Wifi6 router and broadband speeds

[MrCurry]

I pay for a 100/100 mbps broadband service and have a proper fibre connection to the house (not FTTC where the last bit comes via copper), but I only ever get sub-20 mbps speeds on speed testing apps and I’m wondering if the bottleneck is my wifi router.

This plus the fact I’m about to upgrade to one of the new wifi 6 4k max firetv sticks made me think that I might look to buy a new wifi 6 router in New Year sales.

Does anyone have recommendations or know of good deals around? Looking on Amazon there’s a wide range of prices and not at all clear what features they all have or what I need. I mean I don’t think I need anything fancy, just wifi which works with iPad, iPhone, an old 2,4ghz laptop. Good security features would be nice. Onboard support for OpenVPN would be a bonus as I currently use an app on the iPad to connect to a vpn provider.

I’m no networking guru so get a bit lost looking at all the different options, hence open to advice if anyone has insights? Thanks

EDIT: currently leaning towards Huawei AX3 mainly because it looks pretty in the photos (!). It comes in dual core (around £50) and quad core versions (pro), (£75) but what do I actually need?

 

[dessiato]

Firstly, thanks MrCurry for starting this thread. I've been thinking along the same lines.

So in addition to his questions, can I ask what advantages there are replacing a router, and how do you install one?

 

[souljacker]

Netgear or Asus usually sell the best home routers IMO. But they are expensive for the really good ones. I have a Netgear r7000 that does 802.11ac at decent speeds and range as well as having an openVPN server built in. There are more recent versions of this available with Wifi6 and 6e but will you really notice the extra speed available? And do you have any devices that can connect using those protocols?

dessiato there are various reasons why it's beneficial to get a third party router but the main one is that usually, ISP supplied routers are fucking shit. Install wise they are usually pretty easy to swap over. Just make sure you get the right connection to whatever your ISP has installed in your house. Most phone line style connections are the same but if you have cable or ftth it could be different. Also, I have no idea what ISPs in Spain provide.

 

[spudulike]

What does an app like WiFi analyzer tell you? Have you changed channels on the router if using 2.4GHz or noticed big variations in speed on 5GHz moving further from your router? What broadband speed test results do you get using a wired connection to your router?

A new router may not solve your problem.

 

[MrCurry]

What does an app like WiFi analyzer tell you? Have you changed channels on the router if using 2.4GHz or noticed big variations in speed on 5GHz moving further from your router? What broadband speed test results do you get using a wired connection to your router?

A new router may not solve your problem.

Thanks, will come back and answer later when I have more time

 

[MrCurry]

What does an app like WiFi analyzer tell you? Have you changed channels on the router if using 2.4GHz or noticed big variations in speed on 5GHz moving further from your router? What broadband speed test results do you get using a wired connection to your router?

A new router may not solve your problem.

Ok, I just downloaded a speedtest app onto my Appletv, which is connected with wired Ethernet to the router and that’s reporting 94Mbps down and 93Mbps up speed with 4ms ping, so the broadband itself seems to be working. (I’m on a 100/100 service)

Same Speedtest app on my iPad or iphone with vpn switched off shows anywhere around 10-12Mbps down speed and about 3Mbps up speed with same 4ms ping time. The router is an old 2.4Ghz D link thing which I flashed with DD-WRT many years ago. I’ve tried changing the wifi channel a couple of times and that’s not making any difference to the speeds that I can see.

Do you have an App Store link to the wifi analyzer app you mentioned? I don’t see one with exactly that name and a lot of those which show up are just speed testing apps.

 

[spudulike]

this is the one, open source, Android obviously as I don't have Apple.

 

[keybored]

What router do you currently have? Agree that ISP supplied routers tend to be pretty pants but you should be getting a lot faster than 20mbps even using relatively ancient WiFi protocols. Also, WiFi 6 is overkill for a 100/100 line and you probably have no devices that support it. You can almost fully utilise a 1gbps line with decent AC WiFi equipment.

What speeds do you get when you test right next to your router?

ETA: Sorry just read to the end. Yes I'd replace that D-Link, possibly the flash broke the WiFi or the router is so old that the WiFi really is that bad.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I pay for a 100/100 mbps broadband service and have a proper fibre connection to the house (not FTTC where the last bit comes via copper), but I only ever get sub-20 mbps speeds on speed testing apps and I’m wondering if the bottleneck is my wifi router.

This plus the fact I’m about to upgrade to one of the new wifi 6 4k max firetv sticks made me think that I might look to buy a new wifi 6 router in New Year sales.

Does anyone have recommendations or know of good deals around? Looking on Amazon there’s a wide range of prices and not at all clear what features they all have or what I need. I mean I don’t think I need anything fancy, just wifi which works with iPad, iPhone, an old 2,4ghz laptop. Good security features would be nice. Onboard support for OpenVPN would be a bonus as I currently use an app on the iPad to connect to a vpn provider.

I’m no networking guru so get a bit lost looking at all the different options, hence open to advice if anyone has insights? Thanks

EDIT: currently leaning towards Huawei AX3 mainly because it looks pretty in the photos (!). It comes in dual core (around £50) and quad core versions (pro), (£75) but what do I actually need?

Have you contacted your provider? They can tell exactly what the speed is outside your house rather than you testing it from your router. Unlikely to be that much of a drop off from the router.
I have the stock router and loose maybe 1 or 2 mbps from the door to my router. Distance from the router has a greater effect on speed. I loose about 10 more to my office at the end of the garden. Different laptops / phones etc also give slightly variant readings.
If you are paying for 100mbps you should have something in your contract about a minimum service. When mine falls below 52 I get my monthly fee back (if I catch it and let them know).

