Slow WiFi

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Slow WiFi

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Slow WiFi
Slow WiFi
2020-04-15 07:09:49 - last edited 2020-04-15 07:13:44
Model: Archer C5400X  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.1.2 Build 20191223 rel.73956(5553)

I just switched ISPs from AT&T to Comcast.  The fastest service I could get with AT&T was 24Mbps and now I'm averaging 900+Mbps with Comcast (both tested with a PC connected directly to the Archer C5400X and using the router's built-in speed test feature).

 

With AT&T, the Archer C5400X's WAN port was connected to one of the Ethernet ports on the AT&T gateway.  Now with Comcast, the C5400X's WAN port is connected to one of my cable modem's Ethernet ports.  The cable modem is my own (Netgear Nighthawk CM1150V) that I just recently purchased for the change in ISPs.

 

All wireless clients connected to the Archer C5400X were previously able to match AT&T's broadband connection of 24Mbps max.  However, now those wireless clients are topping out around 150-200Mbps while Comcast's broadband connection is at 900+Mbps.

 

No changes were made in the Archer's WiFi settings which are:

 

2.4GHz Channel

  • Security:  WPA/WPA2-Personal
  • Version:  WPA2-PSK
  • Encryption:  AES
  • Mode:  802.11b/g/n mixed
  • Channel Width:  Auto (current 40MHz)
  • Channel:  Auto (current channel 3)
  • Transmit Power:  High
  • Airtime Fairness:  Enabled (no change in performance when disabled)

 

5GHz-1 Channel

  • Security:  WPA/WPA2-Personal
  • Version:  WPA2-PSK
  • Encryption:  AES
  • Mode:  802.11ac only
  • Channel Width:  Auto (current 80MHz)
  • Channel:  Auto (current channel 44)
  • Transmit Power:  High
  • Airtime Fairness:  Enabled (no change in performance when disabled)
  • MU-MIMO:  Enabled

 

5GHz-2 Channel

  • Security:  WPA/WPA2-Personal
  • Version:  WPA2-PSK
  • Encryption:  AES
  • Mode:  802.11ac only
  • Channel Width:  Auto (current 80MHz)
  • Channel:  Auto (current channel 149)
  • Transmit Power:  High
  • Airtime Fairness:  Enabled (no change in performance when disabled)
  • MU-MIMO:  Enabled

 

All guest networks are disabled.  All NAT settings remain at their defaults.  Anti-virus is enabled.  All firewall options (Enable SPI Firewall, Allow Pings from the WAN Port, Allow Pings from the LAN Port) are all set.  Access Control is disabled.  IP and MAC binding is disabled.

 

MAC address is not cloned.  Switch mode was and remains "Router".

 

I'm currently not using any QoS features (application and device priority) but when I did, by prioritizing gaming traffic, I did not see any changes in WiFi performance.

 

I was using 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 for the DNS but just changed it to dyamic from the ISP (75.75.75.75 / 75.75.76.76) and that didn't help.

 

Something I did notice that changed, when AT&T was my ISP, is that I used to have the Dynamic DNS configured to use TP-Link with my TP-Link ID.  Now, with Comcast, it says that DDNS is unavailable and I need to login but when I do, it says the "Request timed-out."

 

I'm also no longer able to check for a firmware upgrade from the router as I did before.  I now get the error message "Unable to connect to the cloud server. Please try again later."

 

I was expecting much faster WiFi performance and I guess upwards of 200Mbps is much faster than 24Mbps (simple measure of WiFi being the slowest chain in the link).  However, I expected the 5GHz performance to be better.  Is this as good as it gets?  If so, I should just downgrade my internet service from 1Gbps to 300Mbps and save some money.  I only have one PC connected directly to the router and everything else is wireless.

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#1
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5 Reply
Re:Slow WiFi
2020-04-15 07:20:38

Oh, I also tried to use port aggregation between the router and cable modem but that caused all kinds of issues.

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#2
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Re:Slow WiFi
2020-04-15 12:12:56 - last edited 2020-04-15 12:14:05

Dear customer,

 

We are sorry for the inconvenience. The wireless performance is also decided by your wireless adapter. May I know the link speed on your adapter when it's connected to our router? Normally if you want to get more than 300Mbps on wireless, I think the link speed should be 867mbps. You can also tell me the model number of your wireless adapter so that we can help you to check the specification of your wireless adapter.

 

You can refer this link to check the link speed:https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/2265/

About the actual speed and link speed, there is a relationship between them. You can learn it from our topic: https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/stories/detail/381

 

Please let me know if I can be of any further help. Looking forward your reply.

 

Mr_Whatsittoya wrote

I just switched ISPs from AT&T to Comcast.  The fastest service I could get with AT&T was 24Mbps and now I'm averaging 900+Mbps with Comcast (both tested with a PC connected directly to the Archer C5400X and using the router's built-in speed test feature).

