: Slow DNS or Bad Router? Working from Home
: Slow DNS or Bad Router? Working from Home
This would suggest the DNS issue isn't the problem. You've confirmed no packet loss and bandwidth appears normal. It seems there might be a discrepancy between testing against the Google DNS server and using a regular website, even though it's outside your home network. Since all your data follows the same path from ISP to your house, the issue should be consistent.
If you revisit your main post, you mentioned everything works when plugged into the modem, indicating the router is handling the connection. However, now you're using DNS directly, which might explain the differences. It's worth checking if you remain connected via Ethernet to the router while testing.
Data loss in Wi-Fi can often lead to slower web browsing performance. The router primarily offers DHCP and DNS functions, which you've bypassed here. Its main role is NAT, managed through hardware ASICs, allowing high-speed traffic handling. Even if NAT assistance is turned off, it shouldn't impact web browsing. It mainly caps download speeds at 300Mbps, which is well above typical web usage.
It appears you're linking the router's LAN port to the modem. You mentioned connecting your PC directly to the modem and receiving an IP from your ISP, but the router's LAN DHCP server is still requesting a DHCP address and denying it.
I just checked and it looks like the modem only has one port; the cable connects to the WAN slot on the AC86u, and my PC is connected to one of the four ports on the router.
It seems a bit better now, although I can't figure out why.
OK then. However, it would be better to clear the browser cache, shut down everything and restart from scratch. Then power on the modem, router, and PC in order.