ax86u speed slow speeds compared to ISP router that is obviously less powerful

[shooter40sw]

Giving up on this router, please help... I have the RT AX86U with 386_2_6, I also tested with the latest ASUS original firmware to date, 3.0.0.4.386.42840
Unfortunately my ISP does not provide Bridge support, so it is in a double NAT config with their provided router, customized Huawei AC2200, its a 1Gb giving me by LAN directly on the Vodafone router about 850mbp aprox, I connect the 86U and perform a speed test and gives me aprox the same values, so there is the good,,,,
The bad... even that I have restored to default settings with stock and merlins firmware, with no AI protection, no IPv6, just pure stock settings my wifi on the RT86U are "terrible" I also disabled the DFS bands, because I noticed that the vodafone router was in channel 52 alone with no other competing for wifi, so I shut it down, and placed the Asus router on the 52 channel, and comparing speed results the vodafone router always beat the asus router by at least 60 to 200mpb, a macbook pro 16 gave me on the vodafone router almost 600mbp while on the asus would rarely scratch 500mps, an ipad pro (no wifi6) same thing, fast on provided router, and 150mbp less on the asus. Most strangely on iphone 11 with wifi6 was the best performer giving me on both routers about 600mbs so even with wifi6 confirmed in the logs that it was connected in AX mode did not give me good results, I also disabled AX mode to test the wifi5 with no change in results, I changed the MUMIMO, airtime fairness, disabled universal beamforming . searched the internet for best settings, split the wifi channels, so I just turned it off... but if there is anything I can do besides storing it, please guide the way I tweaked many things so Im not going to much into detail .... I also changed the SSID and disconnected the devices and connect again...

 

[Adooni]

yea ISP modem-router should be in bridge mode - double NAT is disaster. To be honest is Internet supplier will not allow bridge I will not take internet from them.
You can try fortest purpose disable NAT for router WAN- Internet connection - Enable NAT - off, but you will loos a lot router functionality.

 

[shooter40sw]

yea ISP modem-router should be in bridge mode - double NAT is disaster. To be honest is Internet supplier will not allow bridge I will not take internet from them.
You can try fortest purpose disable NAT for router WAN- Internet connection - Enable NAT - off, but you will loos a lot router functionality.

I did not think about that one I will try and see how much I lose, I did not want to but they were the only ones with fiber to home, the others were coax

 

[clweb]

If your ISP modem does not allow bridge mode, I hope you can define a DMZ address. In this case define a fixed IP on your router and use this as DMZ address in your modem. I use this configuration for years without problem.

 

[shooter40sw]

If your ISP modem does not allow bridge mode, I hope you can define a DMZ address. In this case define a fixed IP on your router and use this as DMZ address in your modem. I use this configuration for years without problem.

I tried that also, with no impact on the WiFi speed

 

[CaptainSTX]

Giving up on this router, please help... I have the RT AX86U with 386_2_6, I also tested with the latest ASUS original firmware to date, 3.0.0.4.386.42840
Unfortunately my ISP does not provide Bridge support, so it is in a double NAT config with their provided router, customized Huawei AC2200, its a 1Gb giving me by LAN directly on the Vodafone router about 850mbp aprox, I connect the 86U and perform a speed test and gives me aprox the same values, so there is the good,,,,
The bad... even that I have restored to default settings with stock and merlins firmware, with no AI protection, no IPv6, just pure stock settings my wifi on the RT86U are "terrible" I also disabled the DFS bands, because I noticed that the vodafone router was in channel 52 alone with no other competing for wifi, so I shut it down, and placed the Asus router on the 52 channel, and comparing speed results the vodafone router always beat the asus router by at least 60 to 200mpb, a macbook pro 16 gave me on the vodafone router almost 600mbp while on the asus would rarely scratch 500mps, an ipad pro (no wifi6) same thing, fast on provided router, and 150mbp less on the asus. Most strangely on iphone 11 with wifi6 was the best performer giving me on both routers about 600mbs so even with wifi6 confirmed in the logs that it was connected in AX mode did not give me good results, I also disabled AX mode to test the wifi5 with no change in results, I changed the MUMIMO, airtime fairness, disabled universal beamforming . searched the internet for best settings, split the wifi channels, so I just turned it off... but if there is anything I can do besides storing it, please guide the way I tweaked many things so Im not going to much into detail .... I also changed the SSID and disconnected the devices and connect again...

Double NAT doe not create any throughput problems when done correctly nor does the double NATed router need to be put into the DMZ. People who claim that a double NAT is your problem probably have never used it and are repeating Internet folk lore.

 

[sbsnb]

What speeds do you get from a client wired to the AX86U? Am I reading correctly that you're getting ~850 Mbps that way?

