Speed Gone from 955MBS to 173MBS in a Few Weeks

[#1]

@UnluckyAlf 

Which mode are you using the Deco mesh, Wireless router mode or Access Point Mode?

The TP-Link tether app might list what devices are connected to which band 2,4 or 5 GHz.

Only the devices connected to 5 GHz would be the ones can achieve the higher speeds, those devices would also need to be connected to the primary node if the backhaul between the nodes is wireless.

This app Android version is handy https://techet.net/netanalyzer see link for features.

[#2]

While there is a WiFiman for Apple devices it doesn't have the useful channel display (I guess because the raw data isn't available on iOS) and I'm afraid I don't know of an iOS alternative.

The Deco adds a complexity to the mix.

This thread from another user with Deco (and some speed limitations) is worth a read.

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Setting-up-hub2-on-Full-Fibre-900-with-Deco-M5/td-p/1984775

I would give the approach in post 2 a go (plug the Deco directly into the ONT).

The other insight I've gained from that thread is that the Deco is a mesh but there is no "backhaull" for the mesh indipendent of the channels used by the devices.

I wonder if your original tests were connected to the cabled Deco and the more recent ones (for some reason) on the satellite devices and thus using two wireless hops.

One of the reasons I've not gone down the mesh route is that there seems to be a degree of "witchcraft" to it!

[#3]

Good morning Dan, and everyone trying to help.  Many of the phrases and concepts involved in this are way beyond me, for example, I’ve no understanding of what a backhaul is or what it does, Ookla I’m guessing is a program or something?  Anyway, mention of the TP Tether app reminded me I came to the Deco mesh via basic TP Link extenders (2 in the house, 1 for a printer and 1 for a music streamer.  Having checked the Tether app they are both on 2.5/5 connections and so I’ve stopped them from connecting to 2.5 (I think)  I found a similar option in the Deco but the Panasonic TV says it can’t connect now so I’m guessing some items can only use 2.5 and disabling it has caused problems for them.  In the Deco app they help page for testing speed says the app only shows this feature when certain models of deco are set as the main one.  My Deco X50 isn’t one of them.  

Now, I’m at a point where I have no clue what I’m doing.  All I know is the Deco was bought and installed at the same we moved from Sky copper to Plusnet FFTP and we were getting the promised speeds with the out of the box setup for both.  No one and no item, has ever connected directly to the Plusnet router from day 1.  So I don’t see what else a basic normal user, with my limits skills can do, but again, than as to all for trying to help. 

[#4]

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@beeceegee wrote:

Hmm, no option to run a one off test? Google suggests newer Decos may have the standard Ookla Speedtest built in. If it's anything like my Asus router this is in addition to any real time monitoring

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Thinks: Since this matter of "My broadband/Wi-Fi speed is not up to that contracted" is a recurring issue on here and given that the BT Wholesale Broadband Performance Test is no more, it would be generally useful if any future update to the Hub 2 firmware included a new link for a replacement Broadband(!) Speed Test.

[#5]

Thank you for this info Mark.  I’ll google the phrases I don’t know but I do know disabling the 2.5 thing has knocked 3 older Ring cameras off the  WiFi and now only 2 of the 5 cameras are online.  I honestly think I’m done with this as I don’t know what I’m doing and seem to be creating more problems than I’m solving.  I do know the old router wan’t enough and my partner had problems with Teams etc so I thumbs we do need a mesh to get coverage all over the house (only a small semi btw but even so). 

I’ll step away from this now and go walk yes dog before I’m tempted to take all the kit outside to ‘fix’ it with my sledgehammer 🙂 

[#6]

Just before I go out of my mind with this, or maybe the rain to walk the dog, I’ll just say, I’m a 66 year old newly retired Paramedic and chat you all day about what I’d do ijn any given emergency medical or trauma situation. However, I’ve no desire to become an expert in WiFi or IT etc, I’m supposed to be support punk my partner Worthing from home and still Enoch able to enjoy internet use (5g not an option where we live)  I can’t get past the fact that we’ve gone from Highly Delighted to ready without it all in a skip in under 8 weeks, when I’ve not changed a single thing. 

So there! 😂

[#7]

@UnluckyAlf I appreciate your frustration, but I'm just wondering, seeing as you are an 'all wireless' household because of your choice of kit - do you know anyone you could borrow a Windows laptop and an Ethernet cable from, and connect that machine direct to the router, thereby bypassing the Deco, and checking that you are actually getting your expected connection speed ?

[#8]

@UnluckyAlf 

but I do know disabling the 2.5 thing has knocked 3 older Ring cameras off the  WiFi and now only 2 of the 5 cameras are online.  

Yes, some devices will only connect to a 2.4ghz network.

