What is slowing down our home network?
What is slowing down our home network?
We have 20 gadgets linked to our network among four people. The router is an RT-AX3000. Each switch is the most affordable I could find, designed for gigabit speeds. The cables handle long distances inside the house—CAT 5e. We enjoy gigabit internet but rarely reach those rates. In the basement, wired connections deliver around 100 megabits per second, whereas Wi-Fi usually drops to 200 Mbps. Some upstairs users experience slower downloads, while those on higher floors see even lower speeds. My brother consistently gets under 10 megabits per second over wired connections. I swapped the Ethernet cable to the wall and updated the router, but results remain unchanged. The Wi-Fi signal is weak near the access point, showing speeds of just 50–100 Mbps. What concerns you most? Should we focus on file transfer performance instead of overall internet speed?
I don’t see the details about this router. Many routers struggle with Gigabit Internet because they lack sufficient processing power for NAT at those speeds. The slower connection you’re experiencing might indicate another problem. It could also be related to your ISP’s performance. What type of internet service are you using?
You should give clearer details about what you're dealing with. Are you referring to the Asus RT-X58U wireless router? What are the exact models of all your switches? How secure are your Ethernet connections? For setups like this, visual diagrams can be more helpful than explanations alone. In many cases, slow performance usually points to a cable or switch issue. If the issue lies on the local network segment, measuring LAN speeds would be ideal.
You have a network diagram with a missing switch that’s hard to reach but still connects to the TV and streaming services. No issues there. I’m hoping you can understand my handwriting. We found a bad outlet using a tester. Nathan’s PC is running slowly from an internet perspective, which is confusing. I’ve changed the Ethernet cable, NIC, and tested the wall connection—all eight lights are green. The router is an Asus RT-AX3000 with Wi-Fi 6. The switches include a Tp-link TL-SG116 (16-port), an 8-port TL-SG1008D, and a TP-Link switch with an extra access point. I noticed many names seem similar; do they only cover 100 meters or less? I thought the devices were gigabit when I bought them. Should I map every port now? I managed to get the basics working today.
Additionally, when the source is on the upper floor, one of the lights fails to activate at the female connector in the wall. Earlier, when it was close to the switch in the basement, all lights turned on. Could this indicate a faulty wall outlet or an issue with the male connection inside the switch?