Slow download speeds on 5Ghz from new RT AX57 GO

[erotavlas]

I'm getting really disappointing results from this router on the 5Ghz band compared to results I've seen in reviews online. I am using this router in Access Point mode, with wired connected to my ISP modem. The first settings I changed was 2Ghz is set to 40Mhz, and 5Ghz set to 80Mhz, as well as used wifi analyzer to select best channels.

I have 1Gbps down and 800 up fiber connection via my ISP. My ISP router gives respectable speeds over WiFi on 5Ghz, for example, I just tested a few feet away from it (I'm testing with my smartphone, its only capable of AC not the new AX (as with all my devices)

In the room where the Asus router is located and I tested the 2Ghz band first and the results are pretty good

On the 5Ghz band I am consistently getting this result, where the download speed is roughly half the upload speed

I tested last night and this morning and same result each time. I tried changing multiple setting and rebooting multiple times with no effect. There is nothing in the house using up the bandwidth that would account for the slower download speed.

The reason I think this is bad result is prior to trying this router, I tried two range extenders, TP-Link RE705X and the Asus RP-AX58. Both of these extenders I set up similarly as access point using wired ethernet cable to my ISP router. They both performed comparably on 5Ghz and the speeds I was getting were more what I expected. For example same testing as above using my smartphone and a few feet away from device,

Asus RP-AX58 was giving me
- 2Ghz - 40 down / 80 up
- 5Ghz - 571 down / 495 up

TP-Link RE705X
- 2Ghz - 103 down / 101 up
- 5Ghz - 582 down / 592 up

Do I have a lemon? Or is this some kind of limitation of this particular router? All the reviews I saw for this router show the download speeds to be much better than this.

Could there be a particular combination of settings I need to use to get this to have better performance on 5Ghz?

EDIT: I changed settings of the router according to this post https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ax86u-check-my-settings-please.83200/#post-819047
The result was more normal (download closer in value to upload speed) but still way slower than the two extenders I tested.

EDIT 2: Decided to check the LAN connection so took my MacBook and connected it to the router using ethernet cable. I get this result which is 200 Mbps slower than expected (I did same exact test connected directly to router next and got 710 up / 780 down.)

So definitely something weird with this router. Either that or the cable going to the router is faulty (but if that was the case it would have shown crappy results for the range extenders I tested but it didn't)

EDIT 3: Tried a new ethernet wire connecting the Asus to the ISP router (the one that was supplied with the Asus router) and same results. So the original ethernet cable is working fine and not the problem.

 

[erotavlas]

I exchanged the router for a new one and the results are the same. It behaves as if it's throttling the download speed for both wireless and LAN connection. 5Ghz wireless download is always around half the speed of upload.

Does anyone have any ideas about this?

 

[Tech9]

The first settings I changed was 2Ghz is set to 40Mhz, and 5Ghz set to 80Mhz, as well as used wifi analyzer to select best channels.

Both actions incorrect - on 2.4GHz 40MHz wide channel is not recommended (interference and shorter range) and Wi-Fi Analyzer type apps won't show you the channel with most available bandwidth (only what other APs around are tuned to). On RT-AX57 Go performance - it's a travel router and the performance is not the main priority. Many home routers even in entry-level category will outperform it in both wired and wireless connections.

I am using this router in Access Point mode, with wired connected to my ISP modem.

Not the best AP choice and you perhaps have ISP modem/router not a modem only. If this ISP device has Wi-Fi - it may also outperform a travel router.

 

[erotavlas]

Both actions incorrect - on 2.4GHz 40MHz wide channel is not recommended (interference and shorter range) and Wi-Fi Analyzer type apps won't show you the channel with most available bandwidth (only what other APs around are tuned to). On RT-AX57 Go performance - it's a travel router and the performance is not the main priority. Many home routers even in entry-level category will outperform it in both wired and wireless connections.



Not the best AP choice and you perhaps have ISP modem/router not a modem only. If this ISP device has Wi-Fi - it may also outperform a travel router.

Then how do you explain the results form this reviewers tests?

Asus RT-AX57 Go Review: A Solid Travel Router | Dong Knows Tech

They are getting speeds that are the same or better than some full size routers. I just need it for myself so it should be able to handle one or two connections.

Also you are correct that I have an ISP modem/router. It has WiFi and performs well as noted in my test shown in first image of original post.

 

[Tech9]

Also you are correct that I have an ISP modem/router. It has WiFi and performs well

Why is this additional AP needed then?

Then how do you explain the results form this reviewers tests?

Different test client, different test environment... many variables in speed equation.

 

[erotavlas]

Why is this additional AP needed then?



Different test client, different test environment... many variables in speed equation.

The test was done a few feet away from ISP router, AP is needed in different area of home where the speeds drop to a fraction of that (8 up / 8 down)

 

[Tech9]

If you have no real Internet use issue - don't stress out too much about speedtest numbers. Wi-Fi is constantly changing environment, home routers firmware is not perfect, not all the client devices are the same, etc. If it doesn't create any real issues - disregard and live your life as usual.

 

[Tech9]

Also note my example settings are for compatibility, not speed. Also for a completely different Broadcom based device. Looking at the specs of RT-AX57 Go - perhaps MediaTek hardware and may work better with different settings. I have no MediaTek Asus routers to test with, you have to experiment.

 

[sfx2000]

Then how do you explain the results form this reviewers tests?

Asus RT-AX57 Go Review: A Solid Travel Router | Dong Knows Tech

They are getting speeds that are the same or better than some full size routers. I just need it for myself so it should be able to handle one or two connections.

Dong is well known for Pay for Play in his reviews...

 

[McKey]

Please try again the mentioned non Asus AP (TP-Link). Be sure that you are using the same port on the ISP router and the same "original" cable. Im suspecting that maybe something in the settings of the ISP router are capping the download on that port. And you just used a different port before with the non Asus APs. Once i had an ISP router that had only one 1Gig LAN port, and all the other ports was limited to different speeds...

 

[erotavlas]

Just to update, I tried two of the same router each purchased from two different stores, both with the latest firmware. Both routers behaved exactly the same. They simply would never exceed around 330Mbps on the 5Ghz band. No matter where I was located, no matter what settings I used.

So I returned both of them and the speed cap is probably just some weird hardware (or non user configurable software) limitation of the router itself.