Model: Orbi™ 960 Series Quad-Band WiFi 6E (One router + One Satelite)
Internet speed tested up to 900 Mbps when connected to the router downstairs (1000/50 ISP plan), but only got less 100mbps when connected to the satellite upstairs. Even I got 1.2Gbps connection speed as shown in the Wifi settings on my Fold4, but I still got less than 100 Mbps when tested the internet speed. Also tested on my PS5 (connected using 5Ghz) and NS (connected using 2.4 GHz) which are right next to the satellite, but they both got about 90 Mbps connection speed when connected to the satellite.
Have set up the router (garage - ground level) and satellite at living room upper level (~15.6m/51ft apart from each other) with the following config changed from default:
Transmit Power Control of 2.4Ghz: 50% (to allow more devices connected to the Satelite on 5Ghz)
Setup: ISP Modem -> Orbi Router (10Gbps port) -> Gygabyte Swtich (2.5 Gbps port) -> 4 ports via Cat6 cables to other rooms (including the one I use for the wired backhaul on the satellite).
Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence: OFF
Router: Wired backhaul connected.
6Ghz ONLY network: OFF
2.4GHz channel: 04
5GHz channel: 44
6GHz channel:85
Both router and satellite running on the same and latest firmware:V6.3.7.10
I am located in Australia so don't have much flexibility to modify the Wifi settings. Did play around with the above settings a bit, but no matter what I could not get over 100Mpbs speed over the satelite while I could get full speed while connecting to the router. I was thinking of maybe changing the system to AP mode (do not really need all the router functions) to see if it helps....
Note: The wired backhaul connection is via ethernet able built in the wall (Cat6), so the speed should not be limited by the cabling. Also, I can see around 4 networks from my neiboughers.
Dont really want to end up with 1/10 of the internet speed I am paying for, especially with this pricey setup! so any help is appreciated!
Done one more testing: disconnected the ethernet, to test the internet speed of the port -> got 100mbps. So it could be that the port was limiting the speed to 100 Mbps, I then tested the speed without the wired backhaul (unsurprisingly the backhaul is "poor" on wireless), but I got more than 300Mpbs from the satellite. So I narrowed down the issue to the switch. Then I tested the port on the switch - > also got about 100mbps, so it could be something wrong with the connection between the switch and the router. But I am not sure why, because I connected both using Cat6 via Orbi's 2.5Gbps port which is supposedly to give the fastest connection speed.
This is the mode of the switch I use:
Netgear GS105 5 Port Gigabit switch
Internet speed via 1Gpbs port on the router-> ~162mbps
Internet speed via 5 port Switch via 2.5 Gbps port on the router ->165 mbps
Is there anything I have done wrong in the settings that could limit the ethernet speed?
PS: I used Type C to ethernet adaptor + Cat7 cable to test the speed on my laptop using Speedtest webpage. Not sure if this could be reliable....
When reported speed is "just slightly under 100Mbps" (not even 1Mbps over 100), the issue is almost always one of the devices having auto-negotiated an Ethernet speed of 100Mbps/full duplex. (Because of overhead, the actual measured speed cannot reach 100.)
This feature is built into the physical Ethernet hardware and cannot be controlled by the user.
In actual practice, the issue is almost always related to "the cable." Either:
There is a physical defect in the cable, such as a kink or a section that was pulled too tight around a corner during installation, or
One of the RJ45 plugs or RJ45 jacks is not crimped correctly.
100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) requires only two pairs of wires to be perfect. 1000Mbps (gigabit) requires all four pairs to be perfect.
Using the GS105 gigabit switch will causes both the router and satellite to negotiate a speed of 1 gigabit because that is the highest speed the switch supports.
It is unfortunate that Netgear does not provide information about what speed the satellite has negotiated. On the router, the web interface, Advanced Tab home page, click on the blue box "Show Statistics" and it will display the speed that each router port has negotiated. In this case, I would expect to see the router report 1000/Full on the port going to the switch.
A useful experiment would be to (temporarily) locate the satellite next to the router and connect their 2.5GB ports with an Ethernet patch cable. I would expect the router to report "2.5G/Full" for the speed and would expect a computer connected to the satellite to report close to 900Mbps.
If the satellite is relocated to the upstairs and reconnected (no GS105 switch), the results should be the same. If the router reports the connection rate has dropped, there is an issue with:
The patch cable going to the wall jack (2 RJ45 plugs)
The internal wiring (with 2 RJ45 jacks)
The patch cable going to the satellite (2 RJ45 plugs)
