LBR20 radically different speed test results between Orbi app and speed test
Hi there -
LBR20 Orbi firmware 2.6.5.32
Orbi app version 2.19.1.3 iPhone
VPN OFF
No Orbi Satellites
Tests run within 6' of the Orbi
Carrier Verizon
Last night the Orbi app measured our download speed as 27 Mbps. This was confirmed with two phones at 2 a.m. The Ookla Speed Test app running on the same phones measured 0.57 Mbps. Jitter was low. Ping time was comparable across both apps. We alternated the tests and compared the numbers several times so the difference isn't attributable to the cell.
I've seen several other netgear community posts mentioning wide differences between the orbi app and the speed test app, but this is off almost 500 times!!! I know the Ookla app finds a nearby server, which is a data point that doesn't show in the Orbi app, but I don't believe a 4700% degradation of service can be attributable to the server being used by the Speed test app. So what gives?
All our computers behave like 0.57 Mbps is closer to the truth. We know our cell is overloaded and we see a lot of latency during work hours (hence comparing at 2 a.m.). But I'm wondering if there are other Orbi settings that might improve performance outside the Orbi app.
I've seen several other netgear community posts mentioning wide differences between the orbi app and the speed test app, but this is off almost 500 times!!!
There is also some confusion about these tests.
Even when the app is on a wifi link to the router, it is testing the speed of the router's wired connection through the ISP. (It is a router-to-test site link, with no wifi in the middle.) This is going to be nothing like a wifi test, which is always limited by the wifi clients involved.
The Ookla app tests over the wifi.
But 500 times is freaky. I see a few percent, but I have DSL Internet.
Re: LBR20 radically different speed test results between Orbi app and speed test
Thanks for the reply, Michael, but note the LBR20 is a cellular router so there is NO wired connection to any ISP. Both apps are wi-fi to the Orbi and cellular to the tower. After that the packets go where ever they are routed by the app, which I can't see.
My question stands. Same phone, same Orbi. Last night late the Orbi app gave me 42 to 46 Mbps down, but the Ookla Speed test said 0.64 Mbps. I've been checking late every night and this is a consistent behavior.
It would seem that either the Orbi app's wi-fi (from phone to Orbi) is massively superior to the iPhones basic wi-fi as accessed by Ookla speed test (which I don't believe), the Orbi app is calculating the speed incorrectly (possible, but seems unlikely) or there is something in the Orbi app on the phone that is optimized for the cellular connection, perhaps packet size??
If any one has suggestions for Orbi settings to test, I'm all ears (and grateful!)
...note the LBR20 is a cellular router so there is NO wired connection to any ISP.
There is physical connection to the ISP, from the nearest mast and then on to the network.
The on-board test still carries out the test between the router and the ISP. That is does this by wireless is not relevant.
The Orbi app is carrying out tests that do not depend on your wifi connection from the test device to the router. The device is simply telling the router "go and run a test".
If you use an app on your mobile device, then it is measuring the speed of the wifi connection.
It would seem that either the Orbi app's wi-fi (from phone to Orbi) is massively superior to the iPhones basic wi-fi
As explained above, the Orbi app's wi-fi is just sending instructions (go do this test) and receiving responses (this is the result). It is not measuring the speed of the wireless connection.
Re: LBR20 radically different speed test results between Orbi app and speed test
The relevant issue appears to be what is causing the iPhone to Orbi link to be so pathetic (which is what causes the Ookla Speed Test run on the iPhone to report such a poor value).
This is highly unusual. Most of the time, we are used to seeing connections on the LAN being higher than connections to the ISP, except for those with gigabit ISP plans.
Are there any other devices that can be used to test the Orbi to device speeds? My favorite is a program called iPerf3 which has versions for Android, Apple, Linux, Wiindows... https://iperf.fr/iperf-download.php
The program is run on two devices and measures the data bandwidth between them.
The relevant issue appears to be what is causing the iPhone to Orbi link to be so pathetic (which is what causes the Ookla Speed Test run on the iPhone to report such a poor value).
Yes. That's the real issue.
The speeds measured on the Orbi app are a red herring.
However, they are an indication of what the iPhone could get near. But even then it isn't going to as fast as the Orbi measurement which is not related to the device-to-router wifi speed.
