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Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx

KatVA
Tutor

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 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

 

 

Message 1 of 10
Kitsap
Master

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx


@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.

Message 2 of 10
KatVA
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx

I 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.


Message 3 of 10

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx


@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.

 

 

Message 4 of 10
KatVA
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx

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.

 

 

Message 5 of 10

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx


@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.

 

Message 6 of 10
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx

Most 2x2 MIMO devices top out at anywhere from 300-600Mbps. 4x4 MIMO devices can see higher speeds on 5Ghz AC or AX. Your doing fine for what you have. You might enable MIMO feature on the router.

 

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.

 

Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and 40 to 48 or 149-161 channel on 5Ghz. Channel 9 is not recommended.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

 

Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s). Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings or maybe under Basic tab/Wireless settings.

 

Where is the router in relation to the office, same room or different? 
Size of home? 

 

 


@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

 

 


 

Message 7 of 10
KatVA
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx

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.

-When they installed the fiber line & drilled holes through my brick.  I have always had wifi to my office, never ethernet.

 

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 fiber 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.

-It appears that the video conferencing issue that occurred during my testing was an anomaly as it hasn't happened since.  It seemed odd to me that it happened within a day of installing and not before.

 

Sorry, if I offended you in regards to my gaming comment.  However, I was not appreciative of the fact that it was assumed that I did not know what I was doing.

 

Message 8 of 10

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx


@KatVA wrote:

Sorry, if I offended you in regards to my gaming comment.  However, I was not appreciative of the fact that it was assumed that I did not know what I was doing.

 


Given what happened, and your assessment of events, I think we can be forgiven for making that assumption.

 

 

Message 9 of 10
KatVA
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk RAX50v2 - WiFi half speed of ethernet conx

Thank you, @FURRYe38, for your response.

 

Most 2x2 MIMO devices top out at anywhere from 300-600Mbps. 4x4 MIMO devices can see higher speeds on 5Ghz AC or AX. Your doing fine for what you have. You might enable MIMO feature on the router.

-What would enabling MIMO do?  None of our devices are 4x4 MIMO.  We do not have a ton of connections, the most we would have is 2 Apple TVs (one is connected via ethernet so hubby's tv watching will not buffer or slow), 1 Mac, 1 HP & 2 iPhones-so 5 devices max.  Separate question, do you think adding a USB wireless adapter would benefit my work laptop in regards to speed & dependability on wifi?  My office is upstairs diagonally away from where the router is.  I have considered switching to a mesh setup or adding in an extender for upstairs signal strength as well.

 

FW v1.1.3.18_2.1.14

 

I do not know what brand ONT box I have, it is attached to the wall. I can email the installer dude & find out if you believe it is critical to troubleshooting.

 

Using cat6 cable.

 

I downloaded NetSpot & learned my next-door neighbor & I were on the same 5g channel, so I changed mine.

 

Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only.

-Would you mind explaining choosing 40mhz only?

 

Where is the router in relation to the office, same room or different? Size of home? 

-house is 1400sf  2 story 1950s brick home with fiberboard instead of sheetrock.

Router is downstairs on the front left corner of the house, office is upstairs on the rear right corner of the house.  I've attached a pic of a house very similar to mine except mine is brick. (basically as far away as I could've possibly gotten...lol).

 

I'm leaning towards replacing my router & using a mesh system, but I do not know much about mesh systems and if it would be more beneficial than using my current router and adding an extender.  My top concern is making sure my work laptop is connected at the strongest & fastest signal it can be, the rest is bonus.

 

Appreciate you 🙂

 

Kathryn

 

 

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