Your connection speed is reduced because the port bridging setup limits bandwidth or causes interference.
Your connection speed is reduced because the port bridging setup limits bandwidth or causes interference.
I’m trying to figure out why my connection speeds change depending on where I connect to the internet. After upgrading to Telus Purefibre 1GB, I usually see speeds near 1GB when testing directly from my PC. But when using my ASUS RT-AC68U router via Port 1 on the Telus modem with Port Bridging enabled, the speeds drop significantly—only about half of what you’d expect. I have a basic understanding of the tech and this is my first time discussing it online, so any advice would be really helpful.
1) When QoS or advanced filtering is active on the router, it won't process Gigabit traffic because NAT Acceleration is required to reduce CPU load and certain functions disable it (the settings can be hidden in the interface).
2) Even with NAT Acceleration, the device may lack sufficient power for Gigabit speeds. The advertised theoretical rates are for WiFi performance, not actual routing capabilities. A forum discussion suggests possible Gigabit support by disabling QoS on LAN, enabling Switch Control, using jumbo frames, and turning off NAT Acceleration—though CTF remains enabled. Other options include disabling spanning-tree tools, adjusting memory management, and leaving firewall and WAN settings unchanged. Turning off the firewall is generally discouraged unless absolutely necessary for Gigabit access. If a faster router isn't available, consider changing its configuration instead.
SmallNetBuilder conducts testing on routers. Based on their findings, these devices will never reach Gigabit speeds. It seems the issue might stem from an enabled feature that demands more CPU power for quicker performance.
I followed Alex Atkin UK's recommendations and saw significant gains in both DL and UL speeds. Initially, my connection ranged from 300 to just over 500 Mbps on each channel. After implementing the changes, DL improved to 600 to over 700 Mbps and UL consistently around the mid-700s. Thanks for your support. Regarding the information from Donut417, I appreciate it as well. I’m planning to look for a router that supports Gigabit. Thank you again.