Xfinity gigabit plan but Orbi maxes out around low 500Mbps

[PoorOldRudy]

Just ditched the new Xfinity modem (the black technicolor one that looks like some kind of award/trophy) for an Arris SB8200. Before the Arris, my Orbi was consistently getting 400-450Mbps on the Orbi app speedtest. Hooked up the new Arris modem, and now I am getting a little bit better but nothing near what I'm getting when I plug a laptop straight into the modem. Now my speeds are in the low 500Mbps on the Orbi app speedtest. But 700-800Mbps on my laptops I tested. I did factory reset the Orbi router and satellites after I got the new modem setup. My Orbi system has the 2.3.5.26 FW installed. Just to be clear, I'm talking about my speeds from the modem to the Orbi Router.

I know I'm being nit-picky and already have great speeds. But I'm curious as to why the Orbi router isn't showing anything near the 700-800Mbps I'm seeing on my laptops? I have read several posts here and on other sights where people seem to think the Orbi can't handle gigabit speeds. Is this correct? I never saw a definitive answer.

[Retired_Member]

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@PoorOldRudy wrote:

Just ditched the new Xfinity modem 

was this modem a modem/router combo????

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[PoorOldRudy]

Yes, the one I sent back to Xfinity was the Modem/Wifi Router combo.

[plemans]

I've got an Orbi and can confirm it should work. I can regularly pull 940 mbps down on it through a CM1000. 

did you try resetting after updating firmware and changing modems? Anytime you change modems, its a good idea to start fresh.

Are you using QoS?

[PoorOldRudy]

Yes I factory reset the Orbi router and satellites after I got the new Arris modem up and running. On my Orbi admin I don’t have a QoS setting. But I don’t have or see any setting like that. I’ve heard some people mention that traffic meter is similar but I do not have that enabled either.

[PoorOldRudy]

Here is a screenshot of my Speedtest history. I got the new modem setup on the 18th. And now that I look at it my speeds haven’t gone up that much. You’ll notice prior to the 18th the up and down are swapped. I’m assuming because of the recent Orbi app update. My upload speeds have been rock solid.

[plemans]

I'd start with replacing cables and trying a different device to see if that impacts it at all. 

Are you hardwiring into a satellite or the main router?

[plemans]

I've had speedtest not max out my connection. have you tried testing through speedtest.xfinity.com or speedtest.googlefiber.net?

[FURRYe38]

Seeing this with other RBR20s as well:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/ORBI-RBK20-with-Bell-1G-Fiber-in-Canada/m-p/1789915#M68596

[PoorOldRudy]

Tried different cables. From Cat6 to Cat5e. It's not the speeds to devices I am worried about it's the speeds that the Orbi router is getting from the modem. The Orbi router is obviously hardwired into the Arris modem.

[PoorOldRudy]

As fas I I know you can only test the speeds for the Orbi router itself from the Orbi app and the admin from a browser. Both using speedtest.net. 

[PoorOldRudy]

I'm not a hardware guy, but could it simply be the limitation of the Orbi hardware? As a router it can handle the gigabit speeds but when you run code on it to test bandwidth it just doesn't measure up?

[PoorOldRudy]

@FURRYe38 I've seen people recommend/suggest switching to AP Mode. Do you think this could help in my situation? Can the Arris SB8200 function as a router?

[FURRYe38]

Yes, it could be. We don't know for sure if the RBR20 series supports 1Gb WAN to LAN. Seen others with similar problems with the 20 series Orbi. Though I think the 50 series supports 1Gb WAN to LAN, i've not been able to get my RBR50 to test out much past 400Mbs for some reason. Others are reporting getting near 900Mbps, while others are not. I presume there is a FW issue also as a factor. Hardware Acceleration or Cut-Through features are needed for any home class router to see anything near 900Mbps. I have a XR450 and a couple of other non NG routers that test out to 900Mbps, So far my RBR50 and a XR700 I tested fails in this area for some reason. 

