Gigabit Tx/Rx rates yet slow transfer speeds over wifi

[splendid_koi]

I have a GT-AX11000 running Merlin's 388.2 updated to latest Merlin FW. 3 bands with separate SSIDs, SmartConnect off.
Internet is gigabit symmetrical FIOS (on 1Gbps WAN); also connected is a NUC I am using for local storage (on 2.5Gbps LAN).
Router is connected directly to Verizon's ONT (G-211M-C) and it's on the Gigabit WAN.
My issue is that wifi is slow, specifically upload. I get avg. 500 mbps down but only about 70 mbps up whether on AC or AX.
Speedtest on the router directly maxes out at nearly 100% in each direction, same for Speedtest on the NUC or hardwired ATV.

I am testing by running iPerf on the NUC and doing up / down via wifi on my iPhone 15Pro, MacBook Pro, and an HP laptop.
Additionally, I am testing the same devices over the same network using the Ookla Speedtest apps, results are nearly the same.

On the ASUS Admin interface, I am seeing near gigabit Tx / Rx rates on all of those devices at ~900Mbps, sometimes 1,200+.
I haven't set fixed channels as my building has tens of networks; my router mostly is staying on the same channels, especially AX.
WiFi Explorer shows my AX on ch. 157 at 80MHz, 16% channel utilization, 50dB SNR, Noise level is at 1%; max speed 2,402 Mbps.
There aren't that many AX networks nearby, with those numbers I'd expect much better speeds on the upload side (250-500).

Any ideas on what I can try to adjust / change to improve my speeds?

Wifi config is as follows:

SSID1: 5GHz1 (AC Devices)

Wireless Mode: Auto
802.11ax / WiFi 6 mode: Disable
WiFi Agile Multiband: Disable
Target Wake Time: Disable
Channel bandwidth: 20/40/80
Control Channel: Auto
Extension Channel: Auto
Protected Management Frames: Capable

SSID2: 5GHz2 (AX Devices)

Wireless Mode: AX Only
802.11ax / WiFi 6 mode: Enable
WiFi Agile Multiband: Disable
Target Wake Time: Disable
Channel bandwidth: 20/40/80/160, enable 160 MHz checked
Control Channel: Auto
Extension Channel: Auto
Protected Management Frames: Required

Advanced (same on both)

Set AP Isolated: No
IGMP Snooping: Disabled
Multicast Rate(Mbps): Auto
Enable TX Bursting: Disabled
Enable WMM: Enabled
Airtime Fairness: Disabled
Multi-User MIMO: Enabled
Beamforming: Enabled

SSID3: 2.4GHz (IoTs)
Screenshots for SSID2: 5GHz2 (AX Devices) settings (this is the SSID I am most frequently testing on)

 

[glens]

Don't know why you've crippled 5GHz thusly. Perhaps that's a factor?

Not using anything approaching that model, hardware-wise, but can easily net >1Gb/s traffic between wireless clients in my setup.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Why would you disable the WiFi 6 mode? That would drop you back to 802.11ac and it would mean slower performance.

 

[glens]

Isn't that what I'd said???

 

[splendid_koi]

Maybe I misexplained or you misundertood me
I have 3 separate SSIDs, so the 5GHz SSID has WiFi 6 disabled, and the 6GHz SSID has it enabled (AX only on that SSID).
Speeds on either SSID are identical. So it's not the WiFi 6 that is disabled on the 5GHz SSID that is the problem, as speeds on the AX SSID are same.

 

[glens]

For testing purposes only? That could make some sense if so, but was unstated. Do you have only AC-class 5GHz clients? 6GHz clients would be at a minimum AX, and if they're only able to garner AC-class performance then you've got some adjusting to do.

 

[splendid_koi]

Not for testing purposes only, this is my permanent setup.
My MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones are all on the AX SSID as they are newer and support AX networks.
I have some older devices not supporting AX, which are on the AC SSID as they only support AC.
The IoT devices are all on the 2.4GHz SSID. The slow speeds are observed both on the AC and AX SSIDs.

 

[Tech9]

I have a GT-AX11000

both on the 5 and 6 GHz SSIDs

What 6GHz band? This router doesn't have 6GHz radio.

 

[splendid_koi]

Sorry keep referring to WiFi 6 as the 6 Ghz band you are totally right of course...
SSID2 is the AX band, you can see in the wifi config listed in my original post which I will edit now for clarification.
My point is, speeds are low for both AC devices on SSID1 and AX devices on SSID2.

