Solved Why are download speeds are slower through a router?

[townsbg]

To experiment over the weekend I plugged my server directly into the modem to test my internet. I have a separate router from my modem. I ran speedtest.net on my browser before the switch and got about 91 mbps down and 11.5 up. This was on 2 computers hard wired to the router. After connecting my server to the modem directly I got 230 mbps download. I believe that my internet is rated for 200. I didn't really try anything else but I experimented earlier tonight. First I tested using speedtest.net and again got 90+ on both computers. Then I connected the router to the modem using the same spare cable I tested during the weekend. Same result. Next test was connecting the server to the modem using the cable that came with the router. I still got a 90 download. Then I used the cable used previously and connected the server to the modem and got 230 download again. Then I again replaced the cable that came with the router with the spare and connected the router back to the modem. I am still getting 90 mbps. So clearly the cable that came with the router is inferior but replacing it didn't help. My upload speed was steady at 11.5 mbps through out all tests.

I've tried a firmware upgrade on the router and that didn't help. I checked and there weren't any other devices connected to my router. Just the 2 computers and both hard wired. I have not tried connecting my desktop to the modem but I doubt that'll make a difference. It'll probably also hit 230. So my question is why is my download speed 2.5 times faster going directly through my modem rather than the router and yet that wasn't fixed by replacing the cable that came with the router even though it performed worse when connected only to the server.

I have cable internet. This set up (modem/router) is a year and a half old and I noticed the speed was the same when I first set it up. My router is a netgear ac1000 model number r6080. The box says it is rated for 300+700 mbps. The ethernet ports on my server are gigabit ports. Can anyone provide any insight?

 

[file3456]

Two things come to mind:

1) QoS (Quality of Service) is on. Check inside the web-based router interface.

2) Using the router and modem configuration means you may have a double NAT situation. This could likely drop your network speed throughput and as a consequence the maximum speed from the router's WAN port to the modem's WAN port for Internet transport.

To check if you have a double NAT situation going on do the following:

Fire up the command prompt and enter:

tracert 1.1.1.1

(IP address could be anything you know is well-known like Google DNS or what ever).

If you see the first two hops withen a private IP space like, 192.168.xxx.xxx, 10.0.xxx.xxx, etc, you have a double NAT.

The remedy is to make sure you log into the modem's web-based configuration and inside its configuration interface turn on bridging mode. Turning on bridging mode in the modem will turn off NAT (Network Address Translation) so there's no funny business with the routing table in the router and so fourth.

Bridging mode is like a pass through direct connection. Again, no NAT. In VMware Workstation Player you can elect to use bridging or NAT for your NIC in the virtual machine. Where is NAT will give you a type of "firewall" from external machines trying to make contact with your virtual machine. If you need a direct connection to the virtual machine from an external machine in the local network you'd use bridging mode for the virtual machine in VMware Workstation Player. I do this all the time, and yes, I have a router/modem combination as well and need to use bridging mode in the modem.

I use a third-party firmware called ASUS Merlin and in its settings there is aggressive DHCP (I think it's called off the top of my head). For me, I had to turn that off as my ISP's configuration thinks it's like a DDoS at the main server (can't remember the proper name). So having said that, you will also want to make sure any type of aggressive DHCP option is off in the router. I think that's more for DSL.

Of course the tracert command doesn't even have to be used. If you don't use bridging mode then there you go. This is more than likely why your maximum speed capability is suffering.

On last thing. The old, yes old spedtest.net website is just that. Check out Cloudflare's Internet speed test website. Internet Speed Test - Measure Latency & Jitter | Cloudflare Speedtest used to have ping test for ping and jitter. I don't think they exist anymore. If you use VoIP you'll want low ping and jitter. Something else, these speed tests may not be accurate. They are using multibonded fiber connections and other things so that could affect your true Internet speed. It could also have a negative result if others saturate the test server or you're using a server some hundreds of miles away.

P.S.

Your upload speed will stay the same since it's not saturating the router and modem. Even if there's a double NAT. Most high speed Internet doesn't give a lot of upload speed. Especially since it's not really needed for most users unless you have lots of users on your network, or like me FTPing into a server and what have you. With fiber Internet however the download and upload speed should be asynchronous. Meaning your download speed should be as fast as your upload speed.


P.P.S

If you turn on bridging mode in the modem, you may need to reboot the router to acquire a new IP address from the modem. Don't RESET the router, just reboot the router from what should be an option inside the router's web-based configuration.