@Blanca_O 

No, the modem only a modem so changing to AP mode on the RBR won't work unless you have a different router that you can place in the middle. I did notice that putting the RBR in AP mode, this mode see's 900Mbps. Of course it should as the WAN to LAN changes to LAN to LAN and all connections are 1000Mbps and speeds are near 900Mbps when testing. 

[PoorOldRudy]

I might switch back to the Xfinity router/modem and try out the AP mode. See what kind of speeds I can get. My only gripe with the Xfinity router is I can't set DNS and even when I disabled wifi, the silly things still creates the xfinitywifi and some kind of OutofService network. And some hidden networks. So it does not entirely turn of the wifi. Which I feel could possibly muck up signal from my Orbi. But it's just an assumption. Though my signal strength has gone up after doing a wifi survey with the Xfinity router/modem out of the equation.

[FURRYe38]

Yes, CC is known for there wifi thats enabled on there routers for others to use. Something that has been gonig on for a while now. 

[PoorOldRudy]

I know I can "turn off" the xfinitywifi one, but the others I have no idea why it's broadcasting these odd hidden and OutofService networks. So I don't believe I could ever totally turn off the wifi coming from it. I might also try getting a good but cheap router to put in front of the Orbi. Thanks for helping me bounce off ideas @FURRYe38 

[FURRYe38]

Any chance of changing out the modem gateway for a modem only unit? 

[PoorOldRudy]

Well if I'm going to do that I might as well keep the Arris instead of paying Comcast $13 a month to rent a modem. That pays for the Arris in a year.

[FURRYe38]

I would do this.

I've sent NG a message about this speed issue as well as I had contacted them about this. I'll see if they respond. 

Will be up to you what you wanna do though. 

[PoorOldRudy]

Put the Orbi in AP mode and hooked the Xfinity router/modem back up to make it the router. But nothing exciting. Did a speedtest and was getting 60-70Mbps. But I'm assuming I would have to call Xfinity to have them provision(?) Or whatever they do to make the Xfinity modem my main one instead of the Arris. So if I have time before my next billing cycle I may call them to do that. At this point I'm blaming the Orbi for the most part and will just suck it up and enjoy my 400-500Mbps speeds 🙂 Or I may return the Arris and get a Netger CM1000, CM1200.

The quest for faster speeds continues!

[interestedperso]

Can anyone confirm if the Orbi RBR 50's are maxed out at 500Mbps please, i am now seeing varoius threads regarding such and i would expect them to handle the full 1Gbps. My connection is only giving me 480Mbps also and my  RBK50 set is only a few days old and i will return it if it cannot cope with the speed, perhaps a later model can ?

Thanks.

[ktd]

I just did this speed test on my laptop wired to my RBR50.

https://www.speedtest.net/result/8523201778.png

[FURRYe38]

Seen this issue where some Orbi users are not getting anything near 900Mbps. With the Arris modem and just the Orbi RBR, should be able to obtain something near 900Mbps. 

I would open a support ticket and let NG know about this:

https://www.netgear.com/mynetgear/registration/login.aspx

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@PoorOldRudy wrote:

Put the Orbi in AP mode and hooked the Xfinity router/modem back up to make it the router. But nothing exciting. Did a speedtest and was getting 60-70Mbps. But I'm assuming I would have to call Xfinity to have them provision(?) Or whatever they do to make the Xfinity modem my main one instead of the Arris. So if I have time before my next billing cycle I may call them to do that. At this point I'm blaming the Orbi for the most part and will just suck it up and enjoy my 400-500Mbps speeds 🙂 Or I may return the Arris and get a Netger CM1000, CM1200.

The quest for faster speeds continues!

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[FURRYe38]

Were seeing mixed users that some seem to get near 900Mbps and like in this thread, some that don't. 

I would open a support ticket if you feel like and let NG know about this:

https://www.netgear.com/mynetgear/registration/login.aspx

@Blanca_O 

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@interestedperso wrote:

Can anyone confirm if the Orbi RBR 50's are maxed out at 500Mbps please, i am now seeing varoius threads regarding such and i would expect them to handle the full 1Gbps. My connection is only giving me 480Mbps also and my  RBK50 set is only a few days old and i will return it if it cannot cope with the speed, perhaps a later model can ?

Thanks.

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