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Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

RXIT
Guide

Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

 

 

I have used a Netgear nighthawk for the past couple of years and was pleased.  We started to have some issues with the old router so I thought I would upgrade to the newer Orbi system about 3 weeks ago.

 

Presently, I have two ISPs providing service.  I have Comcast, but had issues with the Orbi that I couldn't get fixed.  I thought it was Comcast.  So I had Metronet installed.  I am having the same issue with Metronet.  I spent a good deal of time troubleshooting service adn am convinced that it is not the ISP.

 

My desktop is hardwired to the Orbi router.  I have the satelitte on another floor in the house.  Sometimes the performance is fantastic.  However, it seems to cycle all over the place.  The Metronet we have is gigabit service.  When it is working well, I can get speeds of about 940 down and roughly 250 up through the wired connection.  However, it will also cycle through times where nothing will load, pages will time out and throughput stops.  Other times it hjust simply slows down to a crawl, but is still useable.

 

The wireless is pretty much the same except the download speed seems to max at about 400 or so, still plenty fast.  But it will also stop and hang and become unuseable and other times will run speed tests at around 1 down, but still crawl along.

 

When the wired performance bombs, so does the wireless.

 

Removing the Orbi from the equation completely and using a different router or no router and hardwiring to my desktop resolves the issue completely.

 

I would like to use the Orbi because it does give good signal strentgh.  But the performance is not reliable enough as I work from home.

 

I checked for a firmware update, we are running the most current as of last night.  I have an email in to technical support but have not hear back from them.

 

Any suggestions?

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 1 of 12
Randseed
Aspirant

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

I have a very similar problem. Normally I get very close to my 300 mbps download speed even with my old D-link router but I installed an Orbi yesterday and my hardwired download speed is now between 1 and 10 mbps. The speed test inside the router is reading almost 300 mbps so the problem is definitely between the router and the computer. Do the Orbis have bad Ethernet LAN ports?

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 2 of 12
tucsontico
Virtuoso

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

After a firmware update, if you're hving issues, one of the hints mentioned previously on this forum was to do an NVRAM reset and after that do a factory default reset. When those two are complete, reconfigure your ORBI as you want but do it manually. DO NOT USE any saved configuation files to reconfigure your ORBI.

 

Additionally, after the reset/reconfigure DO NOT USE the built-in Speedtest on the QOS setup page. Apparently, that test mode is causing some users to have slow-downs and other anomolies.   Having said all that, I'm not a WiFi expert by any stretch of the imagination. I'm merely trying to help out with some potential fixes. Overall, I've been pleased with the performance of the ORBI system in my environment. There are still issues in my system too but nowhere near as many as other folks continue to report. One final note, I am running the previous firmware version 2.0.0.74. Good luck! 

Message 3 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

Tucsontico.  Many thanks am trying this out and hoping for the best.  I am getting kind of frustrated as I have owned several routers and have never had one that was this much of a hassle.  My last Netgear router was great, there was an occassional need to reboot that one, but nothing like my Orbi.

 

Message 4 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

Randsee, I don't know how to tell if the LAN ports are bad, but this is certainly a high maintenance router... at least it has been to this point.  

 

Some times my wired connection is excellent, others it is slow and sometimes it is non functional.  I have even tried buying new cables, that has not helped either. 

Message 5 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

After trying the solutions suggested, things seemed better last night, but this morning it is slowing down again.  Speeds haven't stopped, but it is dragging then cycling back to being fine.  Seems more like a firmware issue than hardware, but I'm not an expert. I still have not heard back from customer support, maybe later today??

 

I'm getting ready to box this unit back up and try something else.  I have had several routers over the years.  None has been as unreliable as the Orbi.

Message 6 of 12
tucsontico
Virtuoso

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

I'm uncertain (as are a lot of folks) why the ORBI is not working to specs for some users. I've been quite lucky with decent speeds and very few issues related to dropouts/slowdowns. My environment is not very demanding but I do have a large area (about 4000sq feet) I'm trying to cover through concrete block/stucco walls.

 

I also don't do a lot of roaming back and forth between my satellite and main router while streaming video or other high bandwidth users. I do have nearly 20 devices on WiFi almost 24/7. Most are on the 2.4 gHz band but several are dual band and seem happy on the 5 gHz band--even when switching between main and satellite.

 

Another tip is to manually set your channels on both WiFi bands. I did a "sweep" of WiFI signals strength (using an outdoor wireless bridge/access point-an Engenious ENS202) around my house and found that clearest was channel 1. My nearest neighbor is about 100 yards away and any signals were very low strength but I still chose the least clutttered on both 2.4 and 5 gHz bands.

 

My settings on the ORBI are nearly default except for the WiFi channels. I do not have fast roaming selected either.

 

Here's a link to a good explanation of what channel crowding does to WiFi speeds: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/802-eleventy-what-a-deep-dive-into-why-wi-fi-...

 

I hope you can find a solution to your issues without resorting to another system. Either way: Good Luck!

Message 7 of 12

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

I had this issue too - switching the Orbi system to AP and using a cheap router seemed to do the trick.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 8 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

Josh, thanks that is something I have not tried yet, but have what I need to do so today.  How long has your system been up an running with this set up?

 

One of the more disappointing issues for me, is that Netgear has still never responded to my inquiry for support.  Of course, if I can fix it this easily, then I don't need them.

 

I appreciate the suggestion.  This will likely be my last attempt with Orbi.

Message 9 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

This seemed like a fix, then it went it down hill a little bit ago.  Frustrating as the potential is definitley there with the system 

Message 10 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

I finally got a response from support.  They had me try the following. 

 

Under advanced- setup- WAN setup- change MTU size from 1500 to 1450

 

Advanced- Advanced setup- wireless settings  uncheck enable daisy-chain topology

 

Change the 2.4 band from auto to channel 6.

 

This has worked for the past couple of hours.

 

Also, while looking at the logs under administration, I see DoS attacks IP Spoofing from source is my Orbi Satellite.  Is this a bug?  

Message 11 of 12
RXIT
Guide

Re: Orbi Speed Issue wired and wireless

Well, I finally found a solution that is stable, provides great signal coverage and better speed.

 

I bought an Asus RT-AC5300.  

 

I really tried with the Orbi, but nothing seemed to fix it.  The Asus is on day 3, no issues at all.

 

A shame, the Orbi has great potential if you can get it to work reliably. My old Nighthawk was fantastic.  I'm sure that Netgear will eventually get this platform ironed out.  I just can't keep waiting around for that day and Netgear's support was very disappointing.  Hope you never need it. 

Message 12 of 12
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