Low wireless speeds from Deco M4

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Low wireless speeds from Deco M4

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Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-18 10:30:05
Model: Deco M4  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 1.5.8 Build 20230619 rel. 48522

My ISP recently upgraded me to 1Gb cable broadband. However, I struggle to get above 250 Mbps whether I'm at my PC, connected to a satellite Deco two rooms away or sat in front of the base Deco on my phone. 

 

I'm using my ISP's router in modem mode with a pair of Deco M4Rs.

 

The base Deco is hardwired to the ISP's router through a 2.5 Gbps port with Cat 6 cable.

My PC is connected to the satellite M4 with Cat 6 cable through the motherboard's 2.5 Gbps port.

 

ISP modem is in modem mode.
Deco is in router mode.
QOS is set to 1000/1000 with no high-priority devices listed.

 

I am getting a consistent average of around 950 Mbps when I do a speed test when connected to the ISP's router via Cat 6 ethernet.
I am getting a consistent average of around 900 Mbps when I do a speed test when connected to the base Deco via Cat 6 ethernet.

 

I went from a 350 Mbps package to 1 Gbps, though I believe that this low-speed problem has been an issue since before the 1Gb upgrade. It's only now that I am on significantly faster speeds that I've realised there is a problem. This behaviour is consistent when using multiple PCs, ISP modems, cables, swapping the M4 units around etc. I feel I should be getting much more than 250 - 300 Mbps across wireless if the base unit is getting 900 Mbps.

 

Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

Model: Deco M4R Version 2.0
Deco App version: 3.6.50
Deco firmware version: 1.5.8 Build 20230619 rel. 48522

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#1
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Re:Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-19 06:07:49

  @CampFreddy 

Hi, Have you checked the wireless link speed when the PC or mobile phone is wirelessly connected to the base/main Deco M4?

https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/2265/

 

For Deco M4, its wireless specification is 
5 GHz: 867 Mbps (802.11ac)
2.4 GHz: 300 Mbps (802.11n)

If the link speed is about 867m/s, the expected internet download over 5Ghz of the base/main Deco M4 could be 350-500m/s. 

If the satellite M4 is wireless connected to the main M4, Its wireless speed could decline a little bit, about 200-250m/s.

Why is my satellite Deco unit not getting the same speed as the main Deco?

 

Thank you very much and best regards.

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#2
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Re:Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-19 11:49:46

  @David-TP 

 

Yes, I checked the wireless speeds on my phone connected to the base Deco at 5 GHz from 2 meters away in the same room and was seeing similar results - perhaps a slightly higher average of around 290 Mb/s or so.

 

Are you saying that the best that I can reasonably expect given my setup is roughly 350 Mb/s?

 

I'm not expecting to get full speed via wireless, I know there are overheads and environmental influences but a drop off of 67% feels off.

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Re:Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-19 12:47:37 - last edited 2024-02-19 12:48:24

  @CampFreddy 

 

If you want to find what your Deco M4 is capable of, in your environment, you will need to run speed tests with the following setup:

 

1. Switch ISP router to router/gateway mode;

2. Switch Deco mesh to Access Point mode: Switching a Deco to Access Point (AP) Mode

3. Power off Satellite Deco(s), leaving just Main Deco running;

4. Switch Deco Main Network to run on 5GHz only:

5. Verify that link speed on smartphone connected to Main Deco is 866Mbps down and 866Mbps up. If less, move smartphone closer to Main Deco. https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/2265/

6. Try different speed test utilities, Ookla among them is recommended.

 

 

What you'll get in that setup should be the maximum of what Main Deco M4 is capable. 

 

You can undo all these changes after you ran your speed tests.

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Re:Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-19 19:50:18

  @Alexandre. 

 

I did as you advised and am still not getting more than 300Mb/s (multiple tests, so that's a rough average, but the numbers were around that and not massively higher or lower), even with the phone physically sitting on top of the base M4.

 

That was a quick set of tests as I cannot spend a lot of time on it tonight, but I will try again tomorrow evening.

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#5
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Re:Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-24 14:16:50

  @Alexandre. 

 

Apologies for the delay. I did what you suggested.

 

Router (Virgin Media SH5): router mode.

Deco Base Unit: Access point.

No other Decos powered on.

5 Ghz band only.

 

I'm still seeing no real differences in speeds, regardless of setup. With my phone physically sitting on the base Deco unit, it's still only roughly 300 Mbps on average. With the peak being around 360 Mbps.

 

Ookla Phone Screenshot

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#6
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Re:Low wireless speeds from Deco M4
2024-02-26 12:46:45

  @CampFreddy 

 

This configuration I gave you removes everything in Deco mesh which could impact WiFi speeds. It disables content filtering and throttling, priority devices, antivirus and so on. It also forces device run on 5GHz all the time, so that Deco mesh couldn't force it to run on slower 2.4GHz to save device battery power.

 

I know this is not what you want to hear, but if you set your Deco mesh the way I said you should for speed testing, speeds you are getting is the best you could have at your place. I can't explain why they are that low, you should see close to 500Mbps-600Mbps from M4. What I can tell you quite confidently is whatever else you try to do with Deco mesh settings alone, won't improve its WiFi speeds.

For example, there might be strong WiFi interference around Main Deco, and that Deco mesh could not fix.

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#7
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