AC5300 Won't Reach Gigabit Speed Wifi

[JonnySteele]

I'll start by saying I'm new here, but have found a lot of helpful information. I have a AC5300 as my main router running Merlin 386.5_2 and a mesh router AC2900 also Merlin. The settings are basically all stock, and I recently upgraded to 1gb Internet. My issue is, I can only reach speeds of about 400mb download on wifi when connected to the 5300, but if I hardwire, I get the full 1gb download speed.

I thought maybe it had something to do with using the 2nd 5g signal as a backhual for the AC2900, so I removed it but no change. I did a factory reset, and only connected the modem and my phone, still no change. Meanwhile, I can factory reset the AC2900 and get 1gb speeds all day long over wifi.

Any thoughts?

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @JonnySteele.

If that AC2900 is the RT-AC86U, you should be using it as the main router. It is the more powerful router, after all.

Have you tried the RT-AC5300 as the AiMesh node?

 

[JonnySteele]

Welcome to the forums @JonnySteele.

If that AC2900 is the RT-AX86U, you should be using it as the main router. It is the more powerful router, after all.

Have you tried the RT-AC5300 as the AiMesh node?

No, both are AC, not AX. I have not tried the 5300 as a node.

 

[L&LD]

Sorry, I will go back and edit the post above. I meant the RT-AC86U.

Give the RT-AC5300 a chance as the node, it should be well suited for that.

 

[kernol]

I must agree with @L&LD - I had the RT-AC86U {AC2900) as main router and RT-AC5300 as an Aimesh Node a few years back [both running the same version of Merlinware].
Right now I have an RT-AX86U as main, a second RT-AX86U as a Aimesh Node with a an AC5300 as the last Aimesh Node. I do however have Ethernet wired backhauls between them all.
No problems getting above 1G wifi throughput on the 5G signal.

 

[Tech Junky]

AC in general on the client side maxes at 866mbps 2x2 which is common for most adapters. Since WIFI runs in half-duplex typically you might see a max around 600mbps. One of the devices you mentioned shows using a 3x3 to hit optimal speeds.

Moving the client adapter to an AX200 / AX210 would boost your opportunity to wring a little more out of it.

Using an AX200/AX210 I can hit 1.3-1.5gbps using an AX AP with a 2.5GE backhaul.

To get the higher speeds with AC though you'll need to pick a clean channel and use 160mhz. If you can get more than a 2x2 client card and AC router you should be bale to hit higher speeds much easier but, will they fit the machine / is it worth the cost vs upgrading to AX?

The other part to take into consideration is the speeds that the device is alleged to be able to hit are adhoc wifi<> wifi not wifi <>wan. The limitation is due to the 1gbps port on the WAN side as the main bottleneck,.

 

[Raphie]

Had the same setup
5300 most favourable channel, you’ll get 350-450
ax86 via AC you’ll get 400-500
ax86 via wifi 6, you‘ll get 850-950
these are best case.

 

[JonnySteele]

I must agree with @L&LD - I had the RT-AC86U {AC2900) as main router and RT-AC5300 as an Aimesh Node a few years back [both running the same version of Merlinware].
Right now I have an RT-AX86U as main, a second RT-AX86U as a Aimesh Node with a an AC5300 as the last Aimesh Node. I do however have Ethernet wired backhauls between them all.
No problems getting above 1G wifi throughput on the 5G signal.

Thanks for the input, I will try reversing the roles and see what that gets me.