Help with AC please

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illici7

13 posts

Geek

#232141 31-Mar-2018 19:19

Hi Geekzone,

I'm usually pretty good with this stuff being an IT techie but this one has me stumped. I am new to wireless AC and am getting shocking performance from it. I cannot seem to connect beyond wireless N speeds. Would greatly appreciate some help and will give all the info I can.

I have an Orcon stock NF18ACV router and am on a 950/500 fibre connection. The laptop I am trying to receive good speeds on is a 2017 HP Omen. The NIC is a intel dual band ac 7265.

Quite simply, the settings are stock, I have great reception. I have updated the router firmware and wifi card drivers. I have no major wireless interference (2.4GHz is fine). I sometimes get 150mbps down but at the moment it's sitting at 30mbps on a speedtest quite often the upload being or spiking a lot higher but only around 90 to brief moments of a bit higher speed. I have 0 other devices connected to the 5GHz. The connection is showing at 300mbps. It also doesn't matter if I am write beside the router. or 7 metres away where my laptop generally is.

Thanks!! :)

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#1986531 31-Mar-2018 20:01

Are you sure you're definitely connected using 5GHz?

I'd expect a 2x2 device at close range to use 256QAM which would mean a 400Mbps PHY rate. Seeing 300Mbps would automatically make me think you're using 40MHz 2.4Ghz channels and it's connecting to that. If you are on 2.4 using 40MHz, that level of performance would be as expected (you should never use 40MHz in 2.4GHz either).

timmmay

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#1986534 31-Mar-2018 20:06

What does the speed test show when you connect via ethernet?

illici7

13 posts

Geek

#1986551 31-Mar-2018 20:37

sbiddle:

Are you sure you're definitely connected using 5GHz?

I'd expect a 2x2 device at close range to use 256QAM which would mean a 400Mbps PHY rate. Seeing 300Mbps would automatically make me think you're using 40MHz 2.4Ghz channels and it's connecting to that. If you are on 2.4 using 40MHz, that level of performance would be as expected (you should never use 40MHz in 2.4GHz either).

I hope this info helps and thanks for that tip about 40MHz in 2.4GHz? Stock settings show it so. Could you please explain that to me? :)

I am using both 2.4GHz and 5Ghz.

The 2.4GHz wireless runs on channel 6, interference shows acceptable. There have been 0 permanent changes made to the advanced settings which default at 40MHz. The protocol it shows is 802.11n under properties of the connection. The Link speed is 180/180Mbps. The speed it shows it's connecting at is 150Mbps (though while testing no other wireless devices). I am using Orcon's recommended beta line test to test the connection http://beta.linetest.nz/ . Last result was 29.2Mbps down and 65Mbps up.

The 5GHz is stock at 80MHz. The channel is usually 157 or 161 (With the Orcon firmware I could not make changes to this however after flashing latest proprietary firmware I am however also 0 permanent changes). The protocol it shows is 802.11ac under properties of the connection. The Link speed is 390/390Mbps. The speed it shows it's connecting at is 520Mbps. I am using Orcon's recommended beta line test to test the connection http://beta.linetest.nz/ . Last result was 65Mbps down and 170Mbps up.

I can post up any screens you need, current settings, etc. On a wired connection I get the full 950mbps~ on a speedtest.

I hope you can see my frustration :) I have another 5GHz router I can cascade into the network and test.

Cheers

illici7

13 posts

Geek

#1986553 31-Mar-2018 20:38

timmmay:

What does the speed test show when you connect via ethernet?

Through any general speedtest (I used Orkla Speedtest.net) it shows as it should, 950Mbps+, 500Mbps+ up.

richms

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#1986561 31-Mar-2018 21:05

That's wifi for you. Possibly a change in drivers for the device, or firmware on the router may help, or it may hinder.

If cable is fine, then use that.

Richard rich.ms

illici7

13 posts

Geek

#1986565 31-Mar-2018 21:21

richms:

That's wifi for you. Possibly a change in drivers for the device, or firmware on the router may help, or it may hinder.

If cable is fine, then use that.

Haha yeah... My thoughts also. The router does get bloody hot, I even tried to put a fan in front of it's intake (in lieu of modifying one or a passive heatsink in - no change except it cooled it down). All of my cables are routed sub floor. Though none to my bedroom where this is an issue.

Tempted to be like yay [SOLVED] thanks man. But will leave it open and try the Spark 5GHz router cascaded into the network.

Orcon NF18ACV vs Spark HG659b ! Who will win?? Taking bets. At least I have a thread to now point Orcon to after getting it all down. Will post up results of Spark modem after i flash firmware and take other networks down etc.

PNP WiFi with Orcon? Nope

illici7

13 posts

Geek

#1986602 31-Mar-2018 22:49

I have taken the wireless down from the Orcon NF18ACV.

Cascaded the spark router into the network (e.g. def gateway 10.1.1.1, holds dhcp starts at 10.1.1.3, spark router 10.1.1.2 no dhcp - though my network is a little more complicated than this)

Set up wireless.

The only different things were the older Spark router wouldn't allow spaces in SSIDs and I chose to connect via WPA+WPA2 using TKIP+AES encryption vs. WPA2 and only AES (default on Orcon's router)

Ok so now... For the results;

On 5GHz I'm speedtesting at 200mbps down 100mbps up. My wifi status speed went to 650Mbps (though it's jumping around a little as it passes between the 20 40 & 80 freqs, possibly channel tuning? no lower than 390). My link speed shows 650/650.

SPARK WINS with their older huawei!! Will ring Orcon with these details. Hope it helps someone :)

That's wifi

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freakngeek

356 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1986672 1-Apr-2018 09:18

The i7265 (2x2) should be able to connect at 866Mbps to an 11ac AP

I've just done some tests at home, on a Dell i7559
I'm currently running a i9260 (same as the 7265 unless you have a 160Mhz capable AP)
Netgear R7000 running as an AP, 5Ghz, 80Mhz channel 36

You should be seeing these kind of speeds with full power connection to AP

Download

Upload

Both at once

You will ofcourse never get the 900Mbps your Fibre can dish out, but 500Mbps ain't half bad

Crowdie

228 posts

Master Geek

#1986695 1-Apr-2018 11:11

illici7:

My wifi status speed went to 650Mbps (though it's jumping around a little as it passes between the 20 40 & 80 freqs, possibly channel tuning? no lower than 390). My link speed shows 650/650.

When you have a 5 GHz channel width wider than 40 MHz the transmitting device (whether the wireless client or the access point) will use RTS/CTS exchanges to determine which of the 20 MHz wide channels are in use. For example:

If 80 MHz wide channels are in use then the transmitting device will send a RTS on each of the four 20 MHz wide channels that constitute the 80 MHz wide channel.
If a CTS is not received back on one of the 20 MHz wide channels (i.e. the 20 MHz channel is in use) the transmitting device will transmit on the non-affected 40 MHz wide channel (if possible).
If a CTS is only received back on a single 20 MHz wide channel the transmitting device will transmit on that 20 MHz wide channel.

The other issue that could be affecting you is the dB loss incurred with channel bonding (having channels wider than 20 MHz). Each time you channel bond (20 -> 40 -> 80 MHz) you incur a 3 dB signal loss. Basically you lose half your signal each time so when you use 80 MHz wide channels you incur the 3 dB signal loss twice.