Just got 25mbps internet with Comcast, but everything is so slow. Why?

galerecon · Jun 6, 2015

Hello guys,
I just got internet with comcast and I'm paying for 25mbps. I'm using a SB6121 modem with NETGEAR WNR3500L N300 router. I also have a coax cable splitter going from the wall to my SB6121 modem and the cable tv box. I finally got internet working today, but everything so ridiculously slow! I would go to a page (say tomshardware) and the text would load but the images would load very slowly. I can't event start with how slow videos load...Does anyone know why it might be this slow? Maybe a setting somewhere?

Here is my speedtest info:

ThatVietGuy · Jun 6, 2015

What happens if you plug directly into the modem without the router in between?

galerecon · Jun 6, 2015

ThatVietGuy :

When I plugged an Ethernet cable from the internet port on the modem to my laptop I got up towards 26Mb/s. Then I connected an ethernet cable from the internet port on the modem to the internet port on my router. Instead of connecting my computer wireless-ly, I plugged another ethernet cable from my computer to one of the open ethernet ports on the router and I've been getting the same speed.

So I got good speed and everything was loading quickly and videos were loading fast when I directly connect to modem or router. But as soon I go wireless, pages and videos load really slow...so it has to be the wireless connection. Does anyone know possible fixes?

ThatVietGuy · Jun 6, 2015

Is this router fresh out of the box or has it been used with another ISP at some point?

I would try to reset the router to factory settings and trying to use it without touching any settings.

galerecon · Jun 6, 2015

ThatVietGuy :

It's fresh out of the box. Ordered it on amazon and received it last week. I didn't want to pay rental fees for their modem. But it should already be in factory state when I plugged it in.

bill001g · Jun 6, 2015

Getting wireless to work is as much a art as a science. The key problem is wireless interference which without expensive devices is not possible to even really see. The most common being your neighbors using wireless routers but it can be cameras or phones or many things.

All you can really do is sit close to the router to start, then try channels 1,6,11 one at a time. Try setting the channel width to 20mhz rather than 20/40. This is all done on the router.

If you have dual band equipment you can try to use the 5g channels, trying those channels until you get one that works best.

Unfortunately your neighbors likely do the same things. Some routers auto mode also picks new channels every time it is restarted based on what it thinks at the time is the "best" so this tends to be a ungoing thing.

.....wireless used to work so well before everyone else figured out how to use it too

There is a tiny possibility it is your pc so you want to try a different device with your router but in most case it is not the router or devices fault it is the location you live and your house.

RealBeast · Jun 6, 2015

As bill001g says, it is likely interference that is causing the issue since you get a good speed on a wire connection.

I would download a free wireless signal analyzer like inSSIDer from HERE to see who is using what 2.4 and 5GHz channels around you. You can then use that as a guide for which channels to use, look for the least used non-overlapping channels (1, 6, and 11 on 2.4GHz).

You may also experience interference from a ton of devices when using 2.4GHz (microwave ovens, wireless speakers, headphones, baby monitors, phones, etc.).

galerecon · Jun 6, 2015

Thank you all for the replies. I'll try your solutions in a bit!!

galerecon · Jun 6, 2015

RealBeast :

I downloaded the program you've mentioned and here were the results. It seems all of the channels you've mentioned are taken. Which one should I choose?

RealBeast · Jun 6, 2015

You should start by selecting the channel that has the least powerful signals of the three and also does not have a lot of nearby channels in use.

A big problem with wireless is that if you live in a high density area there is not much flexibility since there are so few channels.

Take a look at the first diagram HERE to understand which channels overlap each of the three 1, 6, and 11. It is generally better to have a channel that is directly on your channel than to have one that is nearby but not on your channel for equally strong signals.

You can estimate signal strength by comparing your wireless signal strength to the others that you see.

galerecon · Jun 6, 2015

RealBeast :

So I should only choose between channel 1, 6, or 11? When I select a channel in my router settings, it doesn't say what GHz it is.

RealBeast · Jun 7, 2015

Yes, one of those three with the fewest strong nearby signals. Your router is 2.4GHz only.

If you cannot get sufficient results you may need to get a concurrent dual band router or add an access point with 5HGz capability if your wireless adapters can handle 5GHz. You will be able to see the 5GHz channels used if your adapter on the machine running inSSIDer is 5GHz capable.

Places like condos, apartments, townhomes, and dorms are notoriously difficult to implement your own wireless due to all the competition. If there is significant distance to the other users your router should do okay, as the power of the signals will be low (like in the -90dB range) relative to yours.

Also, it will help your speed if you do not support legacy devices (i.e. use an N only setting not auto that allows G also) because that slows your maximum speed down significantly. You also need to use WPA2/AES security for the higher speed.

galerecon · Jun 7, 2015

RealBeast :

I tried all channels you've mentioned and none of them give me above 13Mbps upload speed. A youtube video is always buffering as well. Right not I plugged my tower to my TV in living room with HDMI and used an ethernet connection with one of the ports on my router and getting close to 30Mbps upload speed with no video interruptions whatsoever.

