedtest.net) through the router.

 

I have worked though the guide for the best speed for XR routers on the side panel, and the results are as below:

 

With Virgin router normal Down 200+ Up 20

Plug the netgear router into virgin router (not in modem mode)
70-80 Down  20 Up

 

Place the virgin router in modem mode, same results.

 

Disable QOS from the hamburger - same results

Disable DDos - Same results

Re install firmware - Same results

Disable WiFi as I found someone on here mentioned - Same results

Any time I take this out and use the virgin router, 200+ down

 

I have taken this to work and tried it on the gigabit line directly from the ISP supplied Cisco router, same results - 70 /80 MBs down

 

I'm at a loss now, I can only assume there is a setting I have over looked, or for some reason the Lan port is locked to 10 / 100 despite showing 1000Mbs in the device manager.

 

In each test, I have made sure there is only one PC plugged into it and nothing connected via WiFi so it is not any bandwidth sharing.

 

It is not possible to use the old Mac address of the Virgin router, as this is still connected to their network as it is the modem

 

Best regards

 

Jimmy

Message 1 of 12
Netduma-Fraser
NetDuma Partner

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

I would recommend you re-upgrade to the latest firmware using TFTP which bypasses the boot processes and any issues there, then do a factory reset for the freshest install possible and see if that resolves the issue:
https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP
Message 2 of 12
plemans
Guru

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

What virgin modem/router is it? 

Combo devices tend to have their own qos/bandwidth settings. And not all ISP's properly setup modem only/passthrough mode. 

Have you tried the XR300 in access point? it does disable some features but its for testing purposes. 

make sure to test it hardwired in. 

also, what speed do you get directly off the virgin modem?

 

Message 3 of 12
manicmoddin
Tutor

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Hi,

 

I have finally had chance to try the TFTP solution which unfortunatley has not helped.

The Virgin router is a Superhub 2, but does give 200+ Mbs when using this, and when I configured a VM pfsence box as a test, but plug the netgear in and I'm back to 70 MBs or so.

AP mode made no difference at all to the speed.

 

Is it a case that this is one of the faulty ones?

 

When I look at Argos' returns policy I need to call support for Netgear to get an approval, is this something I will need to do in addition, or is there a means to do that on here?

 

Best regards

 

Jimmy

 

Message 4 of 12
Netduma-Fraser
NetDuma Partner

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Just to clarify, you mentioned the router handling the VPN, is that still active? If so disable it, does that boost the speed?
Message 5 of 12
manicmoddin
Tutor

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Hi,

 

Its all back to factory now, no extras turned on, even left the SSIDs the defualt ones.

 

Cheers

 

Jimmy

Message 6 of 12
Netduma-Fraser
NetDuma Partner

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Go to Settings and go to the Setup Wizard, follow that as far as the speed test, what does that give you for speeds?
Message 7 of 12
manicmoddin
Tutor

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Hi,

 

I dont seem to get offered a speedtest.

Step 1 - Asks if I want to auto configure, I select yes

Step 2 - Checks for an internet connection

Step 3 - Applies internet connection

Step 4 - Asks me to create Admin Settings

Step 5 - asks me to setup the WiFi

Step6 - Asks me to save my configuration details

Step 7 - Looks for updates

Step 8 - Tells me there are no new updates - Current Firmware V1.0.3.56, Current GUI V1.0.3.56_21.1.38.1

Step 9 - Loads Success Window

Clicking Next to this brings me to the main Dashboard.

 

If I go though again, but choose No, I want toconfigure myself I get the following

Step 2 - Connection Type (with Apply, Cancel and Test.
    Test - Updates Settings
            - After a minute, pops up the Netgear site, sayoing Connection Suceesfful
   Apply - Moves to Step 3 after applying the settings, just applied when doing the test, that worked and brings me back to the same place.

However, out of curiosity, I have complicated the network a bit, and moved the router upstairs, to keep playing in a morbid curiosity, plugged the router into the Virgin Superhub, via 2 switches and left it in router mode, so acting as a secound router on the network.

I get the IP netmask of 10.0.0.0/24 which is to be expected, but on the PC I have plugged in to configure this, I get 215 MBs upstairs via these switches using speedtest.net.

 

This shows to me that the router is capable of the bandwidth

I am now moving the router back downstairs and testing with a simmular spec PC to see what results I get - I will update shortly

 

Best regards

 

Jimmy

 

 

 

Message 8 of 12
manicmoddin
Tutor

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Hi,

 

Looks like it is the number of devices...

 

I had the Router plugged in directly to the Virgin Superhub in Router mode, and on the subnet of 10.0.0.0/24 I was getting good results, plugged the network switch in that houses the rest of the house (9 physical devices, and a further 10 Virtual devices) it then dropped to 70 MBs again.

 

Put the Virgin super hub in Modem only mode, still 70 MBs
Took the network switch out, and back to 210 Mbs.

 

Disconnected the upstairs / downstairs link (taking 5 physical / 2 Virtual) and got 150 MBs consistantly
If I didnt rely on the VMs downstairs for the automation, and job, I could shut them down and test the theory that it will bring the speeds back up, but everything seems to point to this.

 

In all of the tests, I made sure QOS is off and it is, so I think I have found the limitation. I think the XR300 just doenst have the CPU to do what I need it to, which is a shame as the WiFi (which was the main reason for getting it, due to the Virgin one being crap) is excellent. Cant quite afford the XR500, so looks like Its a different brand for something a bit more grunty.


I've had to stop for tonight as the wife is wanting to watch Amazon now, so I've put it all back to normal with the Virgin Superhub being back in Router mode, and the netgear out of the mix.

 

For everyone that says 70 MBs is enough, we are paying a premium for the 200MBs service, so would like to use this.

 

Best regards

 

Jimmy

 

Message 9 of 12
Netduma-Fraser
NetDuma Partner

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

What were all those devices doing when they were connected, were they active and downloading, streaming etc or just connected with no traffic?
Message 10 of 12
manicmoddin
Tutor

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

Hi,

 

There will have been minimal traffic, JSON between eachother, but motly thats within the VM to VM traffic, the Physicals will have been mostly idle.

 

The DCs will have responded to the network outage, and back in, and the DHCP server will be restoring DHCP leases to the devices that needed it, along with any DNS queries.

 

It will be very little traffic, and nothing that should be down/uploading.

 

Best regards

 

Jimmy

Message 11 of 12
Netduma-Fraser
NetDuma Partner

Re: XR300 Slow speeds (70 Mbs AverageTops)

If in AP mode it makes no difference in speed I think you'll definitely need to get a replacement as basically none of the features that could impact it will be running. Register the router here: http://support.netgear.com/ then make a ticket. If the retailer say you need permission from Netgear that seems a bit odd to me but try it.
Message 12 of 12
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