Linksys WRT1900AC Wireless Performance

[cagezero]

I am having troubles with my wrt1900ac speed. I am using http://www.speedtest.net/ for testing. I am comparing this router to a Asus RT-N56U.

For testing, I am swapping both routers out of the same location/connection and running the speed test from my computer. The Asus continually passes 100Mbps on the 5GHz radio, but the Linksys is maxing out at ~70Mbps. I have tried a variety of settings on the Linksys including various antenna positions, but I can't get it to perform as well as advertised.

I am preparing to send it back citing a defective radio, but I wanted to check if anyone has a suggestion for correcting the issue before I do.

Thanks.

 

[L&LD]

I am having troubles with my wrt1900ac speed. I am using http://www.speedtest.net/ for testing. I am comparing this router to a Asus RT-N56U.

For testing, I am swapping both routers out of the same location/connection and running the speed test from my computer. The Asus continually passes 100Mbps on the 5GHz radio, but the Linksys is maxing out at ~70Mbps. I have tried a variety of settings on the Linksys including various antenna positions, but I can't get it to perform as well as advertised.

I am preparing to send it back citing a defective radio, but I wanted to check if anyone has a suggestion for correcting the issue before I do.

Thanks.

You could expand on the 'tried a variety of settings'.

 

[cagezero]

Sure thing. Here are the settings I remember trying (I did not log them as I went, so I can't remember which settings were better than another):

Network Mode- Mixed
Channel- Auto
Channel Width- Auto

Network Mode- n-only
Channel- Auto
Channel Width- Auto

Network Mode- Mixed
Channel- 36-5.180Ghz
Channel Width- Auto

Network Mode- Mixed
Channel- 161-5.805Ghz
Channel Width- Auto

Network Mode- Mixed
Channel- Auto
Channel Width- 40MHz

I adjusted the antenna in a variety of ways with these settings. The changes I made varied my speed results between the mid 50s and max of 70, but never came near 100 as it should. Admittedly this was not the most scientific series of tests, but without a reason to try one setting over another, continuing to enumerate the combinations seemed haphazard at best. Any suggestions?

 

[sfx2000]

I am having troubles with my wrt1900ac speed. I am using http://www.speedtest.net/ for testing. I am comparing this router to a Asus RT-N56U.

What are you using for a client?

Might also consider using DSL Reports SpeedTest as it is far more accurate - speediest.net doesn't push enough data to get consistent results.

 

[cagezero]

I am using a macbook pro. I tried DSL Reports and received similar results (slightly faster at 73Mbps).

 

[sfx2000]

Which version of WRT1900ac (v1/V2/ACS?)?
What version of WRT1900 firmware?
Which model of MacBook Pro (ex. MacBook Pro Retina 2015)?
What version of OS X? (specific here, example El Captitan 10.11.3...)

How far are you away from the router - have you tried at different distances - let's say 2 meters, 5 meters, 10 meters...

What's your wired performance like on the MBP (if you have onboard GiGe or Thunderbolt GiGe)

 

[cagezero]

version: ac, v1
firmware: 1.1.10.167514 (newest avail)
distance from router: 2-3 meters
os: 10.10.5
mbp year: late 2011

Both the Asus and Linksys consistently hit over 100Mbps when using a wired connection. I pay for 100Mbps. The Asus continues to hit over 100Mbps when using the 5GHz radio but the Linksys drops down to ~70.

 

[sfx2000]

version: ac, v1
firmware: 1.1.10.167514 (newest avail)
distance from router: 2-3 meters
os: 10.10.5
mbp year: late 2011

Both the Asus and Linksys consistently hit over 100Mbps when using a wired connection. I pay for 100Mbps. The Asus continues to hit over 100Mbps when using the 5GHz radio but the Linksys drops down to ~70.

Your client is N450 11n (3-streams) - you can try setting the 5GHz radio to N/A mode with auto channel width...

(it's a Marvell thing with the chipsets on the router)

 

[cagezero]

Setting to N/A lowered my speeds to the high 50's...

Are you suggesting that my mbp nic is limiting the linksys from reaching 100Mbps and that if I were to buy any other ac router the results would be the same until I upgrade my computer?

 

[sfx2000]

Setting to N/A lowered my speeds to the high 50's...

Are you suggesting that my mbp nic is limiting the linksys from reaching 100Mbps and that if I were to buy any other ac router the results would be the same until I upgrade my computer?

No... not at all - the Marvell chipset in the WRT1900ac is a bit conservative compared to the Broadcom chipsets in the Asus...

 

[cagezero]

OK. I am also noticing a mechanical noise coming from the router as the speeds approach 50Mbps. Could be the fan, but it does not sound like it to me. I will defer to your experience here, but the inability for this router to reach even 100Mbps over 5G sounds like something is wrong. It is a smoking nice piece of hardware and everything I have read about it suggests that it should easily be able to handle these speeds.

 

[sfx2000]

That's odd... I have a MacBook Pro 2012 (not Retina), from a WiFi perspective, not much different than your MBP 2011 edition - ElCap 10.11.3, and on my iPerf internal server, I'm getting consistent 150Mbps across the wireless...

Hardline is around 800Mbps...

Odd...

 

[cagezero]

Hmmm... I am going to return this one and possibly see about getting another. Is yours v1, v2 or acs? Truth be told I do not need the wireless right the moment, but I can't justify hanging on to an expensive piece of hardware that is malfunctioning. I might look into a small business wired unit for now and pick up the wireless in a few weeks as an add on.

Thanks for taking the time to look into this with me.

 

[sfx2000]

V2 here... I've got a V1 remote serving my folk's house...