I checked my wireless settings and couldn't find a setting to set my router to N only and I always use WPA2 security. My wireless adapter on my laptop and tower both support 5GHz. Checked my command prompt and my radio types that are supported are: 802.11n, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11b, and my laptop also has 802.11ac.

On inSSIDer, I filtered for 802.11a (which I assume is the 5GHz channels) and none were found. Does that mean there is no 5GHz routers in my area? So if I was to get a 5GHz router and replace it with the one I currently have, my internet might become much much smoother over WiFi?

I apologize for so many questions, but I have learned a lot about networking over the past few days doing research

Thank you so much for your help.

RealBeast · Jun 7, 2015

No need to apologize, that's what we're here for. Probably nobody using 5GHz would support A, so I would just look at it for all 802.11, or filter for N and see if any show up in the 5GHz side of the Networks window for inSSIDer.

On your router to disable legacy devices you want to select "up to 145Mbps" on the Basic home screen, wireless side tab look for Mode, just under the channel selection. If you select the 300Mbps setting that forces channel bonding, which would use two of the three non-overlapping channels, and may or may not help. However, it may not make you popular as it causes a lot more interference for other networks by using over 80% of the 2.4GHz frequency range. It can't hurt to give it a try though.

You *could* get a concurrent dual band router and 5GHz might help. While less used so less interference, the downside is that 5GHz does not penetrate matter nearly as well as lower frequencies like 2.4GHz or the 1.9GHz used on wireless phones now.

If it were me, I would connect the device near the router using Ethernet, which I gather is your TV and then use a pair of good powerline AV2 MIMO adapters (take a look HERE to guide your choice) and use them to get a signal from your router LAN port to where you use your computers and other devices away from the main router. Then attach an inexpensive dual band concurrent router and configure it in AP mode. Then you can use its LAN ports for a wired connection for your desktop and leave the 5GHz for laptop and phones.

So there are several options to consider, and there are others if you have a large budget.

galerecon · Jun 8, 2015

RealBeast :

My TV is not currently connected to the router and doesn't need internet (it just has basic channels and HBO..). I have a cable splitter going from the wall and one end is going to my cable modem and the other to my cable box which the cable box is then connected to the TV. It doesn't seem like anyone is using 5GHz around my area. None of the WiFi's show up in the 5GHz section. So either way I should get a 5GHz router and put it in my bedroom where the desktop is, use the AV2 MIMO adapter that will connect the 5GHz router (bedroom) to my current router (living room), and plug my computer to a LAN port in the 5GHz router?

I'm assuming the purpose of setting a router to an Access Point is to extend the signal from your main router?
Please check this configuration and let me know if this is correct. I wasn't sure what AV2 adapter is until now and I did some research so I hope my configuration is correct:
- Living room
[cable outlet] -> Coax Cable -> [modem] -> Ethernet Cable -> [router]
[outlet] -> [AV2 adapter] -> Ethernet Cable -> [router LAN port]

- Bedroom
[outlet] -> [other AV2 adapter] -> Ethernet Cable -> [internet port on 5GHz router] -> Ethernet Cable -> [connect other devices to the LAN port on 5GHz router]

Lots of new information here (to me at least), but I hope what I read about this is correct. Many thanks again

EDIT: Also, does this mean I would see two separate SSIDs that I can connect my devices to, one for each router (and one being 2.4GHz signal and the other being 5GHz)?

RealBeast · Jun 8, 2015

You're getting it just fine.

One small change, in the bedroom connect using an LAN port of the router configured as an AP (configure as AP by shutting off DHCP and giving it a static address in the network but outside the main router DHCP assignment range). If you use the WAN port it creates a distinct subnet and you don't want that.

I usually do use a different SSID so that I can specifically choose the connection. The AP will also have a 2.4GHz radio so you will want to use a different channel (out of 1, 6, and11) from your main router channel.

galerecon · Jun 8, 2015

RealBeast :

So connect an Ethernet cable from the AV2 adapter that is plugged into the wall outlet to one of the LAN ports on the AP router? I didn't know that a router can receive internet service through the LAN ports. I thought it had to be the internet port.

As far as setting up the AP, I can do some research to figure it out.
Thanks!!

EDIT: I found this link with your answer that explained this

galerecon · Jun 8, 2015

I will post the results once my setup is complete. I going to look at my local stores to see if I can find a dual band router and AV2 adapter to purchase (probably best buy). I'd prefer not to wait and pay more shipping costs..

galerecon · Jun 8, 2015

RealBeast :

RealBeast, thank you so much!!! I purchased the Netgear (I like netgear

) N600 wireless dual band router and I'm getting much better results. My videos pretty much load instantly while on my laptop using the 5GHz network. Check this out:

Thank you very much!
P.S. The powerline adapters were no need. I bought it just in case from Best Buy, but I replaced my current router with the N600 dual band and I still get very strong signal all around my apartment! I plan to keep the other one just in case I would like to extend my network in the future though.

RealBeast · Jun 9, 2015

Great!

Just got 25mbps internet with Comcast, but everything is so slow. Why?

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