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Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

AdeptMaven
Guide

RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

I recently switched from Xfinity's gigabit plan (1.2Gbs down/35Mbs up) to Google Fiber's bring your own router 1gig plan (~1Gbs down and up). For most of my time on Xfinity i had link agg setup so that I could take advantage of the full 1.2Gbs down. For the last two days that i had the service I disabled link agg so that the connection was just ~1Gbs. I did this to see if my wifi connections would drop a bit going from 1.2Gbs to 1gig. Surprisingly they stayed within 10-20Mbs of each other. While on Xfinity I could regularly get 700Mbs plus on all of my wifi 6 devices (Dell xps with AX200, Galaxy S21, iphone SE 2020, and 4th Gen ipad Air) but now that I've switched to GF the wifi speed has dropped considerably. On these same devices I'm struggling to hit 500Mbs down (the upload routinely hits 800Mbs). I have a Desktop and laptop hardwired and can get ~900 down and up on both devices as expected. I made sure to keep all the settings the same after I reset the router to switch ISP. up 4803Mbs 160MHz mode enable. AX mode enabled. OFDMA enabled. WPA3 enabled. And i made sure my network is the only network on my specified channel (48). I'm really at a loss as to the degradation. The only change is going from cable to fiber but the download bandwidth going to the router is the same. Any hints or advice is much appreciated. 

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 1 of 11
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

Did you make sure QOS is not enabled? 

Message 2 of 11
AdeptMaven
Guide

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

Hi Darren, 

Yes QoS is disabled. 
I'm on the latest Firmware. V1.2.3.28 

Message 3 of 11
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

Does the google fiber modem have a built in router? If so can you set it to modem only mode?

Message 4 of 11
AdeptMaven
Guide

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

It's Fiber. There is no modem. There's a fiberjack with an ethernet port. My RAX120 is plugged directly into that port. My first thought was that heavy usuage during peek hours may be causing speed to suffer but using the speedtest on the Nighthawk app the router is consistently getting 920-940Mbs down and up. It's only the speed over wifi that seems to be sufferring. The speeds aren't totally terrible it's just frustrating because the speeds aren't as fast as I know they could and should be. The only thing I've changed is ISPs but the speed coming to the router would suggest that that is irrelevant. 

Message 5 of 11
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

you could try a factory reset on the router maybe something is not right with the config since changing ISP connections.

 

DarrenM

Message 6 of 11
AdeptMaven
Guide

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

I had to factory reset the router to switch to a new ISP, however I can try it again. 

Message 7 of 11
AdeptMaven
Guide

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

As an update, I've factory reset the router a couple of times since this post and unfortunately no luck. I'm convinced that it has something to do with the way that the RAX handles traffic from a fiber ISP. I found this post from someone who has Verizon Fios two years ago and they're experiencing the exact same thing. https://forums.verizon.com/t5/fios-internet/slow-wifi-only-on-verizon-gigabit-fios-with-netgear-rax1...

Message 8 of 11
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

So are you getting near 900Mpbs speeds with a wired PC thru the RAX router? 

 

What wifi devices are you speed testing with? 

What connection rates are you seeing with the wifi devices connected to the router? 

What wifi configuration settings are you using on the router for both Basic and Advanced WiFi settings? 


@AdeptMaven wrote:

As an update, I've factory reset the router a couple of times since this post and unfortunately no luck. I'm convinced that it has something to do with the way that the RAX handles traffic from a fiber ISP. I found this post from someone who has Verizon Fios two years ago and they're experiencing the exact same thing. https://forums.verizon.com/t5/fios-internet/slow-wifi-only-on-verizon-gigabit-fios-with-netgear-rax1...


 

Message 9 of 11
AdeptMaven
Guide

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

1. Yes I am getting 900+ through wired connections on my desktop and laptop computer. 

2. I have a galaxy s21, an iphone se (2020), a dell xps 15 laptop with an intel ax200 wifi card, and two ipad air (4th generation). 

3. Over wifi I can occasionally get mid 400s but they're routinely in the 200s. I know all wifi cards and devices are not created equal however to my knowledge they are all 2x2 wifi6 devices. whats weird is that even though the download speeds are relatively low, my upload speeds across all devices are in the 600s. 

4. For basic config I have: 

AX mode enabled 
OFDMA enabled on 2.4ghz and 5ghz. 
Current channel is 108 
Channel Mode: up to 4803 Mbps, 160mhz (11ax,HT-160,1024 QAM) 
WPA2/WPA3 

In advanced: 

CTS/RTS: 2347
Transmit Power: 100% 
Enable MU-MIMO is checked. 
IPV6 is enabled

Message 10 of 11
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RAX120 with Google Fiber slow download

Is Armor, SPC, Smart Connect or Traffic meter enabled on the Router? 

What happens with IPv6 disabled? 

 

Try disabling 2.4Ghz radio then set 5Ghz to channels 40, then 149 then test with a wifi device connected around 6 feet away from the router on each of these channels.

 

What is the connection rate you see on the mobile device while near the router. Use WifiSweet spots app to see the rate. 

 

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last update? 

 

FYI, Though you should be around 500-700Mpbs at least. Not all devices may see that. Some 2x2 MIMO based devices are limited by this and still top out at around 700Mpbs on 80Mhz. 160Mhz should see near 900mpbs or over however again depend on the mobile devices support and design. Most 4x4 MIMO devices would not have a problem. 

Message 11 of 11
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