 

With AT&T, the Archer C5400X's WAN port was connected to one of the Ethernet ports on the AT&T gateway.  Now with Comcast, the C5400X's WAN port is connected to one of my cable modem's Ethernet ports.  The cable modem is my own (Netgear Nighthawk CM1150V) that I just recently purchased for the change in ISPs.

 

All wireless clients connected to the Archer C5400X were previously able to match AT&T's broadband connection of 24Mbps max.  However, now those wireless clients are topping out around 150-200Mbps while Comcast's broadband connection is at 900+Mbps.

 

No changes were made in the Archer's WiFi settings which are:

 

2.4GHz Channel

  • Security:  WPA/WPA2-Personal
  • Version:  WPA2-PSK
  • Encryption:  AES
  • Mode:  802.11b/g/n mixed
  • Channel Width:  Auto (current 40MHz)
  • Channel:  Auto (current channel 3)
  • Transmit Power:  High
  • Airtime Fairness:  Enabled (no change in performance when disabled)

 

5GHz-1 Channel

  • Security:  WPA/WPA2-Personal
  • Version:  WPA2-PSK
  • Encryption:  AES
  • Mode:  802.11ac only
  • Channel Width:  Auto (current 80MHz)
  • Channel:  Auto (current channel 44)
  • Transmit Power:  High
  • Airtime Fairness:  Enabled (no change in performance when disabled)
  • MU-MIMO:  Enabled

 

5GHz-2 Channel

  • Security:  WPA/WPA2-Personal
  • Version:  WPA2-PSK
  • Encryption:  AES
  • Mode:  802.11ac only
  • Channel Width:  Auto (current 80MHz)
  • Channel:  Auto (current channel 149)
  • Transmit Power:  High
  • Airtime Fairness:  Enabled (no change in performance when disabled)
  • MU-MIMO:  Enabled

 

All guest networks are disabled.  All NAT settings remain at their defaults.  Anti-virus is enabled.  All firewall options (Enable SPI Firewall, Allow Pings from the WAN Port, Allow Pings from the LAN Port) are all set.  Access Control is disabled.  IP and MAC binding is disabled.

 

MAC address is not cloned.  Switch mode was and remains "Router".

 

I'm currently not using any QoS features (application and device priority) but when I did, by prioritizing gaming traffic, I did not see any changes in WiFi performance.

 

I was using 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 for the DNS but just changed it to dyamic from the ISP (75.75.75.75 / 75.75.76.76) and that didn't help.

 

Something I did notice that changed, when AT&T was my ISP, is that I used to have the Dynamic DNS configured to use TP-Link with my TP-Link ID.  Now, with Comcast, it says that DDNS is unavailable and I need to login but when I do, it says the "Request timed-out."

 

I'm also no longer able to check for a firmware upgrade from the router as I did before.  I now get the error message "Unable to connect to the cloud server. Please try again later."

 

I was expecting much faster WiFi performance and I guess upwards of 200Mbps is much faster than 24Mbps (simple measure of WiFi being the slowest chain in the link).  However, I expected the 5GHz performance to be better.  Is this as good as it gets?  If so, I should just downgrade my internet service from 1Gbps to 300Mbps and save some money.  I only have one PC connected directly to the router and everything else is wireless.

 

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router Archer BE800 New Firmware Added Support for EasyMesh in AP Mode, DoH&DoT, and 3-Band MLO Connection Archer AX90 New Firmware Added Support for EasyMesh and Ethernet Backhaul If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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#3
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Re:Slow WiFi
2020-04-15 18:34:11

@Kevin_Z 

 

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#4
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Re:Slow WiFi
2020-04-16 05:53:28 - last edited 2020-04-16 05:55:30

Dear customer,

 

The link speed of your wireless adapter is not very good. The specification of this card is maximum 867Mbps on 5GHz. So I guess is your computer far away from our router? We could help you to check your problem.

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router Archer BE800 New Firmware Added Support for EasyMesh in AP Mode, DoH&DoT, and 3-Band MLO Connection Archer AX90 New Firmware Added Support for EasyMesh and Ethernet Backhaul If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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#5
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Re:Slow WiFi
2020-04-17 04:22:49 - last edited 2020-04-17 04:25:10

@Kevin_Z 

 

When I did those screen captures, I was about 30 feet away from the router.  The path was partially blocked by a wall, some kitchen appliances, and whatever wiring is in the wall.

 

Just a few minutes ago I sat next to the router and the adapter speed was pretty much locked at 867Mbps.  I then walked back to where I experienced the slow speed and the speed stayed consistent at 867Mbps until I was within a few feet of that exact spot (just past that wall).  So obviously the signal is being affected by the surroundings.

 

While sitting next to the router, I ran another speed test and got a download speed of 317Mbps and an upload speed of 42Mbps with a ping of 18ms.  Doing the same speedtest from the location where the signal is not so good returns 193Mbps down and 42Mbps up with a ping of 16ms.  Right now sitting at the "bad" location, the wireless adapter speed is moving 300-500Mbps.

 

So is a real-world download speed of 317Mbps, with an optimal signal, normal with a wireless adapter using 802.11ac with a theorectical speed of 867Mbps?

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#6
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