As I now have three persons at home; streaming, zooming, surfing and working... I sometimes experience a good deal of non-performance with my internet connection. [Thanks, COVID!] Would getting a new router help me?

I have an ASUS RT-AC66R that I purchased a few years back... seems to me an upgrade might be in order.

What says the forum experts?

I have the higher speed connection offered by my cable provider, Optimum.

Not unless you have the clients aka mobile device like phone, laptop, tv that supports something greater.
That spec out as a WIFI-5 supporting AC and is dual band.
5ghz 802.11AC configured on both the AP and the client is still quite good.
The newer WIFI-6 will support all that and more.
Unless your device ALSO supports AX then it won't warrant upgrading the AP.
FWIW, only the latest machines support AX, there are NO USB AX adaptors made, very few PCIE add on adaptors.
If the device uses the Intel AX200 or AX201 chipset then it will work great.
Bottom line: if you get a new one then get one that support WiFi-6 on both the AP and the end-device.

Note the PHY (SPEED)

Many thanks!

... and here I was , thinking that buying a new black box would solve my problem.

We are now taking care of our 7YO niece, who is addicted to some game called "Roblox." Apparently, this game requires you to chat with 5 of your grade school friends while creating flying toasters and vanilla-filled aardvarks or something...

Then the wife starts video chatting with patients and I get a "buggy" Microsoft Team call.

First world problems, to be sure.

I'm not an IT guy. I bought:

this: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/n...5940.p?skuId=6345940

and this: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/n...3082.p?skuId=6373082

and I have the best internet of my life! I have 400mbps with xfinity. Have 25-30 devices connected. Thanks to covid my wife and I both work from home, for along while we had the kids at home too. At peak usage, we've had 2 HD TV's going, iPad going, video conferencing all day on one computer, and 2 other computers working too. We've had zero lag, everything loads fast and all our devices connected have no issues. Now I can get wifi down my street and at the furthers corners of my back yard which is fairly large for an urban area. Zero dead spots in my entire house/garage/yard/street. Its incredible.

In my house I get 300-460mbps. In the far part of my yard and street I get 100+.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JohnV,

6 years is pretty ancient for home networking gear. I’d upgrade, the new routers are far better than 6 years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
As I now have three persons at home; streaming, zooming, surfing and working... I sometimes experience a good deal of non-performance with my internet connection. [Thanks, COVID!] Would getting a new router help me?

I have the higher speed connection offered by my cable provider, Optimum.

It's very possible that your problem, is not YOUR problem! If EVERYONE on your WAN (Wide Area Network) / in your neighborhood is multi-person family, with parents working from home while all their children/students are remote learning, and EVERYONE is streaming, zooming, surfing & working, at the same time (all day!) there may not be enough Bandwidth available to you to support your needs.

I'm a Comcast/Xfinity customer...
I have a 300 Mbps Internet service, but I consistently get 90 Mbps whenever I run a Bandwidth SpeedTest, regardless of whether I'm testing via a WiFi, or hardwired Ethernet Connection! My equipment includes a 1.4 Gbps Cable Modem, and a WiFi Router that will far exceed 300 Mbps via Wifi, while having Gigabit Ethernet. The problem is NOT my problem, but of course Comcast denies it's a Bandwidth/WAN problem on their end!

I'm cancelling my Cable TV at a $100/month savings and going full streaming via Roku next week. I'm sick of all the problems w/ Comcast Xfinity....And I don't REALLY watch TV anyway!

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
6 years is pretty ancient for home networking gear. I’d upgrade, the new routers are far better than 6 years ago.

This is music to my ears... not sure I want to spring for the WIFi 6 gear... although it is tempting. I just don’t think I need that much power. (Does that statement put my man card in jeopardy?)

I have an Arris surfboard from my cable provider... can that new Netgear surfboard make a noticeable difference?

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
As I now have three persons at home; streaming, zooming, surfing and working... I sometimes experience a good deal of non-performance with my internet connection. [Thanks, COVID!] Would getting a new router help me?

I have the higher speed connection offered by my cable provider, Optimum.

It's very possible that your problem, is not YOUR problem! If EVERYONE on your WAN (Wide Area Network) / in your neighborhood is multi-person family, with parents working from home while all their children/students are remote learning, and EVERYONE is streaming, zooming, surfing & working, at the same time (all day!) there may not be enough Bandwidth available to you to support your needs.

I'm a Comcast/Xfinity customer...
I have a 300 Mbps Internet service, but I consistently get 90 Mbps whenever I run a Bandwidth SpeedTest, regardless of whether I'm testing via a WiFi, or hardwired Ethernet Connection! My equipment includes a 1.4 Gbps Cable Modem, and a WiFi Router that will far exceed 300 Mbps via Wifi, while having Gigabit Ethernet. The problem is NOT my problem, but of course Comcast denies it's a Bandwidth/WAN problem on their end!

I'm cancelling my Cable TV at a $100/month savings and going full streaming via Roku next week. I'm sick of all the problems w/ Comcast Xfinity....And I don't REALLY watch TV anyway!

115 download and 25 upload according to Ookla.

I would say it is not needed but should be considered a likely upgrade in the not so distant future. From my personal experience it seems like my routers tend to develop issues after 5 years or so. They are never dirty but I suspect it is somehow related to heat generated over that time.

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
As I now have three persons at home; streaming, zooming, surfing and working... I sometimes experience a good deal of non-performance with my internet connection. [Thanks, COVID!] Would getting a new router help me?

I have the higher speed connection offered by my cable provider, Optimum.

