iOS wifi issues with new AC1900 Router

[mannibis]

Hey everyone...I am new here and decided to post because I see there are some very knowledgeable people in this community that may be able to help me. I am well versed in computers and network technology so I won't be asking dumb questions. Here goes:

I upgraded my broadband speed yesterday to 50 Mbps Down/ 5 Mbps Up (the fastest Time Warner has to offer). I have also recently bought and installed the Linksys EA6900 AC1900 router (to utilitize the AC technology on my new Macbook Air). I installed the new DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem and the router successfully. The Ookla Speedtest from my ROUTER and my MACBOOK AIR both report very high speeds that my ISP is claiming to give me (I actually tested higher...56 Mbps down, 5.6 Mbps up). My Link Speed on the Macbook Air is 867 Mbps (theoretical maximum with the two antennas in the MBA). I am using Channel 8 for 2.4 Ghz w/ 20 Mhz and Channel 161 for the 5 Ghz band w/ 80 Mhz.

After confirming that my speeds are excellent from both the Router's built-in speedtest (using Ookla) and through Chrome on my Macbook, I decided to test my iOS devices. What I saw made me want to cry.

On my iPhone 5, connected to the 5ghz band, I am only getting 8 Mbps down, and 5 Mbps up (the upload speed is fine!). The download rate is ridiculously low. I tried switching over to the 2.4ghz SSID and the same thing. The same goes for my iPad 2 which actually tests even lower @ 5 Mbps down, 4 Mbps up.

Is this is an iOS or Iphone5/Ipad2 issue, or a router issue? I can't imagine it being the router because my macbook air downloads at an extremely high rate. I have tried Media Prioritization, putting the iPhone at the top of the list and still the same slow wifi speeds. Media Prioritization or not, 2.4ghz or 5ghz, doesn't change a thing.

What is the problem? When I go home later, I will try to change the channels on both the 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands and see if that does anything. Does the 80Mhz channel bandwidth affect the iPhone? I cannot choose Auto for that or bring it down to 40. My previous EA4500 let me specify that, but with the new AC router, 80 Mhz is the default and only option.

Any advice? I am using the same test server and Ookla to perform all my speed tests. The Macbook and Iphone/Ipad are in the same location and the same distance from the router.

Thanks!

 

[theoak]

2 iPhone 5's, an iPad Air, and a iPad 3rd Gen ...

Obviously the 5's only connect at 150 Mbps and the Air at 300 Mbps and the Retina at 65 Mbps ... but with a laptop connecting using an Intel AC 7260 at the same time ... all my iDevices all "speedtest" at my ISP rates.

While I have my devices on the 5 Ghz band ... at 2.4 they all speedtest fine too.

I am using a NETGEAR R7000.

 

[mannibis]

Good to know that all your iOS devices "speedtest" @ your ISP rates. How can you see what your link speeds are for your iPhones and iPads? Or are you just stating the theoretical max link speeds based on the device hardware. What link speed is your laptop connecting at? I realize the link speed displayed comes nowhere close to actual transfer speeds, but I am just curious.

I'm just wondering why iOS devices do not test well, while my router and Macbook AIR speedtest just fine. Router settings? Channel widths? Bands? Modes?

 

[RobertHWeinstein]

mannibis

I have a wrtac1900 and have the same issue

OOKLA on the internet is DSL 5.1 mbps down, .60 up

Speed Test tool in the WRT is .45 down and .60 up

Just spent 2 hours going nowhere with the customer support.

Reloaded the firmware no difference.

Manually set the MTU from auto, no difference

I even used the same OOKLA server on the opokla internet page
to that server reflected in the WRT Tool no difference.

It is obviously a bug !!!!!

Robert

 

[sm00thpapa]

How many other wireless networks are in your area? It seems like net congestion to me. I have a iPad Air and my speed it exactly what my ISP is sending me. The iPhones and older iPads are single N cards. The iPad Air is a dual N card therefore faster speeds.

 

[Deleted member 28741]

On my iPhone 5, connected to the 5ghz band, I am only getting 8 Mbps down, and 5 Mbps up (the upload speed is fine!). The download rate is ridiculously low. I tried switching over to the 2.4ghz SSID and the same thing. The same goes for my iPad 2 which actually tests even lower @ 5 Mbps down, 4 Mbps up.

Is this is an iOS or Iphone5/Ipad2 issue, or a router issue? I can't imagine it being the router because my macbook air downloads at an extremely high rate. I have tried Media Prioritization, putting the iPhone at the top of the list and still the same slow wifi speeds. Media Prioritization or not, 2.4ghz or 5ghz, doesn't change a thing.

Your results seem very slow to me…. so I just ran a quick test for you to compare:-

I have a 100 down / 100 up line..with an Asus AC68U

Ipad Air

On 5ghz I get 88 down and 91 up

On 2.4ghz I get 42 down and 82 up

IPhone 4

On 2.4ghz I get 15 down and 13 up

Sorry but I don't have an iPhone 5 to compare.

 

[azazel1024]

Sounds like a possible incompatibility between the router and the iPhone 5 and iPad 3. Its certainly possible. Mine have been working fine with Netgear 3500L, TP-Link WDR3600 and also TP-Link 841nd. I have a hard time convincing my phone to connect on 5GHz (iPhone 5), but on 2.4GHz it'll generally hit around 50Mbps down and 35Mbps up (my plan is 75/35 and my desktop will hit 83/38). My wife's iPad 2 likes 5GHz, but also is 65Mbps only and hits around 30/30. Her phone is the same, but on 2.4GHz (iPhone 4s).