 

[shooter40sw]

What speeds do you get from a client wired to the AX86U? Am I reading correctly that you're getting ~850 Mbps that way?

The Speedtest form the wired router gives me that speed, the internal ookla from the asus software, I dont believe that the doublenat should cause speed issues either...

 

[clweb]

I only put my router in DMZ, because I can leave the ISP modem in router mode. This is the default mode and is better in case of problems on ISP side.
I have made some test with modem in bridge mode, in router mode with DMZ and double NAT. No speed difference was noticed.

 

[sbsnb]

The Speedtest form the wired router gives me that speed, the internal ookla from the asus software, I dont believe that the doublenat should cause speed issues either...

Do the test from a wired client. That will narrow down your issue. Because the internal test on the 86U us good we know issue isn't anything to do with the relationship between the 86U and the ISP's modem.

 

[shooter40sw]

I only put my router in DMZ, because I can leave the ISP modem in router mode. This is the default mode and is better in case of problems on ISP side.
I have made some test with modem in bridge mode, in router mode with DMZ and double NAT. No speed difference was noticed.

Im thinking its or the hardware or I really dont know... I had it before, on double NAT with another provider, and in Bridge mode, with no speed issues but the great difference it was that I had 100mbp, so it had no issues getting that speed, I moved and now Im stuck with double nat and DMZ, but with these speed issues with the Asus

 

[leerees]

Ditch the vodafone router completely and plug the fibre modem into the AX86u WAN port. Your slow speeds are due to the WiFi settings on your AX86u.

As you've changed beamforming and other settings, it might be an idea to reset all your wireless settings to defaults. They work fine on default. Leave the 2.4Ghz network on auto channel selection.

Now change the following:

On 5ghz, You need to set it to 160Mhz only and enable DFS. Set the control channel to 100 and it should work.

Your AX86u is more than capable of giving you the full 1gbps over WiFi 6.

 

[L&LD]

I tweaked many things so Im not going to much into detail ....

You may want to do the suggestions presented in the following two links. I have found that changing/tweaking settings and then putting them back isn't the same as leaving them at their defaults in the first place.

Get your router to a good/known state by following the first link below. Forget 'tweaking' for now (except as suggested in the second link below).

Fully Reset Router and Network

Best Practice Update/Setup Router/AiMesh Node(s) 2021


Agree with @leerees above; get rid of the Vodaphone router completely from your network when testing the RT-AX86U.

If the issue is hardware, the first link should highlight that with a high degree of confidence. If you refrain from changing settings willy-nilly, of course.

 

[shooter40sw]

Cant dich the router, I wish, it is a modem/router, from the wall comes fiber to the fiber port so it's an all in one that has the landline plugged in it... I will do the Full Reset and give that a go, thanks!

 

[leerees]

Cant dich the router, I wish, it is a modem/router, from the wall comes fiber to the fiber port so it's an all in one that has the landline plugged in it... I will do the Full Reset and give that a go, thanks!

Do you have an ONT box (Fibre To The Premises) or a BT phone socket (Fibre To The Cabinet)?

 

[shooter40sw]

I'll attach pics.. ONT I believe is integrated with the router, and fiber, what I show is the only visible things that I got.

 

[leerees]

I'll attach pics.. ONT I believe is integrated with the router, and fiber, what I show is the only visible things that I got.

It's hard to tell with those pics. However, if that yellow cable is an ethernet cable then plug it into the WAN port on your AX86u. If not, you have FTTC and you need to setup the vodafone router as a modem only.

Either way, I still think your problem is related to the wireless settings on your AX86u

 

[shooter40sw]

It's hard to tell with those pics. However, if that yellow cable is an ethernet cable then plug it into the WAN port on your AX86u. If not, you have FTTC and you need to setup the vodafone router as a modem only.

Either way, I still think your problem is related to the wireless settings on your AX86u

The Yellow Cable is fiber optic, and like vodafone customized the firmware it is really buggy and limited I have to reset the asus router and prove my luck there

 

[Tech9]

yea ISP modem-router should be in bridge mode - double NAT is disaster.

What is the disaster with double NAT?

On 5ghz, You need to set it to 160Mhz only and enable DFS.

Your advise is making the things only worse.

 

[shooter40sw]

Well pretty crazy doing tests, I starting to believe it can be a driver issue with iOS devices I got a Pixel 5 phone and a Pixel Chromebook the phone gives me between 450 and 550mbs on each, the Pixel fives me almost 150mbs over the Vodafone router, on the Vodafone it does not pass 300 and on the Asus it can go up to 500.... but an iPad and a Mac refuses to go up, I also cabled the Mac on both routers and gave me near 900mbs , what are your opinions ? thanks