Question:
New router lowers download speed.?
2014-04-06 16:41:06 UTC
So we just got a very nice router (NETGEAR Nighthawk) and ever since then My internet download speed has been fluctuating. My father downstairs, is directly connected to the internet via Ethernet. Me on the other hand (even with a desktop pc) am not directly connect but with a WNDA Dual Band Wifi Adapter. Before the router it was fine with a constant 45 mbps Download and 19 mbps upload. Now It will go from 17 download one hour to 0.28 download when I am in a skype call. Please help. Skype is very important to me but everyone is so laggy and I need this to fix. (We have verizon fios quantom()
Four answers:
fixit
2014-04-06 17:25:50 UTC
When you installed the new router did you set a LOCK on your security so only those who know the access code can use your router? If you did BRAVO. If not -- re-do the installation and make certain access can only be gained by using the access code. Are you running a program like Norton or McAfee? If not -- you need one of them. If Norton or McAfee isn't running you could have programs running in "the background" that are slowing your computer down. Did you remove all the program information from your computer regarding the other router? Not removing "every last thing" regarding the old router could be dragging down you computer. You might have to go into "programs" and "programs (x86)" files to delete everything. These files can easily be accessed by typing the name in at the START button.



It sounds like programs are running in the background that are slowing down your computer. If you have more than one person using your computer you want to ask them what programs they've installed.



Also -- this is a wild card but I must mention it here. Someone could have installed a "key logger" or similar program on your computer. When you use a program like SKYPE it takes everything your computer has to document what you do on SKYPE. Key loggers are hard to find.



An often missed item is that you just might have a bad router. If it's not bad make certain you have no electronic devices on that can destroy its signal. Anything from a baby room monitor to a new TV could mess up the signal of the router.
slin100
2014-04-06 17:51:04 UTC
The R7000 is a pretty new model. I have one and it has had issues with stability and performance. Netgear has been working on fixing several bugs. If you have not already done so, I would recommend that you download and install the latest firmware. As of this post, that would be 1.0.3.24. While not perfect, this version has resolved my stability and performance issues.



The router can automatically download and install the firmware or you can do it manually from netgear.com (Go to Support -> Download Center and enter R7000).



After you upgrade I would recommend resetting the router to factory defaults. This will avoid any latent issues with the upgrade. Good luck!
rowlfe
2014-04-08 20:30:29 UTC
How many other wireless connections are around you ? The problem is not SPEED but THROUGHPUT. With wireless, you are on a party line. SPEED is constant as that depends on the radio frequencies used. THROUGHPUT, the amount of data moved per second, is variable on a party line. There are two different mechanisms at work to slow down throughput. The problem with a party line is the access point, which can only talk with one user at a time, which makes it a bottleneck if there is more than one user. The more users trying to talk, the slower you move data. If you have 2 users, you each can only get half of the talk time per second of the access point which cuts your throughput in HALF for each computer. The 2nd mechanism is traffic jams. What you have is essentially a push to talk walkie talkie. When you want to talk (send data) you listen and if clear, you push to talk, and send data. No problem. If the line is busy, you wait and when the line clears, you push to talk and send data. Again, no problem. The problem of the party line arises when you are waiting for the line to clear and so is someone else. When the line clears, you both push to talk, your signals collide and nothing moves, Neither gets through. So, you wait for a reply and not getting one, timeout and try again and again until one of you gets out of sync far enough to be heard and force the other to wait. The traffic jam clears after a bit, but until it does NO ONE moves any data and throughput for everyone drops like a rock because of this DEAD time. So there you have it, the party line effect in a nutshell. The more users (transmitters) on the line, the slower ALL go because of waiting for the line to clear. Your neighbors on wireless COUNT. They have transmitters just like you do, at least a pair, and have to wait for you as you have to wait for them. Equal opportunity suffering with slower and slower throughput as the number of transmitters increases. Wireless isn't the "upgrade" you thought, is it? Sure, no wire is a convenience, but is it worth the headache of the party line effect? That said, cable broadband is a party line as well, just on a much larger, albeit faster, scale. The only difference between cable and wireless is that one system uses wire to carry radio signals. The radio signals on the wire are a much higher frequency which equates as a higher speed, but that does not always translate to increased throughput because THAT depends on the number of users on the wire. The more users, the fewer bursts of data you each get per second since the access point can only talk to you ONE at a time! The less total data moved per second, the slower your throughput.
Terrence
2014-04-07 03:05:59 UTC
Try a different browser and Ram.


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