Asus AX86U poor WAN speeds

[joloxx9]

I have a problem with my network. For some time now, I've noticed that the connection speed is around 800Mbps instead of 1Gbps (Virgin Media), according to speed tests. I've tested it on both my computer and the router. I asked for a modem change from SuperHub 4 to SuperHub 5, but the problem remains.

Now, I tried connecting directly to the SuperHub (which is in modem mode), and immediately I get speeds of 1140Mbps consistently. I can run tests 5-10 times, and they don't drop below 1100. However, when I switch back to my own equipment, the speed fluctuates around 800Mbps, with occasional spikes to 940. Other tests show similar results.

The equipment I have is the ASUS AX86U and AC68U running in mesh mode, with the AX86U being the main one, and my PC is connected directly to it. Additionally, it's running the latest Merlin firmware. I’ve tried all sorts of combinations, including reverting to the original firmware and then back to Merlin, disabling mesh, using different cables (Cat5e), and nothing helps.

When I connect to the Virgin router, everything works at full speed. Also, the Virgin router ramps up speed within a second, while the ASUS router takes several seconds to reach 800-900Mbps. It's starting to frustrate me. I'm considering switching to Unifi, but I wanted to do that next year.

What would you recommend? I have a strange feeling that it used to work fine. I even reset the AC68U and connected to it, but the speed is still poor.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Go to Administration > Policy and Withdraw from any active agreements there. Then test again from a wired client connected to the RT-AX86U.

 

[joloxx9]

Go to Administration > Policy and Withdraw from any active agreements there. Then test again from a wired client connected to the RT-AX86U.

Unfortunatelly but same, just tested 3x and results are 800-920.
Right after those tests, I unplugged the cable from the modem and connected PC directly, ran the tests 3 times, and within a second, it was over 1100+ stable throughout the whole test. This is starting to annoy me...

 

[ColinTaylor]

Are you connecting the Hub to the RT-AX86U's 1GbE WAN port or are you using the 2.5GbE port?

 

[joloxx9]

Are you connecting the Hub to the RT-AX86U's 1GbE WAN port or are you using the 2.5GbE port?

I think I have tried all, 1GbE to 2.5GbE, 2.5GbE to 2.5GbE, 1GbE to 1 GbE and 2.5GbE to 1GbE and can't see any difference.

 

[Tech9]

with the AX86U being the main one, and my PC is connected directly to it

I don't see a problem.

Your router has single 2.5GbE port. In either case your WAN or LAN is connected to Gigabit port and the maximum speed will be capped to 940Mbps on WAN or LAN side depending on where WAN or your PC are connected. You may eventually test >Gigabit on internal speed test only, but no single client will get >Gigabit restricted by Gigabit LAN port or Wi-Fi. Common AX-class 2-stream client at 80MHz channel bandwidth will get around 800Mbps in somewhat quiet Wi-Fi environment.

 

[joloxx9]

I don't see a problem.

Your router has single 2.5GbE port. In either case your WAN or LAN is connected to Gigabit port and the maximum speed will be capped to 940Mbps on WAN or LAN side depending on where WAN or your PC are connected. You may eventually test >Gigabit on internal speed test only, but no single client will get >Gigabit restricted by Gigabit LAN port or Wi-Fi. Common AX-class 2-stream client at 80MHz channel bandwidth will get around 800Mbps in somewhat quiet Wi-Fi environment.

There was a problem, so my modem got 1Gb and 2.5Gb ports. When I plugged PC directly to 1Gb speeds were around 1120, exactly same as when it was plugged into 2.5Gb. Moreover, previous modem had only 1Gb and was capable of going 1100+.

Anyway, looks like AX86U is not as good as I thought, as I got new NEW with 2.5Gb ports etc. I was going to buy new device sooner than later, however I did it sooner. I have added RT-BE88U tested both2.5Gb AND 1Gb ports, and guess what, bang even 1Gb can achieve 1100Mbps+, also speeds are nearly instant, on AX86U I had to wait for the device to crank up, here everything goes to max speed in one or two seconds.

I have ditched mesh node AC68U and now my network contains RT-BE88U as main router + mesh node AX86U backhauled with 1Gbps cable. Whole house is covered with WiFi which doesn't drop below 300Mbps even in bathroom, huge win!

 

[Tech9]

When I plugged PC directly to 1Gb speeds were around 1120, exactly same as when it was plugged into 2.5Gb. Moreover, previous modem had only 1Gb and was capable of going 1100+.

Whatever you use for speed measuring is not accurate. Gigabit Ethernet is up to 940Mbps.

 

[joloxx9]

Whatever you use for speed measuring is not accurate. Gigabit Ethernet is up to 940Mbps.

Chrome(downloading from Google Drive), Speedtest, virgin media speed test, google speed test, Qbittorent - some enormous linux files, Steam, Epic games store.

Each of them was going up to 1120Mbps / 136MBps on 1Gb port on the new router, on the old one I was hitting mostly 800-900 speed, with rare spikes above 920.

