Hey Shannon,
Since you like Netgear, you may want to look into thier Orbi Mesh.
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What router is she currently using?
Spectrum’s or her own? If her own, what is the model?
Before looking into a better router, I would get the internet fixed first.
You stated that when running a speed test in her house, you were right next to the router. When doing so, you got very poor speeds. The speed produced is based on what band you’re using.
To clarify,
- 2.4Ghz is meant for speeds up to roughly 100Mbps at longer ranges. Typical range for 2.4Ghz on *most routers is usually up to 50ft, before speeds start to drop drastically. Meaning, If you have your device connected to 2.4Ghz, you will not see speeds at about 100mbps and your device will typically pull a WiFi signal at further distances from the router. This signal is best used for NON STREAMING.
- 5GHz is meant for high speeds based on what your router can handle along with what your ISP is providing you. Typical range for 5Ghz on *most routers is usually up to 20ft, before speed starts to drop drastically. Meaning, If you have your device connected to 5Ghz and are within the 20ft radius (no walls hindering), you should be getting full speed. In your case 500Mbps. This signal is meant for STREAMING (Netflix, Hulu, Etc.).
To get very low speeds right next to the router, this is where you need to start troubleshooting. Using your phone, connect your WiFi to 5Ghz and then run a speed test. If you’re not getting speeds around 500Mbps, there’s a few things you can do,
- Check the ethernet cable that connects the modem to the router is connected properly (disconnect if you need to and then reattach). Make sure the coaxial cable going into the back of the Modem is tight. Now from your phone still connected to 5GHz, run another speed test. If you’re still not getting high speeds, move onto the next step,
- Unplug the Modem and Router completely from the outlet for a couple minutes and then plug them back in. Give it a couple minutes for the Modem and Router to fully reconnect. Run another speed test. If you’re still not getting high speeds, move onto the next step,
- Reset the Spectrum Modem. First unplug the ethernet cable connecting the modem to the router and then unplug the router from the outlet. Then on the Modem, Long press the restart button for approximately 35 seconds. If done correctly, the lights on the modem WILL NOT shut off and reset/restart until after the 30 second mark. Let the Modem fully restart. Once the modem is fully restarted (Power & Online light are fully lit), reattach the ethernet cable and then plug the router back in. Give it a couple minutes to reconnect. Run another speed test. If you’re still not getting high speeds, CALL SPECTRUM to come and fix.
Once the internet is fixed, then look into upgrading the Router. Preferably a Mesh system that supports Backhaul. This router is perfect for what you’re looking for,
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2.4GHz should be able to do up to 450-600 Mbps and 5GHz 1300.
2.4 GHz can do up to 150 ft indoors and 300 out. 5GHz should be about 1/3 of that.
Now of course this is under ideal conditions.
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Hey @Rippleffect Sounds like you’ve been there, done that 
Only thing I would add to your troubleshooting checklist is to grab a laptop & plug the modem to router ethernet cable into it & do a speed test to see if the contracted speed is close…if verified, then go on with your thorough list. 
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Thanks for the additional info.
To counter, I didn’t add this because she said she was getting slow speeds hardwired to her “2018 Desktop” This potentially tells me her laptop doesn’t have 5GHz capabilities (which wouldn’t surprise me). With only running on 2.4GHz, this testing would defeat the purpose.
Roger that Rippleffect…but, after rereading the original post…it looks as tho the desktop was only speed tested via ethernet thru the router. I would’ve tested hardwired directly into the modem, to verify proper service to the house. If it tested ok (using the same ethernet cable) I would’ve had no problem calling the router the culprit. Hope that makes sense…
To be thorough then and to test directly with the “Modem only”,
- Check the Desktop computer to see if it has WiFi 5GHz capabilities. If so, go to the next step
- Reset the modem (see previous instructions)
- Connect Desktop to Modem directly using ethernet cable
- On Desktop, connect to 5GHz
- Run a speed test from the Desktop.
- If you have high speeds (roughly 500Mbps), your router is to blame. Look into a better router
- If the speeds are still slow, somewhere between the pole and Modem lies the issue. Then CALL SPECTRUM
Pangaetech,
Hello. My spectrum router is 802.11ac Wave 2 Router Model Number RAC2V1K dual band. That’s what is an extra $5 a month on my bill. Coverage in my home of 2 stories and it’s about 1200 square feet and my coverage is great. We get both 2.4g and 5g anywhere in the apt upstairs or downstairs and as far out as our parking lot directly in front of our building outside (2.4g & 5g). 5 g outside in parking lot has 2 bars but still works like a champ. Hope I answered your questions and that it helps. Thank you.
Your post is counterproductive. The key words to consider from the info you copied from an article are, “should be able to” and “can do up to”. This is not reality with *most
With this being said, the most commonly used routers using 2.4Ghz (including Spectrum’s) do not support speeds of 450-600 Mbps nor do they support the range of 150ft. Regardless of ideal conditions.
