WiFi 6E speed slow

[ArunGupta]

I have the RBKE 960 main router connected directly to Verizon Gigabit ethernet cable. At the Verizon cable, I am getting 900/900 download/upload speed. However, connected to WiFi 6E, I barely exceed 400-500 Mbps download even when I am like 4 feet away from the router in open air, nothing else connected, either to WiFi or wired.

Recently, I had gone to my son's place. He also has Verizon Gigabit connection and uses Verizon supplied 6E router. I connected to his 6E network and easily got 850 Mbps download speed even when his router is in the closet and I was 10 feet away.

In both cases, I am measuring the WiFi 6E speed using my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra phone using Ookla speedtest app. 

Why am I getting such poor download speed with Netgear which is the most expensive 6E mesh system today?

[plemans]

What speeds do you get with a pc/laptop hardwired into the orbi? 

Verizon is great at supplying modem/router combo gateways. they can cause a double nat. 

A double nat happens when you cascade more than 1 router. Potentially your son might have it setup in the correct configuration. 
https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
Fixes? There’s 3 options but only use 1.
1. Put the modem/gateway in modem only/pass through mode. This disables its routing functions.
2. Leave the modem/gateway in router mode but put the Netgears IP address into its DMZ. This forwards the data to the netgear. You can either leave the modem/gateway’s wireless enabled or disabled. Just make sure its using a different wifi channel to prevent interference
3. Put the Netgear into access point mode. This disables its routing functions. Wifi/ethernet still works but it does disable some features.
https://kb.netgear.com/26765/Which-features-are-disabled-on-my-NETGEAR-router-when-it-is-set-to-AP-M...

[ArunGupta]

a) The hardwired speed at Orbi Ethernet port is 900/900 so it is the WiFi which has poor performance

b) Verizon does not have a separate modem. They have given me a Ethernet cable right from their ONT, so there is no question of double NAT.

[plemans]

What ONT is it?

[ArunGupta]

I don't know. But how would ONT brand influence WiFi speed?

[plemans]

Because some do have routing functions built in. 

Do you have the orbi set to have a separate 6ghz network? (its possible in the wifi settings)

[ArunGupta]

The ONT is inside Verizon box which can be opened only by Verizon techs. I very much doubt it has any routing built-in. The Orbi is getting the public IP. Even then, when hardwired network speed is 900/900 even at Orbi ethernet port, the WiFi 6E seems to be a problem here.

I do not have a separate 6E network. In one of the previous discussions I had on this forum, I was asked to turn it off.

[plemans]

If you have it turned off, how are you certain its connecting to 6ghz? 

Have you tried changing the 6ghz channel? 

Are you using parental controls, armor, etc? 

[ArunGupta]

The phone has an indicator which shows 6E against the WiFi signal strength indicator and that is how I know.

I have tried turning on the 6E channel and results are the same.

I am not using parental controls. Netgear Armor shows it is in use but I have not configured anything to use it. Not sure if I can disable it. I do not need it.

[plemans]

Did you try testing different 6ghz channels on the orbi? 

Or testing a different 6ghz capable device? 

[ArunGupta]

I did not change the channel. There are practically no 6E devices in the neighboring houses. But I will try.

I have a S22 Ultra phone and Lenovo laptop, both 6E capable. Similar results on both. So, it is not device issue. My son got his laptop here in November. Asus laptop with 6E. I was bragging that now I have a 6E capable router and he should get excellent speed. He tested and got poor speed with Netgear, barely touching 400 Mbps. It was at that time he commented that he gets 850+ Mbps download in his apartment. I did not get a chance to visit him till Christmas. That was when I tested with my phone and I also got 850 Mbps download. 

It is not a router specific issue. This is the second Orbi 960 mesh system that I am testing with. Both are showing extremely poor 6E download speed. With the first system, i was using a hardware firewall so I assumed that it might be slowing down the system. Then I totally removed everything between router and Verizon ethernet cable. Wired performance is excellent, but WiFi is poor. It is almost 300-400 Mbps slower than wired.

I opened couple of tickets with Netgear support, but they just replied that I would have to call. I do not have time to call. I know their technical expertise. Unfortunately, I am out of return window on this router, otherwise I would have sent it back and got Verizon's 6E router. 

[plemans]

You can always try a simple factory reset and reinstall. 

[ArunGupta]

Actually that is what I did. After I returned the Orbi 960 purchased from Amazon, I got the second one directly from Netgear. Then I removed the HW firewall and connected the router directly to the internet cable. After that, I updated the firmware on satellites and then on main router and did a factory reset of all three devices. Then I reconfigured the Orbi devices and network from scratch. So, I have spent quite a bit of time with this system and it just does not perform.