What you could do , is to create two separate networks with different names, then assign the 2.4ghz band to one and the 5ghz band to the other. You can then force individual devices to connect only to the required network

although

 I honestly think I’m done with this as I don’t know what I’m doing and seem to be creating more problems than I’m solving

would suggest that might be difficult

[#9]

@UnluckyAlf 

If you are unsure on the actions you are making probably best not to touch, I would revert back to what you had.

"Backhaul" - this refers to the interconnection link between the Mesh nodes and Router.

Where WiFi is used a weaker signal between the nodes can result in a slow interconnections, with the backhaul being a wired connection would remove this weak signal issue.

How is the primary node connected to the Hub two? Are you using the latest version Deco app?

As previously mentioned can you see if the testing device is using 2.4 or 5 GHz band to do the speedtest as this is important to know as this will the clue to why a speedtest result might be down..

[#10]

@UnluckyAlf 

Reflecting on your observation about being able to deal with medical emergencies without blinking and knowing what to worry about … and more importantly what NOT to worry about, might these reflections be useful from those who understand how this stuff works…

1. Your tests are run over WiFi and reflect the experience of that single device at the time of testing
2. The perceived experience is a conjunction of the individual device’s performance, that of YOUR WiFi, the speed of the LINK under scrutiny, the onward connections to the measurement service - it is NOT a dependable measure of the link’s performance in isolation
3. The reported performance is highly variable, some tests being very impressive though others not so - unlike copper borne services there is NO variable performance on the link - either it works or it does not - therefore you cannot experience those very high results and cite worse ones as an indicator that there are issues with the link
4. It would be unreasonable to presume that a single device can, over WiFi, drive the LINK to its full capacity all of the time

Are you experiencing real world difficulties here?  When everyone is trying to use the service at the same time, does anyone experience performance problems?  Indeed when you have run these speed tests can you be confident that there was no other internet activity across the other devices?

Have you tried to run multiple speed tests concurrently on all the devices and summed the reported speeds?

There is a danger of chasing a problem which does not exist, but only appears to because the means of measuring only infer something which you are not able to get close enough to and measure with true discernment.  Is this the best use of your time?

If dependable working from home is the paramount “driver” of concern here, I’d be spending the time working out a contingency plan around every single point of potential failure, which is more likely to have impact than link capacity.  What’s the plan if any of the following fail?

1. The broadband service
2. The router
3. The WFH device

Do you have standbys for each of these and is the work backed up?

What is the nature of the WFH activity?  If essentially email and conference calls, concurrent use of the service is not likely to be a concern.  As you’ll be aware from your paramedic paradigm experience, people’s fear and concern in a situation is often disproportionate to the real risk they face.

Thank you for your service over the years and I hope long years in retirement lay ahead for you.

[#11]

Sadly not.  My partner’s work laptop is Windows but I think the employer strictly limits what software she can put on it, but I’ll check.  Apologies for delay in responding to all the kind people on here, but life’s been getting in the way.

[#12]

Thank you for this thoughtful advice about reframing the issue.  I think I was thinking we were paying for something we weren’t getting.  My partner’s work is as an Advanced Paramedic, and her remit covers the entire footprint of Yorkshire, so can be working almost anywhere.   Thankfully, regarding WFH, we needn’t worry about a back-up plan as we are only 20 minutes from the Emergency Operations Centre and she’d be able to go there literally anytime, if the IT aspect was so pressing, its more about convenience and flexibility.  

Your, and everyone else’s help is very much appreciated. 

[#13]

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@UnluckyAlf wrote:

Sadly not.  My partner’s work laptop is Windows but I think the employer strictly limits what software she can put on it, but I’ll check.  Apologies for delay in responding to all the kind people on here, but life’s been getting in the way.

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I suspect, having seen what was available on Community Nurses laptops when they visited my mum (some years ago) that your wife's probably won't run a speed test, but I was thinking more of borrowing someone else's home laptop, which will be open to all normal applications.

[#14]

Hi, the Deco default is to connect in WiFi mode (and it is) the other option is as an Access Point, but am not sure which is best for the set-up we have, as nothing other than the primary Deco connects to the Plusnet router.   I can’t find who suggested to moment the Deco directly to the ?ONT, which I take to be the box on the wall that the Plusnet router plugs in to.  I tried this but I just get a red light on the Deco rather than green.  

[#15]

I think I can shine a little light on plugging the Deco into the Openreach ONT.

As it's working when plugged into a LAN port on the Plusnet router the Deco is currently set to do what (say) a laptop would do when plugged in (uses DHCP to get an address from the router).

To remove the Plusnet router the Deco needs diffrerent settings (PPPoE setup) and the credentials of your Plusnet account (the Plusnet router has a way of getting these when plugged in because Plusnet know which router they sent you).

It can be done (and it's probably better) but essentially your current achieved wireless speeds are limited by both the Deco and equipment using wireless.