Router question, please help! :)

Hi,

I have an EE-brightbox modem / router (1), receiving internet through the phone line.

I have a second router (2) that is connected to the first, via a wifi bridge, such that it receives the internet wirelessly from router 1 (wifi bridge plugs in to WAN port).

Both routers have their own wifi network.

If I do a speed test while connected via wifi to router 1, I get about 15mbps download speed. I run the same speed test connected to router 2, and I only get about 2mbps (though sometimes it's much faster, i.e. up to 15mbps).

So, why is router 2 much slower than router 1?

Also, any suggestions, what I should do to diagnose the problem?

Thanks!

As a test, use Ethernet to bridge the two routers and perform a speed test again just to confirm that the link between the two isn't a bottleneck.

Also, just check which wireless standard you are using when connecting to the routers.

Yep, just tested with a wired connection, and there's a big difference. My second wifi network now downloads at the same speed as the first wifi (one with router connected to internet) network. Just means I'll need to keep both routers next to each other.

One additional consideration, is that I have a Synology NAS. Which I now have connected to the network wirelessly (with a USB wifi dongle); and it's not as quick (for file transfers etc) as it was when it was just connected to my router with an ethernet cable.

Seems the USB wifi dongle is slow. What's likely responsible for the bottleneck? The USB bit (guessing it's USB 2.0), or the wifi speed of the dongle?

---------- Post added 21-11-2017 at 23:28 ----------

This is my wifi dongle.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edimax-EW-7811Un-N150-Wireless-Adapter/dp/B003MTTJOY

Also, just checked and it is a USB 2.0 port in the back of my NAS that I have the dongle plugged in to.

Across wifi, takes just about 8 mins to xfer a 900mb file; whereas it was only 1 minute when NAS was connected to router via ethernet cable.

Your Synology NAS should have a 1000 Mbps LAN port on it

USB2 runs at 480 Mbps.

Your Edimax wireless dongle is 150 Mbps without any interference or protocol overhead.

If you need more speed I would look at running a 1 Gbps network cable between things you want a fast connection to, or use high speed powerline adapters which can now get to run at 1 Gbps speed depending on your house wiring.

Failing that. if you have AC wireless on a router you could use a AC wireless dongle on the Synology NAS.

Hi Waldo,

First of all, you're not going to get the same speeds over WiFi as you do with direct wired. I use a full AC WiFi and get an average of 50MB/s which is still only 50% the speed of wired. The dongle you list is Wireless N150. They are very compact but quiet slow by newer standards.

It can get very expensive to change your WiFi to AC as you'll need a router and all adaptors to be capable of it.

Hi Waldo,

 

First of all, you're not going to get the same speeds over WiFi as you do with direct wired. I use a full AC WiFi and get an average of 50MB/s which is still only 50% the speed of wired. The dongle you list is Wireless N150. They are very compact but quiet slow by newer standards.

 

It can get very expensive to change your WiFi to AC as you'll need a router and all adaptors to be capable of it.

And still doesn't guarantee great performance, too many external and uncontrollable factors.

For any device that isn't being moved about, TVs, NASs. Xbox/Playstation etc. it really does pay off to run ethernet cabling to them not only does it give them a stable and high performance connection, it also frees up the finite airtime that is available to devices that have to use wireless, like phones and tablets etc.

Thanks all.

It's a gigabit ethernet router that I have, this one:

http://www.tp-link.com/us/products/details/cat-9_TL-WDR3600.html

It's connected now, via ethernet cable to my NAS; however, my Mac (and mobile devices etc) connect to this router via wifi; so I imagine the speed of the wifi is the bottleneck in the system.

