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Linksys EA6700 seems to be cutting download speed in half

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Haupt

New Around Here
Hi all,

I’ve recently (past month) been going through some signal issues with Comcast/Xfinity that seem to be resolved now. My Internet package speed had received speed upgrades from 250 download to 300 to 400. And I’d never seen an increase in speed despite reprovisioning of the modem, replacing (along with reprovisioning and restarting) the modem, and ultimately ending up with a new Motorola Mb8600 Docsis 3.1 modem to ensure that was not the issue.

Comcast replaced my wall-jack when there was a signal issue (complete loss of internet) a few weeks ago. But that resolved that issue and I didn’t see any performance improvement from the previous baseline until today.
Over the phone with advanced technical support, Comcast re-tuned some of the channels or signals between the their box and my modem and gradually reduced static to where I could get my full 400mbps download (even up to 480mbps download due to the 20% overprovisioning) with a computer connected directly via 5e cable to my modem.
However, even after restarting the modem and my router, I still cannot achieve any faster than 195-199 mbps via wifi or with Ethernet hooked up from my computer to my router. This leads me to believe that now that the Comcast speed is fixed, the router is the remaining roadblock.

I have already tried disabling device prioritization, or re-enabling it and setting my maximum ISP provisioned speed (or setting it as unlimited). I am testing with a device that is on the priority list and there aren’t other competing network activities.

No dice, stuck in the 180’s-190’s downloads for anything behind the Linksys EA6700 router. I’ve been searching this forum and haven’t seen anything quite the same (where changing device prioritization to one of many combinations didn’t help). I’ve achieved a download of up to 480 mbps wired into my modem. But can’t beat 200mbps via wireless or wired Ethernet into my router, with either of 2 laptops, and iPad or an iPhone.

The router firmware is up to date. I have tried turning off a few firewalls, testing, and then reactivated after they didn’t change the results.

Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time ladies and gentlemen.
 
Last edited:
You're hitting the CPU max throughput without CTF. Make sure Prioritization is off and in Connectivity, Administration checkbox CTF is selected. I don't have the router, but I remember playing with EA6x00 routers and DD-WRT/Tomato years ago. They definitely can do >200Mbps with CTF enabled. The hardware is very similar to R7000/AC68U routers. I'm surprised you still use this router today. Good hardware, but quite bad Belkin original software. If you can't resolve the issue, reset the router and don't change anything you don't need to change. It comes with CTF enabled by default.
 
You're hitting the CPU max throughput without CTF. Make sure Prioritization is off and in Connectivity, Administration checkbox CTF is selected. I don't have the router, but I remember playing with EA6x00 routers and DD-WRT/Tomato years ago. They definitely can do >200Mbps with CTF enabled. The hardware is very similar to R7000/AC68U routers. I'm surprised you still use this router today. Good hardware, but quite bad Belkin original software. If you can't resolve the issue, reset the router and don't change anything you don't need to change. It comes with CTF enabled by default.
Thank you for the 2 suggestions and precise directions. Cut Through Forwarding was already on, BUT I discovered that once I turned CTF off and then disabled prioritization before re-enabling CTF, my wireless download speeds jumped to 360mbps and wired speeds to 450. Id never heard the router’s cable-whine so high pitched!

I didn’t realize how much the “prioritization” was dragging down the performance on a prioritized device. As you said. It must’ve been the CPU usage from it. Enabling it killed any benefit from CTF being enabled, and I had to specifically use the order of operations I described above (prioritization off, before CTF on) to have increased performance. If I disabled prioritization while CTF was enabled, I got no benefit, had to turn CTF on while prioritization was already off! Odd glitch!

Thank you!

As for still having the EA6700. I’d been on the cheaper side buying it 3-4 years ago and it had never limited me before (theoretical 2.4 GHz at 450mbps, or 1300mbps for 5GHz). I do see going up against its CPU limits here meaning a new router is in pipeline before any further speed upgrades! Those theoretical numbers sure do look pretty on a product’s box, but reality of all the other hardware in the unit prevails.
 
I haven't checked lately what's going on with older Linksys routers, but there is a firmware release from 11/2020! This is impressive. If the firmware works well there is no reason to rush with the replacement. The hardware is rock solid and is capable to handle your current ISP just fine. Asus still sells their version AC68U and even re-released it as AC66U B1. Netgear R7000 is still used by many today. EA6x00 series routers have 2 firmware copies and if one fails it switches automatically to the other. The good old days when home routers were made right.
 

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