Orbi RBR20 Firware: V2.5.1.16 Wifi speed slower than received

[jcotillo]

Hello community,

I have an Orbi RBR20 and two satellites: RBS20 -> Firmare: 2.5.1.16 and RBW30 -> Firmware 2.5.0.4

Have a 600MB cable internet plan. When I test the speed from the modem to the router RBR20, the speed is 600MB and sometimes a little bit more, but if I connect to the wifi of the same router, the speed doesn't get more than 350MB, other satellites get to 250MB tops.

Do I need to upgrade my Orbi router and satellites to a newer version? I tried the recommended settings: Enable Daisy-Chain, Enable Implicit BEAMFORMING and Enable MU-MIMO but speed is still the same.

Would appreciate any assistance.

[Mstrbig]

Check your WIFI channels, take off automatic and pick a non congested channel. I find channel 1 for 2.4Ghz works good most of the time. You can try 5Ghz on 48. You can use a program like NetSpot to see neighbor's WIFI is around you and what channel they are using. WIFI speeds may never be as good as wired speeds, taking a few variables into consideration. 

[jcotillo]

I use static channels, 48 for 5Ghz and 8 for 2.4Ghz.

Yes, I get that wifi won't be as good as wired connections but getting half of the speed and connected to the router directly over wifi (and next to the router) seems unacceptable to me, I'd expect 500MB or 400+MB but barely getting 350MB doesn't seem correct.

[CrimpOn]

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@jcotillo wrote:

Have a 600MB cable internet plan. When I test the speed from the modem to the router RBR20, the speed is 600MB and sometimes a little bit more, but if I connect to the wifi of the same router, the speed doesn't get more than 350MB, other satellites get to 250MB tops.

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Although the RBR20 claims a link rate of 866mbs on the 5G band, that does not mean that a WiFi device will actually achieve that much.

This article from 2015 goes into some depth describing "what is likely" with different WiFi connections:

 https://www.speedguide.net/faq/what-is-the-actual-real-life-speed-of-wireless-374 

Notice the statement: "In addition, net IP layer throughput of WiFi is typically 60% of the air link rate due to WiFi being half-duplex with ACKs, and being CSMA/CA. The number of simultaneous connections, and even the type of wireless security can affect and slow down some older routers with inadequate processors/memory."

What is the reported "link rate"?  (The Orbi "app" reports the link rate for each device.)

What is 60% of that?

[jcotillo]

Nope, link rate says 866 Mbps, at least that's what is says related to the laptop I am testing the speed with.

[Mstrbig]

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@jcotillo wrote:

I use static channels, 48 for 5Ghz and 8 for 2.4Ghz.

Yes, I get that wifi won't be as good as wired connections but getting half of the speed and connected to the router directly over wifi (and next to the router) seems unacceptable to me, I'd expect 500MB or 400+MB but barely getting 350MB doesn't seem correct.

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Link rate displayed is usually different than your actual speed through a speed test. And different speed tests will give different results. 

My Samsung Galaxy S10+ gets an average of 425Mbps on my 500Mbps plan, standing 10 feet from a Satellite. My Son's new Iphone gets 240Mbps standing in the same place. My point is different WIFI devices will get different speeds.