Question ISP provided Router/Modem faster than stand alone router?

[T_Yamamoto]

Long time no see AT, usually lurk around in OT but today I've come across an interesting issue.

Recently I moved into my friend's house, who doesn't understand networking that well and they had been using the router modem combo (because her router was not compatible...?). I have an AC1750 (Archer 7) and I hooked it up, got it all situated, but to my disbelief, the speeds I get through that router is slower than the router modem combo.

I already know that the placement of the networking gear is not idea (in a closet downstairs), but that is where the lines come in, as far as I know.

Any thing I should look into? Maybe QoS on the router modem combo (this is from AT&T).

Thanks,

 

[mnewsham]

Are we talking wired ethernet speeds, or wifi only?

If we're talking wifi, i'd recommend a wireless access point located somewhere to provide better coverage for the whole house. With 5Ghz wifi, there is only so much you can do if you've got a lot of physical obstructions in the way. 5Ghz just doesn't penetrate well.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Are we talking wired ethernet speeds, or wifi only?

If we're talking wifi, i'd recommend a wireless access point located somewhere to provide better coverage for the whole house. With 5Ghz wifi, there is only so much you can do if you've got a lot of physical obstructions in the way. 5Ghz just doesn't penetrate well.

Wifi only.

I'm confused as to why a modem router combo outperforms a standalone from across the house.

 

[mnewsham]

Router/modem combo by itself doesn't mean it will be worse signal quality than a standalone unit.

I'd use the modem/router combo and add your archer 7 as an access point to extend the wifi coverage.

It's wifi though, it shouldn't be used for anything that requires massive download speeds, use ethernet for that.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The newest Verizon FIOS "Home Router" (AX/Wifi6) and Comcast/Xfinity XB6 (or is it XB7? The one with the 2.5GbE port, also AX/Wifi6) are pretty decent overall.

If that's what you've got, I'm not at all surprised that they out-perform your Archer C7.

If it's an older Gateway, then it's kind of a toss-up. Location can be everything for Wifi routers, too, don't forget that. And 2.4Ghz versus 5Ghz for propegation/distance versus speed, that's also an issue, when dealing with larger homes or more walls.

 

[SamirD]

Why can combo be faster than yours? Short answer--because it's wifi.

Long answer--could be signal saturation in the airspace, collisions in the airspace, the way the clients connect to each, the way the signal propagates on each--and these are just off the top of my head. In short, there are a tremendous number of variables that come into play when comparing wifi speeds. Wired--not so much.

 

[sdifox]

Model of modem/router from isp?