 

[magneze]

Will your provider upgrade the router? We got our old Virgin router upgraded to one of the newer ones and the Wi-Fi speed is now comparable to the broadband. It didn't cost us a thing.

 

[MrCurry]

Have you contacted your provider? They can tell exactly what the speed is outside your house rather than you testing it from your router. Unlikely to be that much of a drop off from the router.
I have the stock router and loose maybe 1 or 2 mbps from the door to my router. Distance from the router has a greater effect on speed. I loose about 10 more to my office at the end of the garden. Different laptops / phones etc also give slightly variant readings.
If you are paying for 100mbps you should have something in your contract about a minimum service. When mine falls below 52 I get my monthly fee back (if I catch it and let them know).

l‘ve not contacted them, but if I’m getting 93 or 94 via a Speedtest app on the Appletv with wired, I’ve no concerns over whether the service is working as it should.

Will your provider upgrade the router? We got our old Virgin router upgraded to one of the newer ones and the Wi-Fi speed is now comparable to the broadband. It didn't cost us a thing.

I’ll look into it, but I doubt it.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

l‘ve not contacted them, but if I’m getting 93 or 94 via a Speedtest app on the Appletv with wired, I’ve no concerns over whether the service is working as it should.

So Ethernet via on the router is working perfectly? That is probably all your provider contract covers.
As I mentioned previously, I get different speeds from different laptops, phones etc. Sometimes my macbook pro has only been at 20, but closing and clearing the browser and restarting has got it back up to almost 80.
My tablet can barely get past 25 whatever I do.

 

[cybershot]

When you stand right next to it and do a Speedtest with the iPad is it still 20mbps?

This is going to be one of those troublesome find where the interference is coming from issues and you may simply never find it. Turn everything else off electrical if you can for a short while. Including the fridge.

 

[magneze]

No one ever suspects the fridge.

 

[souljacker]

The router is an old 2.4Ghz D link thing which I flashed with DD-WRT many years ago. I’ve tried changing the wifi channel a couple of times and that’s not making any difference to the speeds that I can see.

This is your problem. If it's only doing 2.4ghz then it's possibly only 802.11g which is properly ancient and will only ever get 54mbps maximum (and probably won't get anywhere near that). It will also suffer hugely from the really poor implementations of the standard that affected WiFi in those days. Plus, it's a D-Link. They are shit!

Any router upgrade to something more current (802.11ac/WiFi 5 at least) will make a huge difference.

 

[MrCurry]

When you stand right next to it and do a Speedtest with the iPad is it still 20mbps?

This is going to be one of those troublesome find where the interference is coming from issues and you may simply never find it. Turn everything else off electrical if you can for a short while. Including the fridge.

It‘s maybe a bit faster when I‘m right next to it, but the main thing is I’m only getting sub 10 speeds today. It could be electrical interference if it’s varying at different times of day, or perhaps also what souljacker says below…

This is your problem. If it's only doing 2.4ghz then it's possibly only 802.11g which is properly ancient and will only ever get 54mbps maximum (and probably won't get anywhere near that). It will also suffer hugely from the really poor implementations of the standard that affected WiFi in those days. Plus, it's a D-Link. They are shit!

Any router upgrade to something more current (802.11ac/WiFi 5 at least) will make a huge difference.

current plan is I’m borrowing a newer dual band 2.4 & 5Ghz router and if that fixes all issues then I’ll just buy one. This thread has confirmed to me I don’t need to bother with wifi 6 anyhow, so that’s useful. If I still can’t get over 20mbps with a new router then I guess I have to suspect my iPad, but that should surely be reliable.

 

[cybershot]

What iPad is it? Should tell you in settings. Then we’ll know if it support 5ghz bands or not. But if the router is only going 2.4ghz (missed that first time) then yes. It’s probably the router itself rather than your devices.

 

[MrCurry]

What iPad is it? Should tell you in settings. Then we’ll know if it support 5ghz bands or not. But if the router is only going 2.4ghz (missed that first time) then yes. It’s probably the router itself rather than your devices.

It’s a 2017 iPad Pro - will support 5 gig I’m sure.

 

[keybored]

Does anyone have recommendations or know of good deals around? Looking on Amazon there’s a wide range of prices and not at all clear what features they all have or what I need. I mean I don’t think I need anything fancy, just wifi which works with iPad, iPhone, an old 2,4ghz laptop. Good security features would be nice. Onboard support for OpenVPN would be a bonus as I currently use an app on the iPad to connect to a vpn provider.

In your shoes I'd scour ebay for a used Draytek 2860AC that will do all of that well.

I think the NAT throughput is only 300-400mbps so you'll need to bear that in mind if you plan to upgrade your line anytime soon.

Edit: OpenVPN client might only be on 2862 onwards so double check that.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Do providers not provide free routers for their service? I have never bought one myself, I'm always sent a new one on a new contract and updated models periodically.

 

[MrCurry]

Do providers not provide free routers for their service? I have never bought one myself, I'm always sent a new one on a new contract and updated models periodically.

Not where I am.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Not where I am.

Oh I see, you are in a different country.

 

[souljacker]

Do providers not provide free routers for their service? I have never bought one myself, I'm always sent a new one on a new contract and updated models periodically.

Problem is they are usually cheap shit.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Problem is they are usually cheap shit.

The ones I have had have always delivered the promised speeds so I have never even thought about it. I always assumed getting another router would be a specialist purchase.

 

[MrCurry]

Update - I borrowed someone’s 802.11ac router with 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands and that‘s solved things as far as I’m concerned. I’m getting close to the full 100mbps up and down via wifi on the 5Ghz connection and even on the 2.4Ghz I’m getting 40 or 50mbps, which is plenty for my firetv stick to be able to stream more reliably than it used to.

Thanks all