To all you excellent people who have taken your time to read and try to answer my post, Thank you!!! Now this, I hope, will address most of if not all of your extra questions. I’ve done all that extra troubleshooting prior to asking about routers. And to be clear, I disconnected and reconnected modem and router separately and together and all the other stuff without me having to type it all out. I’m sure you all know what you’ve asked. Now I will say I did connect my mom’s desktop directly to the new modem from spectrum via Ethernet and got an average speed of 489 Mbps. Which I thought was Great! However once router was connected to the modem and her desktop was plugged (Ethernet) into router her speed went down to an average speed of 62 Mbps 
. Now my mom’s router is a Netgear AC1200 dual band WiFi Router, model R6120 bought in Sept. 2018. Now with everything reconnected I tested her desktop computer (hardwired no wifi), my phone, her tablet and her Firestick 2nd gen all via wifi and standing next to router. My phone is a moto g7 plus on 2.4 g 22 mbps and 5 g 68 Mbps. Her new tablet running 10 on 2.4 g 19 Mbps and 5 g 72 Mbps and her Firestick 2nd gen 2.4 g 18 Mbps and 5 g 76 Mbps. Now mind you she can’t use the 2.4 g with VPN on to really do anything on her phone as it does not have 5 g capability, nor can she watch Netflix or any other streaming service in her den area (even with it connected to 5 g and the 2.4 g is not getting there either) as her internet begins to get spotty and dropping out around the middle of the kitchen. If you read my original post I think I try to explain her home setup (square footage, where router is to the rest of the house, she has router in bedroom next to hers as this is where she uses it most.). I know it is the router choking off the internet. My mom is 70 years old and retired about 2.5 weeks ago and unfortunately doesn’t know what to do with herself. So I’ve been trying to make different suggestions (all of which are internet driven) because she does like watching movies, tv shows and asking all kinds of questions. She will not spend the extra money that it would cost for a mesh system or an expensive router. She just doesn’t have it and won’t have it in her budget being she is now on social security. With mesh system would require Ethernet cords all thru the house and finding more areas to put extra components and any other excuse you can come up with she’s got it. Believe me, I’ve tried explaining and backing up my explanation with facts to show her. She wants what she has but working better (just getting a router) (my mom’s words). She said that in the first 2-3yrs of getting router it worked wonderfully in respect to the what devices she was using at the time and internet (100 Mbps) package she had. But for the past year internet speed and distance has greatly slowed and diminished even with upgrading internet to the ultra package (500 Mbps) and getting the new modem from spectrum. And yes doing all the testing of connecting, off and on, reconnecting, etc… My mom only wants to spend $100. I talked her into $150-$200, with her pretending to pull her hair out but was agreeable as long as I can back up why. She goes back to how much router was. I say that was 2018 and devices, routers, life has changed since then. When I began researching for routers to check out I became completely overwhelmed. There’s all this new tech, I know nothing about or I don’t know the technical verbage. So in between researching routers, I am looking stuff up that I don’t know about, thus becoming overwhelmed. She wants a dual band long distance router for less than $200 that will get her much better speed and much better coverage especially since upgrading to ultra package (500 Mbps) without having to buy extra equipment. She has close to 2000 square feet with bedrooms on one side of the home going into a hallway and to left of hallway is living room, to right of the hallway is big open kitchen, going into big open den going slightly to the left of den is garage that was turned into another big room. Sorry for the book, just trying to be clear. I hope all this answers y’all’s earlier questions.
With all this being said can you tell me what kind of router I should be looking at or routers I should be researching?? Tonight after starting my research again I found this router thru Netgear which is a Netgear 4 stream dual band router 1.8 GBPS AX1800 wifi router (RAX10) for less than $150. But this router says nothing about coverage unless it’s because I don’t really understand what all the extra wording is (ie 4 stream (why and does someone need that), RAX10 (what is that)??? Also Netgear has same router (all the same wording and same model number except it’s a RAX20, still don’t know what that means. Help me to help her, please. As I stated B4, she is my mom, this is what she wants and she shall have it (it works that way at least in my mind). Thank you for reading and please advise.
Rippleffect,
I know that speeds are up to 500 Mbps and in ideal situations. I figured that was a given. Also at my home on my internet with spectrum and having the exact same package and modem my mom does, with spectrum router I get on my phone on the 5 g about 150 to 200 Mbps and my firestick on 5 g without VPN on 250 Mbps with VPN on 50-75 Mbps depending on time and day of the week. My son has a PlayStation 5 and with it is hardwired (Ethernet) to router. He gets 400 to 500 mbps. (His is only device that has Ethernet port) all the rest in my home are wifi. I’m not trying to be counterproductive. Sorry.
Rippleffect,
You sure are knowledgeable!!! I appreciate whatever help you provide and that you’ve taken your time to ask me question and read the answers. Thank you.
Personally, I’d have your Mom just rent the same router you use & try that out for coverage…$5 a month is the cheapest I’ve ever seen coming from a cable company. Her EMTA modem is DOCSIS 3.1 & that router looks like relatively up to date tech too…worse case scenario…you’ll get some good coverage info to work with while only paying a meager fee…if it doesn’t work out, you can get her something else & return the router.
I’m just quoting what the experts state, not from personal experience. Your facts are entirely different than what industry standards and tests state, but it’s all good. Have a good day and enjoy.
I already suggested that to my mom, but she said no. Plus when she called spectrum she said they told her it would $10 a month and for her it’s not cost effective. Also the router I have will not go the distance she needs. Believe me, I was so hoping she would agree. Thank you.
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Everyone seems to be proposing a wireless solution. What about ethernet over the power/electricity wiring in the home? Effectiveness will depend on the age of the wiring. I have a similar issue - a 40 year old house, many walls between users and the main router - and ethernet over power solves it. FireSticks go ethernet all the way. For tablets/laptops that roam I use a couple of inexpensive TPLink wifi endpoint/bridges in the rooms also connected to the power plugs.
Just want to say Thank you to all of you who replied, asked your questions with hopes of helping me, gave me tips, etc… I decided on a router for my mom’s home and she has agreed. We are hopefully gonna pick it up tomorrow. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed in hopes that it does what it says and installation will be easy. Thank you to ALL of you and Thank you, Troy for providing such a great service on both Troypoint.com and Troypoint Insider!
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Please let us know your results, 
Thanks.What did you decide to go with? Was it Netgear? A mesh system or single router?
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