Your Wi-Fi speed will exceed 170 Mbps and then drop close to zero.
Your Wi-Fi speed will exceed 170 Mbps and then drop close to zero.
I received a new router because of a cat damaging it. Since then, I've experienced the most frustrating internet connection I've ever had. This is definitely bothersome. Can you suggest any solutions to improve it? My router model is Spectrum New Wave 2 (the only provider in my area, and I have a strong dislike for this service). My modem is an ARIS TM1602. I just tested it now and it's only reaching 300 Mbps...
How many devices are on your Wi-Fi. If there is a considerable number all hitting it simultaneously, they you may be exceeding the capability of your router to handle the strain. Wi-Fi in a basic sense operate on a round robin. Each device gets talk time for a set period. then the next, and the next, and back to the beginning. The more devices you have, the more time between talk time each device has. There are ways that manufacturers mitigate this. Multiple antenna, different channels, things like that. But the core concept remains the same, and the more bandwidth your device is asking for, the more talk time its going to get.
Right now there are 4 devices total, 3 of them are phones or tablets, and 1 is my PC.
Turn off Wi-Fi everywhere except where you're working with your tests. Smartphones are particularly troublesome—they keep transmitting and receiving small amounts of data all the time. This is especially noticeable when emails are synced or social media apps pull information from the web.
I kept everything the same, yet my Wi-Fi speed jumped to 300 MB/s over Ethernet and 352 Mbps on my phone's Wi-Fi.
It seems there might be a device consuming your Wi-Fi bandwidth or some interference affecting performance. Most routers provide an estimate of how many connections they can manage. I understand my router supports over 15 devices, which is why we have no problems with our Chromecasts and phones streaming HD content. My old router was rated for five devices, but it struggled with the Chromecasts—especially when paired with multiple phones. Your experience aligns with what many users face.
Similar items such as walls and microwaves can affect Wi-Fi performance. Placing my phone between the microwave and the router results in reduced signal strength and slower speeds when the microwave is on, but moving it a couple of feet away restores full connectivity.
If you can afford it, purchase your own router. Even if you rely on the ISP’s device (such as for DOCSIS or other services), you can repurpose the LAN port to connect to the internet side of any standard router. This allows you to upgrade to higher-quality equipment later. We previously did this with Verizon since their quantum gateway wasn’t up to par. Simply disable the Wi-Fi on the ISP router and switch your purchased router into bridge mode (or whatever setting it uses).
Microwaves and similar devices mainly affect the 2.4GHz frequency band about 99% of the time, not the 5GHz range, which usually applies to weaker routers and old gadgets. Modern equipment is designed to be more resistant, separated, and less prone to disruption. Also, the number of connections a router can manage depends on more than just its capacity—it’s influenced by how many devices are using different channels. For those dealing with issues, it often comes down to multiple 2.4GHz signals, your device connecting to the router on the 2.4GHz band instead of the 5GHz, and strong interference. You can reduce the impact by using a free Wi-Fi analyzer app and switching the 2.4GHz channel to less crowded ones like 1, 6, or 11. If possible, consider upgrading to a modem that supports faster speeds, such as the SB6183 or SB8200, especially if DOCSIS 3.1 is available soon. Avoid older models like the SB6190 with its Pump6 chipset. The Wave2 router does support 802.11AC and can work on the 5GHz band—try connecting your PC there instead of the 2.4GHz if you haven’t already, and see if the connection remains stable.