 

[Tech9]

I don't test with 3rd party firmware (especially older version) and kind of tired of speedtest troubleshooting, honestly. Someone else will help you here.

Just wanted to clarify your router is in fact dual-band with 2.4GHz and 5GHz-1/5GHz-2 split 5GHz band. I don't know your location and your regional RF regulations. In some countries lower band is limited to 200mW, upper band allows up to 1000mW. Some clients support 160MHz wide channel, others don't. Mobile clients have power saving features and may not give you maximum performance. Reports of slower upload are common. There are many variables in this equation. Good luck finding your answer.

 

[splendid_koi]

In the meantime, I updated the router clean to latest Merlin firmware, results are the same. I'm in the US.
And yes, dual-band with 2.4GHz (my IoTs are on that), 5GHz SSID1 (in AC mode), and 5GHz SSID2 (in AX mode).

 

[sfx2000]

My MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones are all on the AX SSID as they are newer and support AX networks.
I have some older devices not supporting AX, which are on the AC SSID as they only support AC.

If this helps, interoperability between 11ax and 11ac in the 5GHz band is really a non-issue... actually I'll go on record that 11a and 11n is also a non-issue with 11ax based AP's...

 

[splendid_koi]

If this helps, interoperability between 11ax and 11ac in the 5GHz band is really a non-issue... actually I'll go on record that 11a and 11n is also a non-issue with 11ax based AP's...

Let me see if I understand you correctly. I am currently separating AX and AC devices as I don't want AC clients to slow down the AX clients.
As I understand that AX, being backward AC-compatible, would have to step down transmission speeds to accommodate an AC client.
The details of that process go beyond my knowledge but I imagine that the transmitter cannot exist simultaneously in AC and AX mode.
So it would either have to constantly switch back & forth between the two, depending on the client, or altogether fallback to AC if at least one AC client is present.
Curious to learn about this.

 

[Ripshod]

The details of that process go beyond my knowledge but I imagine that the transmitter cannot exist simultaneously in AC and AX

Yes they can, it's called backwards compatibility. On my 5GHz in ax mode I have several devices connect as ac, whilst my notebook on ax (160MHz, same band) is connected at the full 2400Mbps up and down. I know my router's a different model, but the technology is the same.

 

[glens]

As I understand that AX, being backward AC-compatible, would have to step down transmission speeds to accommodate an AC client.

Yes. WHILE TALKING TO THE AC CLIENTS. When communicating with an AX client it talks AX. It's dynamic, not static.

 

[sfx2000]

Let me see if I understand you correctly. I am currently separating AX and AC devices as I don't want AC clients to slow down the AX clients.
As I understand that AX, being backward AC-compatible, would have to step down transmission speeds to accommodate an AC client.

Not how it works - each association has an assigned AID, and the chipset manages modes and MCS rates per connection.

 

[splendid_koi]

Yes they can, it's called backwards compatibility. On my 5GHz in ax mode I have several devices connect as ac, whilst my notebook on ax (160MHz, same band) is connected at the full 2400Mbps up and down. I know my router's a different model, but the technology is the same.
View attachment 56312

Which tool gives you the stats you have posted? Thank you!

 

[doczenith1]

Which tool gives you the stats you have posted? Thank you!

Asuswrt-Merlin firmware installed and then System Log > Wireless Log. If I remember correctly stock Asus firmware has something similar.

 

[splendid_koi]

Well, I swapped routers with a new RT-BE96U (latest stock ASUS firmware) and tested on wifi 6e. Download tests on iPerf to the local NUC went up to nearly 1.5Gbps however upload is still not exceeding 100Mbps. This is on iPhone 15 Pro, a MacBook 16 Pro, and an HP laptop. Somehow I get slightly faster upload testing with the Ookla Speedtest app (~200Mbps) but overall upload is nearly 10 times lower than download. There has got to be a setting that I am incorrectly setting that limits upload speeds, I am at a loss here. It just makes no sense, as downloads are super fast and tx and rx rates are near gigabit. Or is it network congestion from neighboring networks specifically throttling upload? I also know that the iPhone is totally capable of pushing 1Gbit+ uploads on 6e as I see that in this speedtest thread

 

[splendid_koi]

Further updates. It would appear that this problem is not unique to my situation, looking at similar issues with other ASUS routers: here, here, here, here, and here.
Tried the Dual WAN workaround, that didn't do a thing. Also tried switching USB form 3.0 to 2.0 (I don't use USB), no dice.