Baffled by poor wireless performance

[018125]

Hi Everyone,

I've had my RBK50 setup for just over a month now and have had nothing but problems.

I've now resorted to disconnecting the RBS50 satellite and moving the RBR50 to the centre of the house. But I'm still getting slow wireless.

My connection is 74 down 20 up and when I run the speed test app integrated into the orbi app I consistently get 74 down and 20 up. Every single time. So I know the connection between the RBR50 router and my modem is solid.

But wireless speeds are consistently around 37/20. So 37 down and 20 up. Exactly half the download speed. Almost every time.

I'm currently writing this message from the same table that the RBR50 is sitting on. I couldn't be closer to it. 37 down and 20 up.

- It doesn't seem to matter whether I'm on 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz

- I'm running the latest firmware

- I've tried disabling 20/40Mhz coexistance

- I've tried enabling implicit beamforming

- I've tried enabling MU-MIMO

- I've set wireless channels to the most optimal channels - but this is irrelevent beause there are no other wifi signals around.

- I've tried several factory resets

Why is my wireless speed almost exactly half, every damn time?

Do you think Netgear will replace it for me?

Thanks!

[st_shaw]

Something is wrong there. Orbi can support more than 500 Mbps throughput.

What app or website are you using for your speed test?

What make and model client device are you using for your speed test?

Do you have a Mac or Windows laptop with an 802.11ac WiFi adapter you can test with?

[FURRYe38]

Is WMM enabled on the router?

Test with a different wireless device...

Test both wireless and wired speeds...

[018125]

I test using the Speedtest.net app or web site and I’ve tried various different local servers.

I’ve test from my iPhone 7, my MacBook Pro and my wife’s Galaxy S8. Same results.

If I plug an Ethernet cable into my MacBook I get the full 74mb download. If I switch to wireless even while right next to the RBR50 it drops to 37ish.

WMM is enabled.

[018125]

Ok I just noticed the Orbi app is showing that my iPhone 7 has a link rate of 54 mbps and my MacBook Pro has a link rate of 36mbs.

This is on 5Ghz while I’m sitting next to the router.

I wonder why the link rate is so low?

[st_shaw]

OK.  Use the MacBook.

What year and model is the MacBook?  

On your MacBook Option-click on the WiFi icon at the top of your screen.  Tell us the reported values for Channel, RSSI, Noise, TX Rate, PHY Mode, and MCS Index.

[018125]

Thank for for your assistance.

It’s the latest MacBook Pro bought a couple of months ago.

Channel: 36 (5Ghz, 20Mhz)
RSSI: -19 dBm
Noise: -99dBm
TX Rate: 54Mbps
PHY Mode: 802.11a

[st_shaw]

The link rate is your problem.  I have a MacBookPro from 2011 and I show a link rate of 300 Mbps, which is as fast as the old MBP will go.

Your RSSI looks abnormally high.  Mine is -47 and I'm 10 feet from the Orbi with nothing in between.  You could be too close.  Try moving 10 feet away and see if the link rate improves.

Also, your channel report looks off.  You should have at least a 40 MHz channel width, not 20.  Lower channel width will give lower speeds.

Either something is misconfgured or broken in your Orbi, or you have another wireless device causing interference and forcing Orbi to operate at a low link rate and 20 MHz channel width.

When you did a factory reset, did you reset using a paperclip and did you hold it in until the power LED flashed Amber?

Do you have any other WiFi routers, wireless speakers, Sonos, wireless video links, etc. in the home?

[018125]

I just moved to my bedroom and the RSSI dropped to -69dBm and the TX rate then dropped even further to 36mbps.

I do have Sonos speakers but I've already tested turning them off.

The only other thing I have running are Nest Thermostats and Smoke alarms. Would be a pain to turn them all off - do you really think that could be the problem? Even if it is, what would the solution be?

I held the paper clip in the RBR50 until the power light flashed amber.

Thanks a lot for your interest in this issue.

[st_shaw]

Sonos uses 2.4 GHz if you have any Sonos device wired to Ethernet.  Sonos and your WiFi must be manually configured to use non-overlapping channels.  Sonos also uses 5 GHz for surround sound speakers.  I don't think that would explain what you are seeing though.

The thermostat should just be a WiFi client and should not affect things.  I have no idea about your smoke alarms.

Do you have an old WiFi router you can try, to see if it has the same problem?  What did you have for WiFi prior to Orbi?  Did it work properly?

The only other thing to try is to download a WIFi scanner and see what other access points are in the area and what channels they use. Do you have neighbors close by?

[018125]

My previous £30 tp-link router delivered excellent performance but the range wasn’t good enough. That’s why I invested in the Orbi.

I looked through the Orbi app and every single device in my home is connecting at 54mpbs or lower link rate. This is after a factory reset, so default settings.

I have no neighbours.

Sadly I’ve missed the cutoff point for returning this item. Do you think I should call Netgear and ask for a replacement? I’m not too jazzed about getting a refurb.

[st_shaw]

Something isn't right.  Yes, it sounds like you should ask for a replacement.  Preferably, you would first verify it's the Orbi by starting up your old router and verifying the old router still works properly.

[018125]

Well I don't know what's going on, but I was having some work done on the house today and the power was out for around 90 minutes.

After everything came back online I'm now getting full wireless speeds. I'm seeing 80Mhz channel width on the 5Ghz band and my TX rate is currently 585Mbps, whereas before everything would max at 54mbps TX rate.

Puzzling.

[st_shaw]

Good!  Sounds like it is working properly now then.