WIFI Very Slow

[frankmarshall]

I have an EE router that is about 10 years old. If I connect my laptop to an Ethernet port on the router I get 35+ Mbps download speed. On a WIFI connection, the best I ever get is 20 MBPS. 

But most of the time, it is a lot lower. At the moment the only things connected to the router are 2 Amazon Echo devices, a tablet, a smart TV and my laptop. I have just come off a Webex conference call where I was experiencing 1 - 2 Mbps - and a lot of difficulty hearing and seeing the other participants. This is very, very common.

Here's some info:

Runtime Code Version: v1.05.00.0001-OT (Fri May 22 14:42:16 2020)

Boot Code Version:        v1.00.10.0006-OT (Fri Sep 21 03:00:26 2012)

DSL Modem Code Version:  A2pD035b.d23i

Hardware Version:  1

Serial Number:      J314143830

My first thought was do I need a software update. The router configuration expects me to find this in my file system, so it is not something I can do automatically. I would have to download it from somewhere.
Any other ideas most welcome.
It goes without saying that I have rebooted the router and I often do so.

Thanks in advance, Frank

[XRaySpeX]

Welcome to EE's Home Broadband Forum.

If there were a firmware update available it would've auto loaded it. There is no repository for them.

If you would like help with your BB speed or connection issues, please would you carry out the following steps for starters, which will enable us to diagnose the problem and advise you further. Do not restart your router to do these tests:

1. Post your full router stats:

• For a BrightBox: login and go to Advanced Settings > System > DSL Status. Also post 'System Uptime' from top of System Log page.
• For a SmartHub: login and go to Advanced Settings > Technical Log > Information. Obscure your names & any numbers in the BB Username & also the SSIDs.
• For other routers: login to it according to the label on it as the admin user & navigate looking for its router/connection statistics.

Full router stats are key to any speed & connection issues.

2. Try both a wired & a wireless speedtest here http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html . Click on the "Results Page" button at the bottom of the graph you first see and then copy to here just the "Link to this result:" link that you see below the next main graph.

3. What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker estimate for your phone number? Post just the whole table and the line above it, blanking out your phone number. If it doesn't recognise your phone number or you don't have one, use the Address Checker, not the Postcode Checker.

[frankmarshall]

DSL STATUS

This page shows information about your DSL connection. If you are using Fibre/Ethernet Broadband then this page is not applicable.

STATUS

    Configured          Current

Line Status              N/A        N/A

Link Type  N/A        N/A

Operation Mode    N/A        N/A

DATA RATE INFORMATION

Upstream N/A (Kbps)

Downstream           N/A (Kbps)

DEFECT/FAILURE INDICATION

Operation Data      Upstream            Downstream

Noise Margin          N/A (dB)              N/A (dB)

Line Attenuation    N/A (dB)              N/A (dB)

Indicator Name      Near End Indicator          Far End Indicator

Output Power        N/A (dBm)           N/A (dBm)

Fast Path FEC Correction    N/A        N/A

Interleaved Path FEC Correction     N/A        N/A

Fast Path CRC Error             N/A        N/A

Interleaved Path CRC Error               N/A        N/A

Loss Of Signal Defect           N/A        N/A

Fast Path HEC Error STR     N/A        N/A

Interleaved Path HEC Error               N/A        N/A

Error Seconds         N/A        N/A

STATISTICS

Received Data        N/A (Kbits)

Transmitted Data  N/A (Kbits)

System Uptime is: 03:08:20

Ethernet speed test followed by WIFI:

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/1677681710371082755

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/1677681914667147455

Telephone Number on Exchange MAIDENHEAD is served by Cabinet 59

Featured Products               Downstream Line Rate(Mbps)     Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)    Downstream Handback

Threshold(Mbps)    WBC FTTC Availability Date          WBC SOGEA Availability Date      Left in Jumper

High           Low       High       Low                                                   

VDSL Range A (Clean) help 66.8       45.8       16.5       10.5       40           Available    Available              --

VDSL Range B (Impacted) help         65           42.5       16.2       9.6         35           Available    Available              --

Featured Products               Downstream Line Rate(Mbps)     Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)    Downstream Range (Mbps)          Availability Date               FTTP Install Process

FTTP on Demand   330        50           --            Available              --

ADSL Products        Downstream Line Rate (Mbps)    Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)    Downstream Range(Mbps)           ADSL Availability Date    Left in Jumper

WBC ADSL 2+         Up to 2.5             --            1 to 4    Available              Yes

ADSL Max Up to 2 --            1 to 3.5 Available              --

WBC Fixed Rate     1             --            --            Available              Yes

Fixed Rate               1             --            --            Available              --

SOADSL Products   Downstream Line Rate (Mbps)    Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)    Downstream Range(Mbps)           WBC SOADSL Availability Date    Left in Jumper

WBC SOADSL 2+    Up to 2.5             --            1 to 4    --            Yes

SOADSL Max           Up to 2 --                           --            --

SOADSL Fixed Rate              Up to 1 --            1 to 3.5 --            Yes

Observed Speeds   VDSL

Max Observed Downstream Speed               53.5

Max Observed Upstream Speed      14.2

Observed Date       2022-12-08

Other Offerings     Availability Date

VDSL Multicast       Available

ADSL Multicast       Available

Premise Environment          Status

Bridge Tap               N

VRI             N

NTE FacePlate        N

Last Test Date        24-02-2023

Exchange Product Restrictions        Status

FTTP Priority Exchange       N

WLR Withdrawal    N

SOADSL Restriction              Y

FTTP is not available.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

WLR is currently available at the exchange

SOADSL is restricted at the exchange

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

Mildenhall exchange:Only single order products are available and ADSL and ADSL2+ products are not shown as available.However for premises that can only be served by SOADSL, BT will continue to accept ADSL and ADSL2+ orders until SOADSL is available.

[XRaySpeX]

The router stats shouldn't be full of "N/A"s. Which model router do you have? Are you using a separate modem connected to it by Ethernet?

[frankmarshall]

Yes there is also a modem. All components are as-installed by EE. I don't know what model the router is, where would I find that out? Serial Number:      J314143830

[XRaySpeX]

Read it off the label on it. Also post an image of it.

Why do you need to use a modem? Have you ever tried connecting the router directly?

[frankmarshall]

As you can see it is a Brightbox router.

I don't know why EE used a modem and a router.

So I tried it without the modem:
When I plug the phone line into the router my laptop connects but has no internet
When I also remove the LAN connection between modem and router it is the same

[Mod edit: Image rejected as it contained personal information]

[Mustrum]

@frankmarshall   yours is just a very old installation, from the early days of FTTC where throuter used at that time did not work for VDSL lines, so Openreach installed one of their modems. More recently ISP's have provided a combined ADSL/VDSL router for customers to self install.

You can normally negotiate a new router when you recontract with EE, the ones on offer now have dual band Wi-Fi and they don't need that Openreach modem you have, they also offer more diagnostic information.

If you give the Broadband Care Team a call they should be able to sort you out a new router, you may have to pay the postage, but do not get talked into paying the full price!

HTH

[frankmarshall · Accepted solution]

I had a chat with broadband customer service. I ended up renewing my contract saving a few quid per month and expecting a new stand-alone router to arrive Monday.

My thanks to both of you for your help

[Leanne_T]

Thanks for coming back and letting us know @frankmarshall 

Leanne 🙂