If I use a wifi connection between my NAS and the router; and the speed of that connection is the same as the one between the router and my Mac; am I correct in thinking I shouldn't see my speed difference in file transfers between my Mac and the NAS? (assuming the wifi is faster than the USB2.0)

Would either of the following wifi dongles help matters?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maxesla-Internet-Wireless-Supports-10-4-10-11-4/dp/B06XRTPLJ3/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511374940&sr=8-3&keywords=wifi+dongle

https://www.amazon.co.uk/802-11ac-Wireless-Network-Adapter-10-4-10-12/dp/B06XZ5B5G9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511374940&sr=8-1&keywords=wifi+dongle

---------- Post added 22-11-2017 at 19:32 ----------

or use high speed powerline adapters which can now get to run at 1 Gbps speed depending on your house wiring.

This also sounds like an interesting option. Do the gigabit powerline adapters need their own mains socket, or will they perform equally well when plugged in to a 4-way gang / extension?

Thanks.

Thanks all.

 

It's a gigabit ethernet router that I have, this one:

 

http://www.tp-link.com/us/products/details/cat-9_TL-WDR3600.html

 

It's connected now, via ethernet cable to my NAS; however, my Mac (and mobile devices etc) connect to this router via wifi; so I imagine the speed of the wifi is the bottleneck in the system.

 

If I use a wifi connection between my NAS and the router; and the speed of that connection is the same as the one between the router and my Mac; am I correct in thinking I shouldn't see my speed difference in file transfers between my Mac and the NAS? (assuming the wifi is faster than the USB2.0)

 

Would either of the following wifi dongles help matters?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maxesla-Internet-Wireless-Supports-10-4-10-11-4/dp/B06XRTPLJ3/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511374940&sr=8-3&keywords=wifi+dongle

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/802-11ac-Wireless-Network-Adapter-10-4-10-12/dp/B06XZ5B5G9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511374940&sr=8-1&keywords=wifi+dongle

 

---------- Post added 22-11-2017 at 19:32 ----------

 

 

This also sounds like an interesting option. Do the gigabit powerline adapters need their own mains socket, or will they perform equally well when plugged in to a 4-way gang / extension?

 

Thanks.

Using a powerline adapter on an extension socket is considered a cardinal sin. It needs its own socket. If you are low on sockets, then get a pass-through one so you don't lose the socket the powerline is plugged into.

Thanks ez8004.

I'm thinking of just using the powerline adapter to connect the EE router (downstairs, which gets the internet) to my own gigabit router (upstairs). So it only really needs to be as fast the speed at which I get the internet; around 15 or 16 mbps.

I'll put my own gigabit router upstairs where I work, and use a wired connection between it, my NAS, and my Mac.

So far as connecting the two routers, in order to pipe the internet through, would this do the trick?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01G5Q9E0O/ref=psdc_430576031_t1_B00PS1BQT0?th=1

And still doesn't guarantee great performance, too many external and uncontrollable factors.

 

For any device that isn't being moved about, TVs, NASs. Xbox/Playstation etc. it really does pay off to run ethernet cabling to them not only does it give them a stable and high performance connection, it also frees up the finite airtime that is available to devices that have to use wireless, like phones and tablets etc.

Very true!

I've tried the homeplugs and I found them quite bad. It was a while ago so things may have improved.

My main servers are both wired direct as it is still the best option. Other devices use the WiFi. I use a couple of flat CAT5e cables that are much easier to hide, maybe they could be an option.

Thanks ez8004.

 

I'm thinking of just using the powerline adapter to connect the EE router (downstairs, which gets the internet) to my own gigabit router (upstairs). So it only really needs to be as fast the speed at which I get the internet; around 15 or 16 mbps.

 

I'll put my own gigabit router upstairs where I work, and use a wired connection between it, my NAS, and my Mac.

 

So far as connecting the two routers, in order to pipe the internet through, would this do the trick?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01G5Q9E0O/ref=psdc_430576031_t1_B00PS1BQT0?th=1

Internet speeds over time will only go up. The adapters you linked to might be ok for now, but they will be a bottleneck later. I would go for 1000mbps as a minimum now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06VW1WCCD/ref=sr_ob_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1511560392&sr=1-3&th=1