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Forum Discussion
KatVA
May 19, 2023Tutor
Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx
I have installed fiber into my home, 1g. Installer recommended I get a better router than the 1 they provide and recommended the NG Nighthawk as he uses it and works well. I only get fast speeds...
Kitsap
May 19, 2023Master
KatVA wrote:I have installed fiber into my home, 1g. Installer recommended I get a better router than the 1 they provide and recommended the NG Nighthawk as he uses it and works well.
I only get fast speeds when hooked up directly via ethernet, my wi-fi coverage is just about cut in half. I am lucky if I can get up to 500mbps when connected via wifi and I am about 10feet from the NG Nighthawk.
I have RAX50v2, FW v1.1.3.18_2.1.14
Wireless 2.4 settings: Channel (auto) 9, mode up to 600mbps
Wireless 5g settings: Channel 44, mode up to 4800mbps
On Advanced tab, Advanced Setup, Wireless settings I have
-2.4g
Enable Wireless Router Radio checked
Frag length 2346
CTS/RTS Threshold 2347
-5g
Enable Wireless Router Radio checked
Frag length 2346
CTS/RTS Threshold 2347
Enable implicit beamforming checked
Enable MU-MIMO not checked
Disable PMF checked
I am listing all of those settings because NG support has had me change various sections and the above is what it is currently set at.
Does anything look off to anyone? Anything I could change to get my wifi coverage up significantly? If not, then I'll be returning this router & going with a different brand. I've been fighting this situation for days now and have just about had it.
Thank you,
Kathryn
You need to educate yourself relative to Wi-Fi throughput. A good place to start is here:
https://www.duckware.com/tech/wifi-in-the-us.html
The connected device and it's hardware are normally the weak link. If you are managing 500 Mbps throughput, you are doing well.
Recommend you use the Ookla installable test application. Do not use a web address and a web browser. The application is available in the play store for Windows and for mobile devices.
- KatVAMay 20, 2023TutorI have run the Speedtest.net from my iPhone14 pro, the installers iPhone, his iPad, and his laptop-all within 5ft of the router with no visual obstacles. All are less than 500mbps-most are lucky to hit 400mbps.
I have also run the Speedtest via Ethernet cable through my appletv into my tv & that speed is close to 1g.
Nothing else is connected but those individual devices for each test as I want as clean a test as possible.
I understand about devices & distance affecting speed but more than 50% degradation with no obstacles, and nothing else using bandwidth seems a little excessive.
BTW all tests have been on the 5g settings.
Lastly, my cable router does provide speed settings well over 800mbps with multiple devices connected, however we are cutting cable & I need Wi-Fi for my job. I will use Ethernet cable through appletv for my husbands tv watching, but I cannot do that for my job.
If anyone could please advise on router settings, I’d appreciate it.
Thank you.- michaelkenwardMay 20, 2023Guru - Experienced User
KatVA wrote:
I understand about devices & distance affecting speed but more than 50% degradation with no obstacles, and nothing else using bandwidth seems a little excessive.
BTW all tests have been on the 5g settings.As Kitsap suggests, you need to understand how wifi works. It is never going to be as fast as a wired connection.
Did you follow the link that they provided?
Understand Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E/7 (802.11 n/ac/ax/be)
500Mbps is faster than most wifi clients can manage. You are doing well. Many people would kill to get anywhere near 500Mbps.
Here's a test for you. How fast can you get your wifi devices to connect anywhere else? You may find that it is faster at home than away.
Out of interest, do you have problems doing things at that speed? Or are you just reading the speed dial?
If you are having difficulties. you might like to investigate those rather than your otherwise excellent wifi speeds.
- KatVAMay 20, 2023Tutor
Yes, I went to the page & read what Kitsap gave a link to. Most of which I already knew-I may not know the current jargon or correct terminology but I understand the concepts and how each device may or may not be set up to accept the speeds & signals that are distributed.
I already knew that the direct cable connection would be faster and more reliable than wifi, unfortunately, I do not have the option to install the fiber line in my office.
Yes, I have had trouble with video conferencing in my office since switching to fiber, I did not have issues with my cable internet with video conferencing via wifi. Different routers but the fiber is faster. And before someone asks, I've been working from home going on a decade, this is the only time I have had issues with signal strength or speed, and the wifi difference is the router as the ethernet connections are fine. I cannot rely upon a speed test on my work laptop as there are security programs & a VPN to get through before anything can get to 'me'.
I love how I've read & read posts where users have been helped and not told to 'educate' themselves by posting links to long in-depth posts.
Maybe I should have changed my name to be male and then I would've gotten more respect and a response worth my time.
Enjoy your gaming, fellas. I'll figure this out on my own.
- michaelkenwardMay 20, 2023Guru - Experienced User
KatVA wrote:
I already knew that the direct cable connection would be faster and more reliable than wifi, unfortunately, I do not have the option to install the fiber line in my office.
No idea what that means. But the "fiber line" doesn't have to get to your office. It is either ethernet or wifi from the router that connects to the fibre line.
Yes, I have had trouble with video conferencing in my office since switching to fiber, I did not have issues with my cable internet with video conferencing via wifi.
I would investigate that. This is very different from unrealistic complaints about wifi speeds.
If your wifi does 500 Mbps there is no way that you should experience video problems with a wifi connection. 50 Mbps is more than enough for decent video. Any problems are most unlikely to be down to wifi speeds.
A first thought is that if you have installed a new network (the fibre service), you may want to go back and reconfigure devices on the network.
Settings that were tuned for your cable internet may not play nicely with the new connection.
For example, if you have to navigate VPNs, they may need some attention. Sadly, networks are not simple "plug and pray" systems.
Enjoy your gaming, fellas. I'll figure this out on my own.
I have never played a computer game in my life.
I love how people assume that anyone who knows anything about networking is a gaming nut.
I'd still be interested to know fo your wifi clients were a lot faster elsewhere.