Smart hub wifi speed low - use AP instead?

[eldublu]

After an engineer visit yesterday I was advised that the Smart Hub 2 isn't capable of providing wifi speeds to match the 900mb connection. The engineer proved the connection speed is fast enough via ethernet so no reason to doubt his advice.

I have been told that using an AP wired into the smart hub 2 then turning off the wifi on the hub and letting the AP handle the wifi is the way to go (at least unless I want to pay hundreds for a decent router and lose digital voice). I  have a Netgear WAX218 connected at the moment just configured to provide the 5ghz connection at present for testing - the 5ghz is turned off on the hub. No real increase in download speed, maybe a few percent faster - in the 300s

Any ideas on how I cannot get nearer to the 900mb via the AP, it's showing a 1gb connection speed to the smart hub and is capable of far higher wifi speeds than the 900 provided at the moment?

Thanks in advance

[rbz5416]

Are you using a WiFi 6 client to test & if so, have you researched it's real world performance? Networking is always quoted in theoretical maximums & WiFi especially tends to stretch the credulity somewhat.

Have a read of this review.

[eldublu]

Thanks for your quick response. Yes, using wifi 6 client. The spec for the AP is 1200mbps on 2.4 and 2400mbps on 5 so I would have expected that it should handle less than 50% of it's stated spec on 5ghz. 

I suppose the other alternative is to wait for BT to bring out an updated hub that can handle the speeds they promise, I don't fancy changing router and then the hassle of finding and paying for a separate VOIP provider.

Such as shame that BT don't take the trouble to get the hardware right before singing from their rooftops about the new services.

[licquorice]

Serious question. Why on earth do you need 900M WiFi on a single device?

[eldublu]

But when you're getting 150 - 300mbps per second wifi speed, many devices within the property connecting and paying for 900mbps would you not think that there was an issue? I don't expect to get 900mbps over wifi but 1/3 of the promised speed at best is not really an acceptable result - and this is with the speedtest near to the router.

[licquorice]

But all those devices will probably be getting 300M simultaneously. You didn't answer the question asked.

[rbz5416]

Just noticed that Google let me down & took me to a review of the 214 & not the 218. But it does give an illustration of how real world speeds bear no relation to unrealistic specs.

You'll probably get to reach more users on Netgear's own forums & can contact them directly for support.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/English/ct-p/English

[gg30340]

Without using a speed test would you be able to tell/notice the difference doing whatever it is your doing on your devices between the speeds 300Mbps and 900Mbps.

Most people who pay for 900Mbps packages have been suckered in by marketing people that lead you to believe your life won't be complete without it.  Unless you are watching 4k video on over 30 devices at the same time or HD video on over 180 devices at the same time or downloading massive, well in excess of 1gb files, on multiple devices etc etc it is doubtful that you need 300Mbps let alone 900Mbps.

[JonMace]

You have 900 split between all your devices, so if you have 10 devices all demanding connection at the same time, then each will get an average of 90.

As said earlier the speeds quoted  by routers APs etc for wifi, are theoretical and likely never going to be achieved. There are many reasons for slow wifi. 

The devices you are using

The construction of your home

Overlapping wifi from neighbours

Other electrical devices like microwaves.

Seeing as you have tried another AP and it has not helped, in this case I dont think it fair to blame the SH2

[spile]

Good advice that needs to be repeated more often. FTTP is brilliant for me as it brings reliability that copper never did in my premises but realistically with just two of us I probably only need a 100mb connection.