Workaround or fix for slow upload speeds on Asus Zenwifi XT8 w/Verizon Fios?

[Grayson73]

Correct. I have XT8 mesh system. Remember, 800mb/800mb is for wired LAN. This setting does change my wifi download upload speed, which is still slow - 300mb/200mb with wifi 5, but I don’t care for the wifi speed.

Ahh, I see. I applied the fix to get my WiFi speeds faster for WiFi 6.

 

[RangerZ]

I thought using Verizon's router is required. You can plug XT8 directly to the Verizon ONT? What do you lose if you do that?

In today's world most ISP devices include MoCa which supports LAN connections between "smart" cable boxes.

If you do not have Cable TV then it's generally not an issue, however under item 3.1 out here you will find info on various connectivity options for FIOS that mitigate the use of a Verizon modem with cable TV.

You may loose some advanced features like caller ID on the TV display which go away with the ISP modem. You can buy your own MoCa adapters and they do not really need the latest 2.5 spec to support network connections between cable boxes.

Interestingly the current MoCa 2.5 supports up to 2.5 Gbps.

Also, as I noted in Post 16, if you choose to use the devices as an AP, the Guest LAN probably will not work. It looks like it works from the config perspective, but if you actualy test the isolation, I expect it will not work. I believe that this relates to the fact that AP mode disables the firewall (and probably other) required functionality.

 

[Grayson73]

The latest firmware seems to have fixed the issue. I went back to the default setup and get 512/483 via WiFi on my 500/500plan. No workaround needed.

 

[bz101ny]

@Grayson73 Which firmware are you on? I'm on 388 and still have the issue. I've tried second WAN port, using (un)managed switch with flow control enabled, Ai and QOS disabled, every suggestion. Nothing works. 1Gbps up/down on Fios and either wirde/wireless I get great download and 1/3rd of download as far as upload. Wired, 800-850 Down / 200 Up. Wireless, 350-550 Down / 130-150 Up. Weird that if I go into the QOS --> Speed Test (Asus app and Web UI) I get full speeds Down/Up. So odd. I'm using Ookla Speedtest (same servers) as the Asus app and getting different results on my clients (wired recent MacBook Pro laptop and wireless iPhone 14 Pro Max) from the router.

Any ideas? I've read 100 similar threads and have tried everything I can find.

 

[Grayson73]

@Grayson73 Which firmware are you on? I'm on 388 and still have the issue. I've tried second WAN port, using (un)managed switch with flow control enabled, Ai and QOS disabled, every suggestion. Nothing works. 1Gbps up/down on Fios and either wirde/wireless I get great download and 1/3rd of download as far as upload. Wired, 800-850 Down / 200 Up. Wireless, 350-550 Down / 130-150 Up. Weird that if I go into the QOS --> Speed Test (Asus app and Web UI) I get full speeds Down/Up. So odd. I'm using Ookla Speedtest (same servers) as the Asus app and getting different results on my clients (wired recent MacBook Pro laptop and wireless iPhone 14 Pro Max) from the router.

Any ideas? I've read 100 similar threads and have tried everything I can find.

I'm on 388_21617. I did a full factory reset so not sure if that helps. Others reported that this issue was fixed on that thread as well, but some are experiencing wireless backhaul issues with the node.

 

[bz101ny]

I'm on 388_21617. I did a full factory reset so not sure if that helps. Others reported that this issue was fixed on that thread as well, but some are experiencing wireless backhaul issues with the node.

Thx for the reply.

Interesting. I’m on the same firmware. Forgot to mention that I’m on Ethernet backhaul. I’ve had the setting in AiMesh for Ethernet backhaul on/off and hasn’t made a difference. These are brand new units so can’t be corrupted yet I would think.

What’s odd is the speed test on the router is fine. it’s anything connected wirelessly or wired that have upload issues.

 

[djjsin]

I've had this issue for years. Different Asus Routers. First it was an RT-AC86U, then an RT-AX86U, and now an RT-AX88U Pro. My internet is the 1Gb giber from frontier (which was originally Verizon until they sold it to frontier).

My wired connections work fine and I'm getting full speed. I get full speed when I use the speed test built into the router. The only time I see the upload speed issue is with wireless devices. It's rather annoying. I wish there was a fix for it. I had the Ethernet port on the ONT so I don't even use the router they gave me.

 

[drinkingbird]

I've had this issue for years. Different Asus Routers. First it was an RT-AC86U, then an RT-AX86U, and now an RT-AX88U Pro. My internet is the 1Gb giber from frontier (which was originally Verizon until they sold it to frontier).

My wired connections work fine and I'm getting full speed. I get full speed when I use the speed test built into the router. The only time I see the upload speed issue is with wireless devices. It's rather annoying. I wish there was a fix for it. I had the Ethernet port on the ONT so I don't even use the router they gave me.

Should probably start a new thread, your issue may or may not be related. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to get close to full line rate on a 2 stream 80mhz AX device. Most likely you need to check/optimize your wireless settings, placement, etc.

