900 / 450 Fibre - Only getting 600 across my network.

[jackhstep]

Hello,

I am really struggling to find an issue with my network to the point I think I am going crazy

I have since 2022 been on a 900 down and 450 up plan (this is OFNL in the UK fyi) however for the past 5 days I have been getting anywhere from 200 - 600 down.

my setup goes like this, ONT - AX88UPRO - INTERNAL CAT5E - ASUS AC86U - PC

Then there is another computer connected via cat5e internal but bypasses the AC86U. Routers are connected via AI Mesh. Just for reference the speed issue is with both devices and ASUS Internal speed test.

So, first thing my ISP did was blame my equipment as I was not using their router, fair enough, so I used their router with the same issue. I did wonder if my internal wiring failed so opted to use a 3rd newly build computer to try my ISP’s ideal setup. I have also replaced the wired from ONT TO WAN just incase.

ONT - ISP ROUTER - PC

they did their tests and found nothing wrong, this computer was getting 600 down at best - Being the only device connected and with WiFi completely disabled. Again, everyone wired to the network has the same issue.

I also tied just the AC88U pro, nothing and the AC86U as the router… nothing.

they send an engineer over, plugs directly into the ONT “yeah got 1000 down here bud, fastest I have seen” they replaced the ONT anyway just incase but couldn’ti do much more than that.

The issue is still not fixed no matter what I do, I am so stuck and I’m getting the internet I have not paid for. I’m obviously not just wasting peoples time but it feels like it.

just for reference, my internet before was easily 900 across ALL wired devices without so much as a hiccup, for almost 3 years, until 5 days ago.

My knowledge isn’t great and I am no engineer, is there anything else I can try?

 

[Tech9]

until 5 days ago

So... 5 days ago your speed dropped from 900 to 600 and you already swapped routers, called the ISP few times and they already did two visits and replaced your ONT just in case... and you are already complaining for overpaying? What did 911 operator say?

yeah got 1000 down here bud

If the speed at the ONT is really as advertised - the issue is obviously around the equipment behind it. No one can help you by model number alone though. You have to provide details about firmware, what is running on the main router and in what configuration.

 

[jackhstep]

So... 5 days ago your speed dropped from 900 to 600 and you already swapped routers, called the ISP few times and they already did two visits and replaced your ONT just in case... and you are already complaining for overpaying? What did 911 operator say?



If the speed at the ONT is really as advertised - the issue is obviously around the equipment behind it. No one can help you by model number alone though. You have to provide details about firmware, what is running on the main router and in what configuration.

Thanks for the reply. It has been over a week now however I copied and pasted this message from other posts. I haven’t called me ISP i opened a support ticket which was ongoing until 2 days when said engineer came over which was one visit.

Yes I am complaining about not getting my advertised speeds? Unsure if the sarcasm is needed?

I have 3 routers in my home, my unused ISP one, my main AX88U Pro and my AC86U. They have all been reset and tried being the “main router” with one device connected for testing purposes. The Asus routers are running latest Merlin software and the ISP one I am not familiar with bu it is branded ZYXEL.

I understand there may be an issue with the equipment but I havent got a clie what. My. Knowledge does not extend into the advanced range on this topic. Everything past the ONT has been changed with various configurations to the same result. I even pulled 7 down after the ONT was replaced consistently.

I have monitored my network and nothing is siphoning it from what I can tell.

I do not understand what is wrong nor do I possess the knowledge to dive further into this which is why I am requesting help.

Thanks,

 

[Tech9]

I personally see nothing wrong because residential lines are "up to" and not guaranteed. I also see no urgency to perform any of the above actions just few days after speed test shows some lower numbers. You have replaced the ISP equipment knowing you become responsible for it. We have discussed speed test troubleshooting to the Moon and back. I'm sure you'll find your answers in previous discussions.

 

[jackhstep]

I personally see nothing wrong because residential lines are "up to" and not guaranteed. I also see no urgency to perform any of the above actions just few days after speed test shows some lower numbers. You have replaced the ISP equipment knowing you become responsible for it. We have discussed speed test troubleshooting to the Moon and back. I'm sure you'll find your answers in previous discussions.

My concern is a sudden drop in speeds and huge instability - Yes, I changed ISP equipment, but I also changed to their equipment with the same results. I have tried every single guide and spent so much time trying to fix this but there is no solution, nothing has worked. I changed all my cabled, I changed router 3 times, I changed computer 3 times, nothing, I reset everything, I used only ISP equipment. It was perfect until a week ago, not a single issue, 900 bang on, sometimes even more across my entire wired network, then it drops and I should not be concerned?

 

[Tech9]

huge instability

You never said a word about instability in your initial issue description. In this case and if you have really done all of the above - restore the original ISP equipment and ask the ISP to fix it. This way they can't blame your own equipment.

900 bang on, sometimes even more across my entire wired network, then it drops and I should not be concerned?

I have "up to Gigabit" ISP line at home, it ranges from maximum 940Mbps to 400Mbps sometimes in high traffic hours. If there is a popular sports game the speed goes down, but most of the time is above 700Mbps. This shared bandwidth fluctuation doesn't affect my normal Internet use in any way. If I don't run speed tests I won't notice it. I don't run speed tests. Should I be concerned?

 

[jackhstep]

You never said a word about instability in your initial issue description. In this case and if you have really done all of the above - restore the original ISP equipment and ask the ISP to fix it. This way they can't blame your own equipment.



I have "up to Gigabit" ISP line at home, it ranges from maximum 940Mbps to 400Mbps sometimes in high traffic hours. If there is a popular sports game the speed goes down, but most of the time is above 700Mbps. This shared bandwidth fluctuation doesn't affect my normal Internet use in any way. If I don't run speed tests I won't notice it. I don't run speed tests. Should I be concerned?

Apologies, I missed something from my initial statement. I have used ISP equipment, they basically said nothing they can do ONT onwards and along the lines of "tough luck" - Today I have been getting 400 down, I have also placed a network monitor, and while conducting speed tests there has been nothing on the network. I am in a 2 person household anyway, but it has never been this bad. I also tried a virtual machine and nothing has changed.

Edit - Just do add, they have said on their side they can do their own speed tests from the router and they said there is no issue, but they refused to disclose what speed they would consider a non issue.

I am just confused; nobody knows what is wrong or what the issue is. Nobody knows how to fix this. Everything that comes out of any router I use is horrifically slow with any combination of computers or wires or devices.

Could there be a virus implanted on my routers that is siphoning my bandwidth?? Im out of ideas.

 

[Tech9]

I am in a 2 person household anyway

You are stressing yourself for no reason. Work with the ISP, be polite, they'll find what's wrong eventually. In my parents house the ISP was 100/40 for years and just recently the line self-upgrade to 300/40. There is no difference whatsoever for web browsing and streaming. I found the line was upgraded by accident. Not sure why you pay for Gigabit for 2 users.

 

[tgl]

If you had a virus constantly eating half your available bandwidth, it would take a quite incompetent ISP not to notice that, especially if you were complaining about speed. So I discount that theory.

 

[degrub]

Install the ISP router. Document that their router is providing significantly less bandwidth over a week using their speed tests. Ask them to replace their router with new, up to date version. If they have documented that they get Gigabit from the ONT, then there may be an issue with their old router. Politely hold them to that until they can get Gigabit throughput on their router.

And yes, if the service contract reads "up to gigabit", they will not have to do anything as it is a "best effort" contract. Your only remedy may be to change providers if that is possible.