 

[Crimliar]

*Virgin Gigabit is capable of upto 1,130Mbps in the UK! They have their own network and don't rely on OpenReach.

 

[joloxx9]

*Virgin Gigabit is capable of upto 1,130Mbps in the UK! They have their own network and don't rely on OpenReach.

And this is correct, I am hitting constant 1100+ on current setup

 

[Tech9]

Each of them was going up to 1120Mbps / 136MBps on 1Gb port on the new router

All of them were wrong then. This Gigabit port can't do anything higher than 940Mbps.

I am hitting constant 1100+ on current setup

Because your new router has more than one 2.5GbE ports. Your old RT-AX86U with single 2.5GbE port was working as expected. Big money fixing the speedtest problem, but coming out of your wallet.

 

[joloxx9]

All of them were wrong then. This Gigabit port can't do anything higher than 940Mbps.

Okay then, everything was wrong somehow and you are right.

.Because your new router has more than one 2.5GbE ports. Your old RT-AX86U with single 2.5GbE port was working as expected. Big money fixing the speedtest problem, but coming out of your wallet.

Sure, especially when my NAS-PC transfer is now 260MB instead of 110MB, and I am the person who use it a lot, easy to judge when you do not know background.

 

[bbunge]

All of them were wrong then. This Gigabit port can't do anything higher than 940Mbps.



Because your new router has more than one 2.5GbE ports. Your old RT-AX86U with single 2.5GbE port was working as expected. Big money fixing the speedtest problem, but coming out of your wallet.

The plus is for Asus. They sold another router!

 

[Tech9]

Okay then, everything was wrong somehow and you are right.

There was no possible way Gigabit port was transferring >1100Mbps of data. This is the specs limitation - with overhead up to 940Mbps no matter what some measuring app is showing. You just had wrong expectations based on inaccurate measurements. Your new router is better hardware and can do what you expect*, but this doesn't mean your old router was defective. It was working as expected within the hardware limits.

* - as long as you don't hit NAT acceleration incompatible firmware option. The CPU can process about 500Mbps WAN-LAN traffic and relies heavily on Runner and Flow Cache or Broadcom's NAT acceleration methods. If you set a simple Bandwidth Limiter on a Guest Network for example - it will kill it.

 

[bennor]

Okay then, everything was wrong somehow and you are right.

How are you testing the speed, using what program or app? Post screen shots of the speed tests. Explain exactly how you have things connected. What is connected to what and which port.
Does the computer have more than one network adapter? Are you using any form of link aggregation either on the router or computer?

 

[Tech9]

How are you testing the speed, using what program or app?

@joloxx9 replaced the router with better matching model. Speed problem solved.

 

[joloxx9]

How are you testing the speed, using what program or app? Post screen shots of the speed tests. Explain exactly how you have things connected. What is connected to what and which port.
Does the computer have more than one network adapter? Are you using any form of link aggregation either on the router or computer?

Iperf3, steam, windows, torrent, browser(wpeedtest virgin speed tests etc) wven the one builded into router however I know it is not reliable.

I think it was clear
Superhub(virgin modem)1Gb(or 2.5Gb) AX86U-2.5Gb PC i could swap 2.5Gb in AX into 1Gb and speed was same - "low"

Now I have replaced the router and even when I use only 1GB ports speed is 1100+ or 130MBps+

There was no possible way Gigabit port was transferring >1100Mbps of data. This is the specs limitation - with overhead up to 940Mbps no matter what some measuring app is showing. You just had wrong expectations based on inaccurate measurements. Your new router is better hardware and can do what you expect*, but this doesn't mean your old router was defective. It was working as expected within the hardware limits.

* - as long as you don't hit NAT acceleration incompatible firmware option. The CPU can process about 500Mbps WAN-LAN traffic and relies heavily on Runner and Flow Cache or Broadcom's NAT acceleration methods. If you set a simple Bandwidth Limiter on a Guest Network for example - it will kill it.

Maybe my new device is not aware about it when it is plugged to 1Gb port, even on old superhub that was equipped with 1Gb ports only I was getting 1100+. The problem is, AX86U couls not route and was slower than expected.

The plus is for Asus. They sold another router!

Still better than network capped below 1Gbps.

 

[Tech9]

Maybe my new device is not aware about it

even on old superhub that was equipped with 1Gb ports only I was getting 1100+

Maybe I'm just wasting my time...

 

[JamesK]

I have the same configuration. The RT-AX86U as a router connected to the Virgin Hub 5 in modem mode with their Gig1 service, which gives a download speed of just over 1.2Gb.
As expected with the WAN port connected to the Virgin Hub I get 940mb/s download speed with a wired PC. If I change the WAN configuration to use the 2.5GB port, I still get 940mb/s on a speed test to the wired PC, due to the speed limit on the 1GB LAN ports.

The only way I can "see" the 1.2GB speed is if I carry out a speed test from within the router GUI, and then that does indeed show download speeds over 1GB.