 

[townsbg]

I checked my router for QOS and didn't find it. I pinged my DNS provider's server and the first entry is my router's default gateway. Does that mean that double nat is on? I don't know how to log into the modem. The modem came from my ISP and I wasn't given the link, username, or password. When I was connected directly to the modem I tried the default gateway but that didn't pull up. I might have to call my ISP about that.

 

[file3456]

Read EVERYTHING I said, specifically this part:

Fire up the command prompt and enter:

tracert 1.1.1.1

(IP address could be anything you know is well-known like Google DNS or what ever).

If you see the first two hops withen a private IP space like, 192.168.xxx.xxx, 10.0.xxx.xxx, etc, you have a double NAT.

What's the make and model of the modem? It's obvious at this point you most likely have a double NAT.

- - - Updated - - -

Whelp, I wanted to see if there really wasn't any QoS controls so I dug up the product Specs. Not only does it look like there are no QoS controls, but your router is only 100 Mbps capable on the Ethernet ports. You mention WiFi which is entirely separate.

So with that, you need, A) a router with gigabit Ethernet ports and B) you still need to use bridging mode otherwise expect some shenanigans.

R6080 | WiFi Router | NETGEAR Support

Addendum:

Unbelievably, it looks like this router was manufactured withen the last four years. To not have a chipset capable of gigabit speeds for the Ethernet ports strikes me as cheap in favor of the marketing of WiFi only crap. Yet, I bet Netgear charges the same price for this router as they would for a gigabit capable Ethernet port router.

For some reason many people opt for WiFi which is NOT what you want to use in terms of security, privacy, speed, overhead and metadata collection.


My advice is a good, reputable ASUS router. Preferably flashed to a third-party firmware like ASUS Merlin or the waaay more advanced DD-WRT. There are others like Tomato, but I only used DD-WRT and Merlin. You can find these routers already flashed to this third-party firmware on eBay. Just search for ASUS Merlin or DD-WRT and those simple search terms should yield something for this more secure third-party firmware. HOWEVER! Once you get the router you'd want to reflash it or update its third-party firmware to the latest if it hasn't because that firmware could be infected. It's a possibility, thus I mention it. You just want to read everything about flashing the router yourself. ASUS Merlin would be the easiest. Once you use a third-party firmware you'll be lot more secure from having your router turned into a zombie botnet.

It's very important the router firmware get updated if there is an update. Whether it's third-party firmware or OEM firmware from Netgear or what ever. Many people pay homage to the Windows patch Tuesday God, yet fail to update the most critical computer: the router. I wrote about this at my website here.

 

[townsbg]

I said it wrong. I did a tracert as you said. So it's designed for faster wifi speeds than ethernet? Problem is that the outbound port is also 100mbps. That doesn't make sense. The bottom of the modem says model e31t2v1. I don't know what the brand is.

 

[billmcct]

Manual for the Spectrum modem:
https://manuals.plus/spectrum/advanced-voice-modem-manual.pdf

 

[kmayfield]

The e31t2v1 has a Gigabit Port to clarify.

Your have Two Issues going on:

On the Netgear AC1000 Model Number r6080 the LAN Ports are only 100mbps. So most likely the Manufacturer
only provided a Cat 5 Cable with the Router. There would be no need to provide a Cat 5e since the Router LAN Ports
are only 100mbps.
This also explains why the Spare Cable is only giving you 90mbps even if you plug this cable directly into the Modem
.....most likely is a Cat 5 instead of a Cat 5e.
Cat 5 Max Speed is 100mbps and Cat 5e Max Speed is 1000mbps.

Rule of Thumb:
Just because a Router states the Wifi is Gigabit does not mean the LAN Ports are Gigabit as well. When you see
the Words "Fast Ethernet Ports".....that always means the LAN Ports are 10/100(100mbps Max).

You are also wasting your money per month currently since your Spectrum Speed is 200mbps and your only getting
100mbps from your Router due to the LAN Ports(which is the main thing) and the Cable.

You need to Purchase a New Router with Gigabit LAN Ports.

You can actually build your own Router with a Old PC which would be way faster then buying a Consumer Router.
This is because of the PC CPU versus a Router CPU. Take Note this does not change the Speed of your Internet Connection
but Increase the Response Time of the Internet Connection to the LAN and Wifi and Throughput. Basically the PC CPU
Processes the Packets Faster then a Router CPU.
https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/X86

The only good thing about the Netgear AC1000 Model Number r6080 is the Wifi Speed.