I'm a Comcast/Xfinity customer...
I have a 300 Mbps Internet service, but I consistently get 90 Mbps whenever I run a Bandwidth SpeedTest, regardless of whether I'm testing via a WiFi, or hardwired Ethernet Connection! My equipment includes a 1.4 Gbps Cable Modem, and a WiFi Router that will far exceed 300 Mbps via Wifi, while having Gigabit Ethernet. The problem is NOT my problem...

115 download and 25 upload according to Ookla.

Sooo, what bandwidth speed are you paying for? Can you disconnect your router from the Cable Modem and run the SpeedTest with the Modem connected directly to a PC?

You may or may not have a network hardware issue (Modem or Router), but the age of your Router does NOT necessarily indicate it's the likely culprit. In my case, I've determined that my four year old Netgear hardware (CM700 Cable Modem and Nighthawk X8 R8500 Router) is NOT the problem.

I you haven't seen/read it, there's some good info re: troubleshooting your issue in this thread --> https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/8770021084

Good Luck...And may the odds be ever in your favor!

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Not unless you have the clients aka mobile device like phone, laptop, tv that supports something greater.

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
6 years is pretty ancient for home networking gear. I’d upgrade, the new routers are far better than 6 years ago.

This is music to my ears...

The first answer was from a guy that does networking, including WiFi, for a living. That's the one who's correct, in my view. (I used to do networking for a living, too.)

That being said: I know they're popular, but I've never been a fan of, never experienced what I'd call sterling results, from ASUS gear.

Does that ASUS device give you any load/usage diagnostics? The Ubiquiti access point I used to use and the EnGenius AP I currently use does, so there's no guessing as to what's going on with my WiFi network.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
I'm a Comcast/Xfinity customer...
I have a 300 Mbps Internet service, but I consistently get 90 Mbps whenever I run a Bandwidth SpeedTest, regardless of whether I'm testing via a WiFi, or hardwired Ethernet Connection!

Hie theeself over to broadbandreports.com, specifically to the Comcast broadband forum there, and post about your problem. They will help you determine if it's really a Comcast issue. If it's determined it is, there's a Comcast direct forum where you can contact Comcast trouble-shooters directly to seek relief.

FWIW: We have Comcast Business High-Speed Internet. It's billed as 75/15. I never fail to get less than that, and usually see 80/20.

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
6 years is pretty ancient for home networking gear. I’d upgrade, the new routers are far better than 6 years ago.

This is music to my ears... not sure I want to spring for the WIFi 6 gear... although it is tempting. I just don’t think I need that much power. (Does that statement put my man card in jeopardy?)

I have an Arris surfboard from my cable provider... can that new Netgear surfboard make a noticeable difference?

If that is music to your ears then you need a hearing aid.
The statement is a generalization made out of ignorance and no experience.

SM,

I fully admit my ignorance on this topic, thank you for your commentary on my auditory deficiencies.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
I'm a Comcast/Xfinity customer...
I have a 300 Mbps Internet service, but I consistently get 90 Mbps whenever I run a Bandwidth SpeedTest, regardless of whether I'm testing via a WiFi, or hardwired Ethernet Connection!

Hie theeself over to broadbandreports.com, specifically to the Comcast broadband forum there, and post about your problem. They will help you determine if it's really a Comcast issue. If it's determined it is, there's a Comcast direct forum where you can contact Comcast trouble-shooters directly to seek relief.

FWIW: We have Comcast Business High-Speed Internet. It's billed as 75/15. I never fail to get less than that, and usually see 80/20.

I plan to pursue this further w/ Comcast, and your suggestion re: Broadband reports is a good one so I may use that as a second flank of pressure to get them to resolve the issue. That said, essentially EVERYONE in my neighborhood is having the same problem, and has been complaining for quite a while about it!

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
SM,

I fully admit my ignorance on this topic, thank you for your commentary on my auditory deficiencies.

FWIW, I was talking about PASig's statement.

You know if you really want a new device you don't need a reason as it's your choice.
However, you asked if you need an upgrade?

If you want a new one that's cool just ask a question based on that.
That's all I'm saying and feel free to disregard any real facts as you see fit.

{sigh}

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
SM,

I fully admit my ignorance on this topic, thank you for your commentary on my auditory deficiencies.

Please allow smschulz a bit of latitude. Us network geeks see a lot of bad advice on a regular basis. Sometimes our patience wears thin and we get a mite twitchy from time-to-time Normally he's more diplomatic than I. (Not that that's a very high bar .)

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
I plan to pursue this further w/ Comcast, and your suggestion re: Broadband reports is a good one so I may use that as a second flank of pressure to get them to resolve the issue. That said, essentially EVERYONE in my neighborhood is having the same problem, and has been complaining for quite a while about it!

That suggests the problem is upstream from you. Perhaps way upstream. I'm going to warn you right now: Residential service customer support is ill-equipped to deal with anything beyond your own service going down or an area-wide outright outage.

Even being on Business Class, which is a whole different support tree from the one you get when you call, I've occasionally had to be escalated to 2nd level when the true problem was way upstream.

E.g.: One time I was out. Found the problem was in Chicago. (I'm in SE Michigan.) What it turned out to be was a transit provider in a large major network peering exchange had gone completely tango uniform.

From where I am, Comcast uses a lot of Level 3 (now part of Lumen Technoligies, nee CenturyLink) for transit. Level 3 used to be a premier backbone and transit provider. Apparently not anymore, because I see persistent connectivity issues wind-up being in L3 transit.

What I'm suggesting is, rather than continuing to bang your head against Comcast Residential customer support, go directly to BBR and start figuring out where the problem lies.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

Please allow smschulz a bit of latitude. Us network geeks see a lot of bad advice on a regular basis. Sometimes our patience wears thin and we get a mite twitchy from time-to-time Normally he's more diplomatic than I. (Not that that's a very high bar .)

You are correct I was a bit testy/crude and I apologize for that.