F5F Stay Refreshed Power Users Networks unexpected decrease in internet speed and Wi-Fi booster malfunction

unexpected decrease in internet speed and Wi-Fi booster malfunction

unexpected decrease in internet speed and Wi-Fi booster malfunction

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miner3378
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02-11-2016, 03:49 PM
#1
We've just moved to 1 gigabit Internet. The Ethernet port is connected directly to the Apple Airport Extreme (6th gen) and placed in the living room. My dad has a desktop nearby, just a few meters away from the router. He doesn’t use Ethernet because he dislikes cables, so I installed a Wi-Fi card for him. Initially, the speed test showed 250–300 Mbps, which was acceptable. I also tested connecting straight to the router and got 750–830 Mbps. Issue 1: After some time, the Wi-Fi speed dropped to just 10–15 Mbps. I suspected it was due to the automatic switching between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, picking the slower band. I separated them into separate networks and checked speeds—2.4 GHz gave 8–10 Mbps, while 5 GHz offered 160–170 Mbps, though not back to the previous level. Issue 2: My second challenge was a desktop in my room, but no long Ethernet cable could reach it. Previously, we used a Wi-Fi extender to connect from the living room to my room (TP-Link TL-WPA281, black on the sides, white top). Before the upgrade, we had 300 Mbps to the living room and only 30 Mbps to my room. The 10% drop likely came from using a power strip instead of a direct outlet, as we ran out of sockets. After switching to 1 gigabit, my room’s speed fell to 45–50 Mbps via Ethernet, not Wi-Fi. I’m curious if newer Wi-Fi extenders improve performance with current tech.
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M
miner3378
02-11-2016, 03:49 PM #1

We've just moved to 1 gigabit Internet. The Ethernet port is connected directly to the Apple Airport Extreme (6th gen) and placed in the living room. My dad has a desktop nearby, just a few meters away from the router. He doesn’t use Ethernet because he dislikes cables, so I installed a Wi-Fi card for him. Initially, the speed test showed 250–300 Mbps, which was acceptable. I also tested connecting straight to the router and got 750–830 Mbps. Issue 1: After some time, the Wi-Fi speed dropped to just 10–15 Mbps. I suspected it was due to the automatic switching between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, picking the slower band. I separated them into separate networks and checked speeds—2.4 GHz gave 8–10 Mbps, while 5 GHz offered 160–170 Mbps, though not back to the previous level. Issue 2: My second challenge was a desktop in my room, but no long Ethernet cable could reach it. Previously, we used a Wi-Fi extender to connect from the living room to my room (TP-Link TL-WPA281, black on the sides, white top). Before the upgrade, we had 300 Mbps to the living room and only 30 Mbps to my room. The 10% drop likely came from using a power strip instead of a direct outlet, as we ran out of sockets. After switching to 1 gigabit, my room’s speed fell to 45–50 Mbps via Ethernet, not Wi-Fi. I’m curious if newer Wi-Fi extenders improve performance with current tech.

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Tico_32
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02-13-2016, 01:48 PM
#2
Here are some key points to consider. The speed tests you mentioned are measuring internet performance, not the internal device-to-device connection quality. Right now, with many people working remotely or in quarantine, network speeds can change a lot, making this a less reliable indicator. I suggest using tools like iperf to assess your actual network speed. Additionally, Wi-Fi extenders can slow down your connection by adding more hops and using bandwidth for signal routing. No single wireless solution will consistently deliver 1 gigabit speeds—especially for devices with standard antennas. Wired connections generally perform better, but mesh systems such as Eero, Plume, or Amplifi can provide a strong performance.
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T
Tico_32
02-13-2016, 01:48 PM #2

Here are some key points to consider. The speed tests you mentioned are measuring internet performance, not the internal device-to-device connection quality. Right now, with many people working remotely or in quarantine, network speeds can change a lot, making this a less reliable indicator. I suggest using tools like iperf to assess your actual network speed. Additionally, Wi-Fi extenders can slow down your connection by adding more hops and using bandwidth for signal routing. No single wireless solution will consistently deliver 1 gigabit speeds—especially for devices with standard antennas. Wired connections generally perform better, but mesh systems such as Eero, Plume, or Amplifi can provide a strong performance.

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