RT-AC68U poor 5GHz range

[hammy434]

Hey guys, I've recently got an RT-AC68U and although I love all the features of it (QoS, VPN, Wake On LAN etc), I've been a bit disappointed in the 5GHz wireless performance, as my iPhone is regularly dropping wifi signal in places where my previous NETGEAR R6250 worked fine. The only place the Asus does better is in the back garden; all other weak wifi areas have better signal on the Netgear. I'm really surprised by this, as the Asus is almost twice as expensive and has 3 external antennas, whereas the Netgear's antennas are all internal.

I've tried pointing the antennas in loads of different ways but if I'm honest it made no noticeable difference - no matter where they were pointed the wireless signal seemed exactly the same in all rooms.

I haven't really tested 2.4GHz as this is typically much slower than 5GHz, and also because any decent router will cover my whole house easily on 2.4GHz...

If anyone is able to suggest how to improve the 5GHz range I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[KevTech]

Hey guys, I've recently got an RT-AC68U and although I love all the features of it (QoS, VPN, Wake On LAN etc), I've been a bit disappointed in the 5GHz wireless performance, as my iPhone is regularly dropping wifi signal in places where my previous NETGEAR R6250 worked fine. The only place the Asus does better is in the back garden; all other weak wifi areas have better signal on the Netgear. I'm really surprised by this, as the Asus is almost twice as expensive and has 3 external antennas, whereas the Netgear's antennas are all internal.

I've tried pointing the antennas in loads of different ways but if I'm honest it made no noticeable difference - no matter where they were pointed the wireless signal seemed exactly the same in all rooms.

I haven't really tested 2.4GHz as this is typically much slower than 5GHz, and also because any decent router will cover my whole house easily on 2.4GHz...

If anyone is able to suggest how to improve the 5GHz range I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

Try a lower channel (double digit) say maybe 48 or something in that range.

 

[hammy434]

It's currently on 44.

 

[TonyH]

It's currently on 44.

I'd rather try higher channel like 149, 153. Regarding antenna position, turn the whole router 90 deg. left or right.

 

[hammy434]

I'd rather try higher channel like 149, 153. Regarding antenna position, turn the whole router 90 deg. left or right.

Ok I might try that tomorrow, do all devices support channels that high?

 

[TonyH]

Ok I might try that tomorrow, do all devices support channels that high?

As far as I know in NA. My router always did. In my experience higher channel seems to give better signal strength at least in my house always.

 

[lighting]

I would also do a site survey, make sure the channel you're using isn't already in use by someone else (probably on the side of the house AWAY from your back garden!). I use wifiscanner, but you can also use the router's GUI to do much the same thing. (Wireless->Site Survey)

 

[hammy434]

Ok so the highest I can go is 140 so I'll try it on that channel, I'm in the UK if that makes any difference... though my Xbox One's hidden network broadcasts on channel 157 so not sure why I can't use those channels on my router :/

I don't know much about networking, but looking on the Internet, higher 5GHz channels use higher frequencies, so surely they'd have worse range? Unless there's something special about some of the higher channels, or you're getting interference on the lower channels.

I did a site survey around my house and I only picked up two 5GHz networks, at opposite ends of my house, on channels 36 and 48. I'm fairly rural and all the houses around me are detached so it kinda makes sense.