Fibre 300 installed today, download speeds only 5-10mb

[#1]

Hello,

The engineer replaced my previous Plusnet broadband today with Fibre 300, but I am only getting download speeds of 5-10mb. My minimum guaranteed speed is 165Mb. I had no issues on my previous broadband which got an average of 50mb, the same devices are connected, the only change is the new fibre connection and hub.

As you can imagine, im feeling somewhat deflated. Any ideas what I can do? I wonder if there's an issue with the fibre installation.

Thank you!

[#2]

Did you test speed over ethernet?

Were you previously using a Hub One prior to Fibre 300 upgrade?

If yes, try the Hub One to see if it makes any difference.  Plug the ONT into the red ethernet WAN socket on back of the Hub One.

[#3]

Thanks so much for answering, and trying to help! My previous router was a Hub One with 5G and 2.4G available by default - no issues, or speed loss on any device for 2.5 years.

I've done a little more testing, and have found the issue is only affecting my iMac, which had no issues with the previous Plusnet hub and broadband. I'm getting a new work Macbook tomorrow, so I will need to figure out how to fix the issue if that is also affected. Our PC laptop is not affected, and is maintaining a speed of about 75mb, although it is two floors up from the router.

If I reboot the iMac, I can get around 135mb download for about an hour, less than my minimum but workable. However, once the iMac has been online for several hours the speed drops and drops until it's down to 10mb. Rebooting frequently is not going to be an option so I need to understand why. I could possibly get a very long Cat8 cable, but will have to run multiple cables for both the iMac and Macbook which is also not ideal.

The new fibre router is not yet split into 5G and 2.4G - I only see one option. Does this matter? Sorry, i'm fairly ok with most tech, but routers and WIFI, not so much.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

What speed does the laptop see when it is next to the hub 2?

It is a tall order to deliver 300 mbps over wifi from any hub located on ground floor to wireless devices two floors up imho....

Try turning off the 5 GHz radio on the Hub 2, to observe what speed the mac sees on 2.4 GHz.  Repeat test for 5 GHz by turning off 2.4 GHz radio.

Repeat above test for the Hub One.

This may help you determine which radio is causing problems for your mac.

I'm afraid I have seen posts on this forum where some Apple device users have reported connectivity issues with Hub 2 and I don't believe there is a solution other than using a different router.

With regards to hardwired ethernet option, you don't really need CAT8.  If you plan to install ethernet wall sockets, I would recommend using solid core pure copper CAT6 rated UTP cable.

I don't know where you normally use your devices, but you could install a single ethernet cable from hub on ground floor to a room on upper floor.  Then install a 5 or 8 port gigabit switch and/or a wireless access point, to serve the wired and wireless devices on the upper floor.

Most wireless routers offer wireless access point mode, and you could connect the imac using shorter ethernet cable  to one of the vacant ethernet LAN sockets if you don't wish to use wifi too.

Buy a router/wireless access point from a reputable retailer who offers a very good 30 day refund/return policy.

For Full Fibre 300, something like like a TPlink Archer C80 AC1900 (Wifi-5) wireless router installed on upper floor should be fine.  (An AC1200 access point may work just as well)

If you own Wifi-6 (AX) devices, you could consider a Wifi-6 router but they cost more.

[#5]

I forgot to ask.  Where are the imac and macbook ?

(I may have wrongly assumed it is 2 floors up like the laptop)

You may have to consider replacing the hub 2 on ground floor with an alternative router to resolve the imac problem.

[#6]

Thank you again for your help - by trying a few different things that you suggested, I've found a workable solution. The iMac and Macbook are in the next room on the same floor as the Hub 2 and router, with an open door and a double wall understairs cupboard between. The house was built in 1900, so the walls are pretty thick.

I purchased the TPlink Archer C80 AC1900 router that you suggested, and put the fibre Hub 2 into modem mode, and connected it to the new TPlink router. The set-up was easy thankfully. 

We split out the TPlink into 5G and 2.4G, and the PC laptop two floors up managed to get 280MB download speed on 5G, and the previous dead spots that we had upstairs are gone. That's one very impressive router!

The Macbook is now getting over 124MB on the 5G wifi, but unfortunately the iMac issues have persisted. After more internet searches, I have found posts about 2019 iMacs have similar issues with wifi, and I have a iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) which appears to also have a problem, but could find no other workaround than to use Ethernet. So, I've run a very long cable from the router and instantly got 308MB download - which is more than my fibre package! 

Thanks again for your help - I wouldn't have been able to figure it out on my own!

[#7]

fwiw, as you have FTTP, and I presume the C80 is currently next to the hub 2, you could consider removing the hub 2 and connect the c80 to the Openreach ONT.

Use the C80 in regular 'router mode', and plug it into the Openreach ONT.  Simply set up the C80 for PPPoE connection and enter your plusnet username which is in the format: 'myname@plusdsl.net', and corresponding password.

[#8]

and put the fibre Hub 2 into modem mode

@bill888 the C80 must already be in router mode, because in modem mode the Hub 2 isnt making a PPPoE connection. In reality when used in modem mode in this scenario it's really only acting as bridge (network switch) between its LAN port and WAN port . In fact I'm sort of surprised that its modem (bridge) mode does actually work in this configuration

[#9]

@MisterW I did wonder whether the @arts-and-crafts  was really using hub 2 in 'bridge' mode, and like yourself, surprised it would even work if true.

For that reason, I decided to post the info about PPPoE for TPlink anyway, just in case the OP had simply turned off the wifi on the hub 2, and is using the C80 in Access Point mode.

Hopefully @arts-and-crafts will confirm the operating modes of both the hub 2 and c80 for the currently working setup.

[#10]

Good morning

Well clearly as I don't have too much experience in routers, I can't say why it's working, except thankfully it is. 

I accessed the Hub 2 admin dashboard and turned on Bridging in the advanced settings > broadband > routing > enable bridging. We connected the TPlink router with an ethernet cable from the Hub 2 into the WAN port on the TPlink. In the admin app for the TPlink we followed the settings for fibre https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/broadband-connection-settings/. We only had to make sure that 'PPPoE Always On' was set on the TPlink, and add the account username and password. It didn't need any of the other settings. The light on the Hub 2 turned pink, and we set up the TPlink to be 5G & 2.4G, named the network and set a new password. And then there was lots of lovely internet Except for the iMac, which is now connected by a very long ethernet cable from the TPlink.

So if I'm understanding correctly@MisterW, you're saying I don't need Hub 2 at all, and can just connect the TPlink directly to the Openreach box?

[#11]

So if I'm understanding correctly@MisterW, you're saying I don't need Hub 2 at all, and can just connect the TPlink directly to the Openreach box?

@arts-and-crafts That is correct , although @bill888 should take the credit for suggesting it!. In your configuration, the Hub 2 is doing nothing useful, except consuming power. Bridging mode on the Hub 2 is designed to bridge the LAN ethernet ports to the VDSL port ( i.e act as a modem ), it appears that it will also bridge the WAN port to LAN ports, but since both are ethernet, it makes little sense. It effectively becomes a power hungry network switch!

[#12]

@MisterW @arts-and-crafts  - Why even bother with the Tp link, save a few extra pence and plug the modem straight into the computer and setup a PPPOE connection there. Jokes by the way.