For reference my AC1900 (AC68U) can max out my FIOS over wireless at 350/350 and do 500/500 from wireless to a wired LAN device. And that is with aiprotection and other stuff enabled.

Obviously if your wired connections can get full speed it is wireless settings you need to focus on. Disable universal beamforming on both bands. Try an 80mhz channel that is not in the DFS space and isn't congested (even set it to auto and let the router pick one). There are several other things you can try but those are a couple big ones.

 

[djjsin]

Should probably start a new thread, your issue may or may not be related. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to get close to full line rate on a 2 stream 80mhz AX device. Most likely you need to check/optimize your wireless settings, placement, etc.

For reference my AC1900 (AC68U) can max out my FIOS over wireless at 350/350 and do 500/500 from wireless to a wired LAN device. And that is with aiprotection and other stuff enabled.

Obviously if your wired connections can get full speed it is wireless settings you need to focus on. Disable universal beamforming on both bands. Try an 80mhz channel that is not in the DFS space and isn't congested (even set it to auto and let the router pick one). There are several other things you can try but those are a couple big ones.

Oh I get great download speeds. Over 700Mbps. It's the uploads that no matter what I do I can't get it above 200-300Mbps. Ive messed with all the settings. I do run a mesh setup with a wired backhaul. And 1 wireless XT8, but that XT8 was added relatively recently and I've seen this issue long before then. Used to have the aimesh set to Ethernet backhaul prior to the XT8 addition. I run the mesh backbone over a 2.5g ethernet port....I've read one some other forums it's something with the Broadcom chip.

I do have universal beam forming on. I'll try turning that off but I feel like I've done that in the past and saw no change. I am using 80mhz set to auto. Dfs channels are not enabled.

I didn't have these same issues with my old RT-AC68U, it wasn't until I moved to the ac86u that I started to see this and it's been there ever since. I've tried factory resetting routers. You name it. I've had this internet line for 10 years now...and fighting with this for a good portion of that.

I love every aspect about these damn Asus systems but that has always been my issue. I've just come to accept it. I mean 200 upload is more then plenty for any wireless device I'm using.

 

[drinkingbird]

Oh I get great download speeds. Over 700Mbps. It's the uploads that no matter what I do I can't get it above 200-300Mbps. Ive messed with all the settings. I do run a mesh setup with a wired backhaul. And 1 wireless XT8, but that XT8 was added relatively recently and I've seen this issue long before then. Used to have the aimesh set to Ethernet backhaul prior to the XT8 addition. I run the mesh backbone over a 2.5g ethernet port....I've read one some other forums it's something with the Broadcom chip.

I do have universal beam forming on. I'll try turning that off but I feel like I've done that in the past and saw no change. I am using 80mhz set to auto. Dfs channels are not enabled.

I didn't have these same issues with my old RT-AC68U, it wasn't until I moved to the ac86u that I started to see this and it's been there ever since. I've tried factory resetting routers. You name it. I've had this internet line for 10 years now...and fighting with this for a good portion of that.

I love every aspect about these damn Asus systems but that has always been my issue. I've just come to accept it. I mean 200 upload is more then plenty for any wireless device I'm using.

I recall someone saying the XT8 has issues using the WAN port but in Aimesh you have no choice. But I'm sure there would be more complaining about the 8x series if this was a problem with the router. Just because you get good downloads doesn't mean that will translate to upload. Do you get the same speed if wifi is connected to the 86 rather than the mesh AP? What if you disable Aimesh alltogether. When upgrading from one router to another, you're not restoring your settings or anything?

Universal beamforming has definitely caused speed issues for a lot of people.

 

[djjsin]

I recall someone saying the XT8 has issues using the WAN port but in Aimesh you have no choice. But I'm sure there would be more complaining about the 8x series if this was a problem with the router. Just because you get good downloads doesn't mean that will translate to upload. Do you get the same speed if wifi is connected to the 86 rather than the mesh AP? What if you disable Aimesh alltogether. When upgrading from one router to another, you're not restoring your settings or anything?

Universal beamforming has definitely caused speed issues for a lot of people.

Ya it doesn't matter the node it's connected to. And for example right now I'm sitting about 10 ft away with like a -39dBm connected to the rt-ax86u aimesh node. On a Google pixel 6 pro. client supports 6e...I'm getting 750/200.

I see rumbling about it on different threads. And really when you think about it it's really a unique problem that many might not see. Especially thoughts with limited upload speeds.

 

[drinkingbird]

Ya it doesn't matter the node it's connected to. And for example right now I'm sitting about 10 ft away with like a -39dBm connected to the rt-ax86u aimesh node. On a Google pixel 6 pro. client supports 6e...I'm getting 750/200.

I see rumbling about it on different threads. And really when you think about it it's really a unique problem that many might not see. Especially thoughts with limited upload speeds.

Is the 86 your main router? Have you tested from a laptop and not a phone? There are definitely people pushing 500 to 1G upload on all the 8x series routers.

