Very Slow Wifi with the Nighthawk X2S AC3200

[MallCopGamer43]

I just got a called from my buddy telling me he's having issues with his internet having a hard time connecting. Him and his girlfriend said that when they tested the wifi it gave them a download speed of 3 mbps out of the 1 gig speeds they pay for. They said the modem/router was in the box for around 2 years while they tried to get a new house and set it up. They said they had the coax on a splitter, but then removed the splitter and still had the same issue. My buddy spoke with his ISP and the ISP stated that they have a good connection with the modem on their end. At first I though it might be wireless interference from possible nearby routers from neighbors, but I'm thinking it can't be that causing that much a dramatic loss in speed. I suggested they do a factory reset and see how it goes. Does anyone have any idea what it might be the issue causing this and have any idea on how to fix it?

[Chris Pratt]

The "Netgear" on the box is one problem. That, and the fact that this particular router seems to have been scrubbed from existence isn't a good sign. Out of curiosity, I searched to see if anyone had reported similar issues, but I literally can't find anything on this router of value. It probably didn't sell well and didn't live long.

 

One thing to note is that even in the fully functional state, it's not capable of delivering anywhere near their 1Gbps downlink. You need WiFi 6 (AX) for that. WiFi 5 (AC) is going to max out around 300-500Mbps even with direct line of sight.

 

Their home may be a factor as well. Many more modern homes have tech shield or other similar materials in the walls that can wreak havoc with wireless signal. Do they have issues with getting good cell service in their home as well?

 

Other than that, check for interference. You mentioned neighbors' wireless, and that could be a factor if they're using crowded channels, but other devices in the home, power conduit, etc. in close proximity can also cause interference.

 

[THe6410]

Connect via ethernet and run a speedtest. (speedtest.net) That rules out a ton of variables. Sometimes a lot of stuff just get's hung up, (e.g. DHCP leases) reboots generally resolve a lot of issues pretty easily.

[THe6410]

40 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

One thing to note is that even in the fully functional state, it's not capable of delivering anywhere near their 1Gbps downlink. You need WiFi 6 (AX) for that. WiFi 5 (AC) is going to max out around 300-500Mbps even with direct line of sight.

^^^Agreed.
Also may wanna check the router ports to see if they are gig or just 100mb, most older routers only have 100mb/s capacity limited hardware.