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Ookla Speedtest is inaccurate in RT-AX86U Pro Results

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cowboy

Regular Contributor
On my RT-AX86U Pro (3004.388.7), testing my internet speed reveals a lower rate compared to when I test on my mobile phone through the Ookla Speedtest App while sitting near the router. My internet provider offers 1000 Mbit/s download and 50 Mbit/s upload speeds. I have repeated the Tests few times and it is always the same result. The speed is higher on the mobile phone than through the Router. (The phone is directly connected to the Router)

From the router:
Screenshot_20240701_194145_com.android.chrome_edit_120211687712906.jpg


From mobile phone:

Screenshot_20240704_113336_org.zwanoo.android.speedtest_edit_15035862608121.jpg


On my other Asus Routers this is not the case.
Is this a specific bug in the RTAX86U Pro Router ?
 
When my RT-AX86U Pro was the router, it easily measured my 370/11 cable ISP speeds (with quick and smooth rise response graphs).

OE
 
Is this a specific bug in the RTAX86U Pro Router ?
Likely something on your end or a bad test server. Reporting fine on my end with a RT-AX86U Pro (3004.388.7) on a 500/500 broadband connection. Testing just now:
Internet_Speed.jpg


Past history shows roughly the same speed:
History.jpg


PS: Check that you are not trying to run a speed test through a VPN connection. If you do, it will likely be limited to VPN tunnel speed.
 
Last edited:
It was 42.35Mbps @ 19:37, but a mere 1 minute earlier @ 19:36 it was 147.22Mbps. That's quite a variance. So we know it's capable of much more than 42.35Mbps. It suggests other things on the router may be eating up CPU cycles during testing. You might want to monitor system resources during the test w/ the top command.
 
PS: Check that you are not trying to run a speed test through a VPN connection. If you do, it will likely be limited to VPN tunnel speed.

Good point. However, if the VPN client on the router was configured to route everything through the VPN (i.e., NO VPN Director), then both the router and mobile device would be similarly effected, yet we know both have different results. OTOH, if the VPN Director was active, this removes the router itself from the VPN. ALL it's own internal traffic will be routed over the WAN, regardless what is happening to LAN devices wrt the VPN Director.
 
I tested it by connecting directly with my phone to the Router. No VPN.

Maybe something went wrong after I upgraded to Merlin firmware.

I tested a few times on different days.
 
All good on my AX86U Pro with latest Merlin release (using 1Gb WAN port since my XB6 cable modem doesn’t have a 2.5Gb port):

IMG_4863.jpeg


From my phone (WiFi using 80MHz channel):

IMG_4864.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I've seen similar anomalies. My router shows significantly slower to the exact same server than my desktop, which is connected via gig ethernet into said router. Verizon FIOS fwiw. My router results used to be more consistent with my device tests. My devices are correct (I can tell from monitoring DL speeds) so I just don't bother/trust the router result.



Screenshot 2024-07-06 124016.png
 
I've seen similar anomalies. My router shows significantly slower to the exact same server than my desktop, which is connected via gig ethernet into said router. Verizon FIOS fwiw. My router results used to be more consistent with my device tests. My devices are correct (I can tell from monitoring DL speeds) so I just don't bother/trust the router result.



View attachment 59999
This is interesting. Was it always like this?
 
This is interesting. Was it always like this?
Well you can see I don't use it a lot, but no, it used to be consistent:

Screenshot 2024-07-06 182948.png


EDIT:
haha so I just decided to test again. I give up. It's probably fine. (DIfferent server from before)

Screenshot 2024-07-06 183217.png
 

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