Unable to get router speed to match internet speed

[wzgy291]

My ISP internet speed is rated for 200 Mbps download. The ISP gave me a XB6-T gateway (modem + router) combo. When I connect to the gateway's router wifi, I am getting internet speeds ~200 Mbps as expected.

Problem: I prefer to use my own router, Linksys EA9200 AC3200 Tri-Band. I put the gateway in bridge mode to disable the built-in router feature and connected my Linksys router. When I test the internet speed with my Linksys router, I only get download speeds ~90 Mbps. Why am I not able to get able to get higher speeds with the Linksys router? Based on the router specs, I should get theoretical ~1300 Mbps on a single band ac network. But I am barely get ~100Mbps. I also connected my PC to the Linksys router using ethernet directly. I still only get ~90 Mbps.

When testing and comparing internet speeds between the gateway's router my Linksys router, I confirmed to connect to the ac network (i.e. 5Ghz) and signal strength was not an issue because I was sitting in front of the router.

Edit:

Issue is resolved. It turned out the ethernet cable was bad. I replaced with a new ethernet cable that came with the gateway and it fixed the issue.

 

[drinkingbird]

My ISP internet speed is rated for 200 Mbps download. The ISP gave me a XB6-T gateway (modem + router) combo. When I connect to the gateway's router wifi, I am getting internet speeds ~200 Mbps as expected.

Problem: I prefer to use my own router, Linksys EA9200 AC3200 Tri-Band. I put the gateway in bridge mode to disable the built-in router feature and connected my Linksys router. When I test the internet speed with my Linksys router, I only get download speeds ~90 Mbps. Why am I not able to get able to get higher speeds with the Linksys router? Based on the router specs, I should get theoretical ~1300 Mbps on a single band ac network. But I am barely get ~100Mbps. I also connected my PC to the Linksys router using ethernet directly. I still only get ~90 Mbps.

When testing and comparing internet speeds between the gateway's router my Linksys router, I confirmed to connect to the ac network (i.e. 5Ghz) and signal strength was not an issue because I was sitting in front of the router.

90 megs sounds like you have a link somewhere stuck at 100M instead of gig. Check the cable/connection between the linksys and the ISP router/modem (I'm assuming the linksys at least should show you the link speed).

Check your cable, if it is an old cat5 cable it may only have 4 out of 8 pins connected, which will only give you 100M. Or it could just be a bad cable.

 

[L&LD]

Note too that ~1,300 Mbps speed is (maximum) link speed, not throughput speed.

 

[degrub]

Could be cable or could be router wan port.
what do you get for the linksys Wan port indication when plugged into a Gbit port ?

 

[wzgy291]

Could be cable or could be router wan port.
what do you get for the linksys Wan port indication when plugged into a Gbit port ?

You were right. It turned out to be a a bad ethernet cable. I replaced it with a new one and instantly got ~200Mbps. Not sure what was wrong with the cable. Both old and new cable said cat 5e on it. Thank you!

 

[wzgy291]

90 megs sounds like you have a link somewhere stuck at 100M instead of gig. Check the cable/connection between the linksys and the ISP router/modem (I'm assuming the linksys at least should show you the link speed).

Check your cable, if it is an old cat5 cable it may only have 4 out of 8 pins connected, which will only give you 100M. Or it could just be a bad cable.

You were right. It turned out to be a a bad ethernet cable. I replaced it with a new one and instantly got ~200Mbps. Not sure what was wrong with the cable. Both old and new cable said cat 5e on it. Thank you!

 

[drinkingbird]

You were right. It turned out to be a a bad ethernet cable. I replaced it with a new one and instantly got ~200Mbps. Not sure what was wrong with the cable. Both old and new cable said cat 5e on it. Thank you!

It happens, you plug and unplug them enough and one wire comes loose, or they get bent too sharply a few times and break internally. I actually have one where the RJ45 connector is a bit slimmer than normal and in one laptop if you move it side to side the link goes up and down, but it works fine in another laptop so sometimes it is just a weird incompatibility. That cable obviously went in the trash.

Any time I see ~90 meg limit the first thought is 100M link instead of 1G, it is pretty common.

 

[L&LD]

The most common cable/connector 'issues' are due to tolerances.

When the female connector is on the bigger side of the +- tolerance and the male connector is on the smaller side (or, vice versa).

 

[drinkingbird]

When the female connector is on the bigger side and the male connector is on the smaller side

Definitely results in compatibility issues.

 

[Tech9]

Definitely results in compatibility issues.

Indeed, bigger male connector to smaller female connector is much worse. Networking 101.

 

[sfx2000]

My ISP internet speed is rated for 200 Mbps download. The ISP gave me a XB6-T gateway (modem + router) combo. When I connect to the gateway's router wifi, I am getting internet speeds ~200 Mbps as expected.

Just use the carrier's equipment - it's well designed, and it's going to do a good job for you...

There's a lot of folks that are hard against the carrier gateways - and 10 years ago, that might be true...

 

[drinkingbird]

smaller female

Not a common issue in the US. In fairness, same can be said for males.

 

[Tech9]

Just use the carrier's equipment

Indeed. This ISP gateway is actually better hardware than EA9200 router model 2014.

Not a common issue in the US. In fairness, same can be said for males.

What male and female things we discuss here are made in the USA? I believe they are made in China.