Hi all, first time poster, long time lurker. I'm experiencing a massive gap between my wired and wireless internet speeds. I don't expect to reach my ISP's max speed (thanks Spectrum) nor do I expect my wired to match wireless but the gap here is so extreme that I can't use some wireless devices
Background Info:
ISP - Spectrum 1000 Mps down / 100 Mps up
Modem - Spectrum provided, PC20
Router - Nighthawk R7400
Router firmware 1.2.0.92 (current).
Smart Connect - Disabled, issue persists when enabled.
DNS - pihole on LAN, issue persists with ISP defaults and 1.1.1.1
DCHP - handled by pihole, persists when disabled and using router as DCHP
QoS, metered connections, traffic control all disabled, issue persists with various configurations
WMM enabled, issue persists with off
Every setting I can find is maxed out or on Auto.
Channels all Auto, I've swapped around to reduce interference with neighbors but 1, 6, and 11 all have at least 5 devices broadcasting (apartment complex). 5Ghz is more available but most of my network is old and stuck on 2.4.
Work VPN disabled, will only be using wired so out of scope at this time
Diagram (top down)
Spectrum / World Wide Web (tm)
Coax in
Modem PC20
Router Nighthawk R7400
LAN to pihole, laptop, network printer - 3 devices
WiFi 2.4 and 5.0 Smart Connect to personal devices and smart home stuff (most stuck on 2.4) - 18 - 22 devices depending on who's home.
Guest Network 2.4 and 5.0 enabled, no smart connect available. - 2-4 devices (phone and laptop for up to two guests, typically 2 devices)
SpeedTest Results
Ethernet from LAN laptop - aprox 800 mps down 40 Mps up. Seems reasonable for my ISP and area
WiFi from same laptop on 2.4 GHz non-guest network - 30 - 60 MPS down, 3 - 6 MPS up
Wifi from different laptop on same 2.4 network in same room as router - 60 Mps down
WiFi from PS4 (old model), 1 room away - 30 - 40 Mps down, 1 Mps up
WiFi from iPhone 11 on non-guest - 30 - 40 Mps
WiFi from iPhone 11 on guest 2.4 - 1 Mbps down, 600 Kbps up
WiFi from iPhone 11 on guest 5.0 - 6 Mps down, 1 (ish) Kbps up
Steps attempted:
Power cycle, issue persists
Went through every setting I can find in the GUI, googling everything I don't know and generally fiddling around, issue persists
Factory reset my router to remove my pihole and restored everything to ISP and factory default, issue persists
Some forum notes that there are firmware issues with the R7400, I rolled back the firmware to .62 (issue persists) restored to current using router GUI, now on current firmware. If there's a stable firmware I should be using pls let me know
I thought the issue might be solved using QoS by device and demote my smart home stuff to Low priority but that service had a collision with my pihole / MAC address visibility so that's disabled again. This seems consistently recommended online anyway
Every obvious thing in the settings tabs seems prepped to max my WiFi speed but I can't bridge the 60 Mps gap even with a device less than 5 ft away from the router.
2.4ghz is a slow network. My old networks in area's with 2.4ghz congestion, would only hit around 30-40mbps sustained. I might hit the occasional faster peak speed but not sustained. Thats the problem with 2.4ghz is that its slow, sensitive to interference, and there's limited channels in which to choose from. Its speeds are even worse in apartments/condo's because of how close everyone lives. It also broadcasts through more materials than 5ghz which is again, worse for apartments as more networks interfere.
I'd disable smart connect and every device you have that has 5ghz, should be on it.
I have managed to hit faster 2.4ghz speeds but thats over an AX network in an area without congestion. But I still only hit maybe 100mbps. Using an RAX200 and RAXE500 and a intel AX210 wireless card. Again, in an area with much less congestion than an apartment.
so hitting 30-60mbps in an apartment for 2.4ghz is actually a reasonable speed. (but sucks because their numbers say "up to 300mbps!!!")
Disable smart connect and set separate SSID’s for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Smart connect interacts not only with your devices but those of your neighbors. Historically I have found that enabling 20/40 coexistence to do more harm than good. Depends on the inventory and age of iOT devices you are working with. The same for auto channel selection. It interacts with all the devices, yours, and your neighbors. Your router is working hard to keep up with smart connect and auto channel selection. Turn them off to let the router focus on data throughput.
If Spectrum in your area supports IPv6, enable it in your router.
If you live in a crowded environment, leave the 20/40mhz coexistence enabled.
Reason why is if you disable it, your 2.4ghz width goes to the 40hz wide. Which will potentially give you faster speeds.
Problem with it is in a crowded environment, is it overlaps even more channels than the 20hz wide does. Meaning it causes interference for more people as well as it has to scan those channels to broadcast and so it can also increase you ping considerable as it has to wait as theres more channels that might be broadcast on. So it might speed you up a little, but it causes more issues for others and can increase your latency.
If you lived in an area without much for 2.4ghz signals, I'd definitely say disable it. But in a crowded environment, its being the neighbor who always has their stereo cranked and is bothering others.