 

[stevech]

35Mbps upstream! Wow.
My ISP would charge a king's ransom for that.

 

[sm00thpapa]

35 up is nice. My max plan by my ISP is 90 down and 10 up for $50.00 a month. I'm paying for 60 down and 5 up $35.00 a month.

 

[azazel1024]

FIOS is nice sometimes. Comcast actually has a slightly faster downstream plan at 105 down, but I think it is only 20 up? Or maybe it is 15 up.

IIRC the Comcast "Blast" 105 plan is about $5 a month more than my Verizon FIOS 75/35 plan, which I think is $79.99 a month, not including "bundle" discounts.

Sadly the next step up is a very healthy 150/65 IIRC, but it is also around $139.99 a month. They also have 300/65 for around $299.99 and I think they also just opened a 600/100 for around $499.99.

Fschk-ing seriously. Lower tiers plans, not too terrible. Higher tier, heck no.

The biggest perk over Comcast is I have never once observed a dip below my 83/38 numbers (well, other than maybe a mbps here or there off the average) no matter day or time of day. When I had Comcast (granted, different house), I'd be lucky to get 75% of my advertised "up to" speeds nights and weekends (which was only 15/3 a couple of years ago).

Kind of just twiddling my thumbs until Verizon upgrades the plans again. They did about 18 months ago. They did away with the 50/25 plan I had been on for the 75/35 at the same price. Now in my area the tiering is a 15/15 for I think $39.99, 25/15 for $49.99, 35/25 for $59.99 and then the other tiers I mentioned.

My fingers are crossed that they'll try to one-up Comcast with something >105Mbps. Maybe just move their 150/65 package down to the 75/35 price tier.

I can hope. My combined bill of around $135 a month (TV, Phone, Internet, DVR rental - huge host of discounts) is about all I am willing to bare and still not happy about it.

 

[sm00thpapa]

I'm paying $280.00 a month for triple bundle. Damn rip off here. But I do have 6 boxes. 1 of them is a dvr.

Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk

 

[sfx2000]

Sounds like a possible incompatibility between the router and the iPhone 5 and iPad 3. Its certainly possible. Mine have been working fine with Netgear 3500L, TP-Link WDR3600 and also TP-Link 841nd. I have a hard time convincing my phone to connect on 5GHz (iPhone 5), but on 2.4GHz it'll generally hit around 50Mbps down and 35Mbps up (my plan is 75/35 and my desktop will hit 83/38). My wife's iPad 2 likes 5GHz, but also is 65Mbps only and hits around 30/30. Her phone is the same, but on 2.4GHz (iPhone 4s).

I didn't see any major compat issues with my WRT1900ac sample and IOS devices...

One thing to check though, and this is specific to the 2.4GHz radio on the WRT1900ac - change the Network Mode from "mixed" to "Wireless B/G/N Only" - this should resolve most, if not all of your problems...

While you're there - also verify that your Channel Width is set to 20Mhz only - be a good neighbor

 

[azazel1024]

I didn't see any major compat issues with my WRT1900ac sample and IOS devices...

One thing to check though, and this is specific to the 2.4GHz radio on the WRT1900ac - change the Network Mode from "mixed" to "Wireless B/G/N Only" - this should resolve most, if not all of your problems...

While you're there - also verify that your Channel Width is set to 20Mhz only - be a good neighbor

My nearest neighbor is 150ft away and doesn't have wifi. My next nearest is >>200ft and through a bunch of trees. I can barely see their networks even outside of my house, so interference isn't an issue. I hog all 2.4GHz bands with my access points (1+5 on one and the other two at different ends of the house on 11).

I actually have my APs set to 11n only for 2.4 and 5GHz.

I have noticed over the last few days that my devices seem to be going to 5GHz a little more readily. I wonder if there is a bit of learning involved on the driver or OS end of things. Sometimes they still go to 2.4GHz, but it seems to be that they are doing that when it is a bit more appropriate to be on 2.4.

Even with my AP that is set to 40MHz on 2.4 and 5GHz a lot of my stuff is going to 5GHz now.

I think the difference might have been replacing my router from the 3500L Netgear to the wdr3600 TP-Link. Since the router is set to 20MHz 2.4 and 40MHz 5, I think what might be happening is devices are associating on 5GHz with that since it is wider and when I roam they are prefering the band they were already on, so they associate with my other AP on 5GHz again instead of switching to 2.4GHz.

Its only a guess, but I did notice the big change after I replaced my router a couple of nights ago.

Anyway, just a guess.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
IIRC, iOS-WRT1900AC is known problem. OP, talked to Linksys support folks?

 

[RogerSC]

On iOS devices, if you go into "Settings", then "General", and then "Reset", you can "Reset Network Settings". If you do this it cleans your network settings, and starts over, you need to reconnect with your router.

I was wondering if you've tried that? This has helped me with both the WRT1900AC and R7000 when something changes.

The other thing that you can do is "forget" the wireless network, and then reconnect with it. That can also help sometimes.

If you've already tried both of these, never mind *smile*.