 

[djjsin]

Is the 86 your main router? Have you tested from a laptop and not a phone? There are definitely people pushing 500 to 1G upload on all the 8x series routers.

The RT-AX88u Pro is the main router.

so i have a spare rt-ax86u router left over from the upgrade. I just literally factory reset it. plugged in 1Gig connection to it. set it up and all i changed was the SSID and Password. no other changes. no mesh nodes added to it. nothing.

speed tests are the same 700/200. I plug my laptop in via the wire to the RT-AX86U i just setup, and speedtests run full speed 940/940

this happens on all devices, not just this phone. I also have a wifi 6 laptop that the same thing occurs on.

 

[drinkingbird]

The RT-AX88u Pro is the main router.

so i have a spare rt-ax86u router left over from the upgrade. I just literally factory reset it. plugged in 1Gig connection to it. set it up and all i changed was the SSID and Password. no other changes. no mesh nodes added to it. nothing.

speed tests are the same 700/200. I plug my laptop in via the wire to the RT-AX86U i just setup, and speedtests run full speed 940/940

this happens on all devices, not just this phone. I also have a wifi 6 laptop that the same thing occurs on.

Don't know to be honest, maybe you have some sort of interference in your area, or your other routers/APs are causing too much noise/congestion. Or you've gotten some sort of terrible luck with those routers, others definitely are able to get 1G up and down.

Do you see the same behavior if you test between two wifi devices on the same SSID?

 

[djjsin]

well i'm just testing using speed test. not really sure how i would go about testing between two devices on the wifi network.

one thing thing i did notice was that if i left 160mhz on the 86u that i factory reset, and i turned universal beam forming off the speed on the uploads went up to almost 400. Problem here is the rt-ax88u pro doesn't even have a universal beamforming option on the 5.0ghz band. and i have it disabled on the 2.4ghz band. and i did go through all the wifi settings and made sure they matched what was setup on the factory reset 86u...

But i can't use 160mhz in my mesh setup due to my interesting configuration...cause i would need to use dfs channels, and roku devices don't support dfs channels lol.
wonder if it has anything to do with devices as well. I have over 60 devices on my regular setup. There was only 1 device on the setup with the factory reset router.

i chalk it up to it is what it is.

 

[djjsin]

ya i just redid my entire network. factory reset everything. started from scratch and used notes to redo all the settings. I had a laptop that was getting 850 down from my factory reset rt-ax88u pro and about 450 sometimes even 500 up.......and then i added a aimesh node. and speeds shot down and now i'm back to where i started with about 700 down and 200 up.

 

[Devang Patel]

I have Verizon gigabit at my house......I used to have the Netgear Orbi RBK50 which worked pretty well but I wanted to upgrade to WIFI 6 as well as have separate 2.4 and 5 ghz wifi, so I got the Asus Zenwifi XT8, the router plus three nodes.....the coverage is pretty good, but the speeds, speciifically the upload speeds, are significantly slower than it should be.......I was getting close to 900 up and down with both the Verizon router and the Netgear Orbi, so I know I'm getting the speeds I'm supposed to.....I've read that this Asus router has issues w/Verizon Fios.....I've read and tried the options such as resetting the ONT, puting a switch between the ONT and the router, done multiple factory resets, etc.

What i was wondering is if anyone else is having this issue? I thought about just using the Verizon router as the router and setting up the separate networks within it, and setting up the Zenwifi in AP mode then for the mesh wifi network. Will this hopefully work? And I'm past the return window.........

try the firmware from GNUton. its a fork from Merlin.

asuswrt-merlin.ng

Extends the support of Asus Merlin firmware to more routers

gnuton.github.io

Release 3004.388.6_0-gnuton1 · gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng

GNUton's Asus Merlin changelog Date: February 25, 2024 Release: 3004.388.6_0-gnuton1 ADDED: Support for RT-AX5400

github.com

i had issues with my ET8 (slow wifi uploads). flashed this firmware and it fixed it. for the ET8 you need the RT-AXE95Q firmware. for the XT8 you need the RT-AX95Q firmware. flash it from the web interface the same way you would an asus firmware.

now that this firmware is available maybe asus will release one too.

 

[Devang Patel]

Ahh, I see. I applied the fix to get my WiFi speeds faster for WiFi 6.

try the firmware from GNUton. its a fork from Merlin.

asuswrt-merlin.ng

Extends the support of Asus Merlin firmware to more routers

gnuton.github.io

Release 3004.388.6_0-gnuton1 · gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng

GNUton's Asus Merlin changelog Date: February 25, 2024 Release: 3004.388.6_0-gnuton1 ADDED: Support for RT-AX5400

github.com

i had issues with my ET8 (slow wifi uploads). flashed this firmware and it fixed it. for the ET8 you need the RT-AXE95Q firmware. for the XT8 you need the RT-AX95Q firmware. flash it from the web interface the same way you would an asus firmware.

now that this firmware is available maybe asus will release one too.