Dropping Wifi and Super Slow Download Speeds

[Melancholy43952]

Gonna highlight the super important stuff for the TL/DRers

Okay, I've been having issues for months with random devices not being able to stay connected to my wifi and having to reset the router (Belkin N300 F9K1002V4) and disrupt everyone. I've also noticed my speeds are not where i think they should be. Google's Internet Speed Test gives me results between 5-15Mbps at any given day at random times. I'm currently overpaying for the 200Mbps plan so I figured I'd do some digging into what the issue is.

So I head over to Xfinity's list of approved modems and the first thing I notice is my modem (Arris Surfboard SB6190 that I bought on 07/30/18) has a red diamond next to it. This diamond indicates an Intel Puma Chipset Defect - Do Not Buy. Awesome. Never saw that when I bought the modem and apparently nothing anyone can do about it now. I tried factory resetting that and my router so i have a clean slate to work with while I try to figure out what to do. 

When we get disconnected it's the router that I power off and back on, so that leads me to believe the router is more of the issue. After going back in and securing my wifi connection I started running some more speed tests. My speeds on my Samsung Galaxy S7 and 6th Generation iPad are showing between 0.5 and about 2.5Mbps download and 5.5Mbps upload. I then run a speed test from the PC connected directly to the router via ethernet cable. 75Mbps download and 5.5Mbps upload. OK that's more like it!

I do remember when I very first got Xfinity Internet we started out at the 50Mbps plan and as soon as I set up the router (was a different one that I don't recall the model) I was first told by support the reason was that router wasn't supported. Since I had just bought the router I just assumed she was wrong. It later turned out there was one setting you had to enable or disable because as soon as I changed that setting my speeds shot WAY up.

I've been at this for a good 6 hours so I guess I'll wait for a mod to PM my account number to. I think I've (over)shared all the relevant info so hopefully I'm overlooking a setting cause I can't afford to dish out for yet another modem and yet another router. 

[EG]

For a test, does a computer hardwired directly to the 6190 modem have the same problem ?

[Melancholy43952]

No. Rock solid connection tested last night at 75Mbps at the same time my iPad sitting next to it tested 0.5Mbps. Both showed a 5.5Mbps upload speed.

[EG]

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@Melancholy43952 wrote:
 at the same time my iPad sitting next to it tested 0.5Mbps. Both showed a 5.5Mbps upload speed.

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How did you have WiFi when you tested directly to the 6190 cable modem ? Wasn't the router removed from the mix ?

[Melancholy43952]

Ok I just realized what you meant about 30 sec after I clicked post. After plugging the PC directly into the modem itself I ran the Google Internet Speed Test and got 83.3Mbps download and 5.48 upload. I then plugged the router back in and plugged the PC into the router and got 54.1Mbps download and 4.83Mbps upload. I also ran the test on my Galaxy S7 through wifi and got 1.01Mbps download and 5.61Mbps upload. So no matter what I do the upload speeds are consistent.

[EG]

Looks like the router is the bottleneck. If there are any QoS settings enabled in the router, disable them. And FWIW, that not the greatest performing router in the world..

[Melancholy43952]

Just changed that setting and now showing 16.2Mbps download and 5.76 upload. I'm wondering if maybe that was the setting that needed changed way back when I had the original issue. Thank you so much. Still seems low but should hold me over until I can save up for a DOCSIS 3.1 modem and WiFi 6 router.

[EG]

My pleasure ! You really don't need DOCSIS 3.1 yet unless you plan to change to their Gigabit Speed Tier.

[Melancholy43952]

Definitely couldn't afford those kind of speeds. I just want to get closer to my advertised speed. Right now I've got my eye on the TP-Link Archer AX1500 Wifi 6 router. Reviews seem good, specs seem great, but the price seems too good to be true ($79.99 at Amazon and $69.99 at Walmart). Still don't know if I need to change out the modem or not though.

[EG]

If the modem is delivering your subscribed to speeds, then there is no need to change it right now. Here is an excellent site for researching routers;

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/charts/router/view

Have fun !

[Melancholy43952]

83Mbps straight from the modem and 24Mbps through WiFi isn't anywhere near the advertised 200Mbps though.

[Melancholy43952]

Also, while we're working out bottlenecks in the system...I haven't been keeping up on the lastest hardware standards and noticed that they now make Cat 8 cables. I'm still using Cat 5. So would a small Cat 8 cable cause any noticeable difference when used to connect the modem and router?

[EG]

No. You don't need cat 8.

[EG]

Some tips for improving WiFi performance;

http://corporate.comcast.com/comcast-voices/10-ways-you-might-be-killing-your-home-wi-fi-signal

http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Your-Home-Network/Improve-Your-Wireless-Gateway-Home-Network/td-p/26276...

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/improve-your-wireless-home-network