Is Your High-Speed Internet Slow? It SHOULD be FAST! It SHOULD have RANGE. Here's How To Fix It And Save Money Each Month.

Asus RT-AC86U Wifi Router - Family Approved!

Summary

Connecting Asus RT-AC86U wifi router to our existing combo modem/wifi-router fixed all of our internet wifi speed & range issues. We now have the FULL wifi internet speeds we've been paying for - everywhere in the house!

Preface

READ THIS FIRST: If you're connecting your computer to the internet by literally plugging a cable from the modem into your laptop/desktop computer, then this article is NOT for you. This article is for people using WIFI in their home and have SLOW speeds or inability to use the internet from everywhere in their home - even when paying $$$ for internet each month.

The research I did and the results it got me have been astounding and I'm SUUUUPER excited to share them with everyone I know. I suspect many others deal with unacceptable internet speed issues, too. This is intended to free you from being stuck with slow internet while paying for fast internet - like I was.

I have links to amazon in here because I absolutely believe in this wifi router. I bought mine via an affiliate link from someone whose research was helpful to me. They helped me, and the affiliate link price is the same, so I said "Thank You" by making Amazon share its profit with them. If the information I have given is helpful to you, please use one of my Amazon affiliate links to purchase the router as a way of saying "thanks for the insight".

The Background (sound familiar?)

Though it should be easy, having good internet at home can be a seemingly impossible task. Even after you settle on a provider, you then have to find a modem that works with their services. I usually just went with one that had wifi built in - modem/wifi-router style. It's all about the same, right? That's what I thought, too. Every time I changed providers or got a new modem/wifi-router, I had high hopes of new internet-speed-bliss. Then came the sad disappointment of my internet being about as slow as it was before - no matter what speeds I signed up for. Then rinse-repeat every 2-3 years.

Getting a fraction of the usable speed I was paying for had plagued me for years. Part of me wondered if stated speeds were just an up-sell "trick", because they always stated "up to" the speed you're paying for. I still have a theory on that (at the very end, but it's probably not what you are thinking).

After moving into a new house, I went through this same cycle again. I now had an "office" I could use to work from home, but to effectively work from home, I needed to have reliable fast internet. Plus, since I was paying for it, I wanted every last MB/sec I could get from my service.

So, I was careful to check the speed myself before the tech left. I sat next to the modem/router and tested it. The speed was about what they stated I should get. Perfect. So I let the tech know that everything was set.

BUT, the next day, I started having the usual troubles with internet. Choppy meeting video. Slow downloads. Low speeds when trying to stream music... and good luck if I ever needed to stream a video. Even Alexa would cut out from lack of adequate music streaming speed. Pathetic.

I had planned to use this to work from home, but I couldn't sit next to the router all day. Maybe it was the bigger house pushing me further from the router than our condo? Whatever the reason, I needed to work from my office, but the speeds were too slow there. I had to fix this, but wasn't even sure what the fix would look like. Should I pay for more speed? Would it help? Maybe it was the provider being slow where I live? I was desperate.

I figured it must be the provider's limited bandwidth resulting in "slow times" or degrading the service. I was ready to change providers again. But I also found it odd that it was still slow at time where usage was surely low - like 5am. And I really didn't want to go through phone calls with a new provider, service installation coordination, setup fees, auto-pay billing setup, etc. Always a huge hassle. And then maybe it would still be slow, which would mean I wasted my time.

I decided to test my speed right next to my wifi-router before switching. To my surprise, I got nearly the stated speeds. Weird, because the speeds elsewhere in my house were consistent with the issues I had over the years. And further away in the house they were even worse.

After a lot of reading, technical investigation, talking to experts, etc I finally determined the root issue and have fixed my internet woes for good. I can't begin to tell you how amazing it is to have blazing fast internet anywhere in my house, after going years with barely-functional wifi internet. Thankfully, the fix is simple, and the results are blissful.

The Diagnosis

The modem/wifi-router combo the provider sells (or leases) to you SUCKS. I should know after using lots of them. But there's a little more to it. Each modem/wifi-router has a few pieces to it, so let me break down where the issue is:

1. Modem: FAST
2. WifiRouter (when you're close): FAST
3. WifiRouter (at any range or through walls): POOOOR

Not only that, but I have tried MANY of the "provider approved" modem/wifi-router boxes from makers like: Motorola, Actiontec, Netgear, DLink, etc. Same exact results. I go from pretty fast speeds when sitting literally next to the router to 20% of the stated speed when in the adjacent room (through a wall) just a few feet away. And the further away I go, the worse it gets until its barely functional (or non-functional) at 2% of stated speeds in the farthest corner of my house. Same results occurred both in my 1,000sqft condo or in the new 2,500 sqft house with various combo modems.

There's good news & bad news. The good news is that we only have to fix one thing to get internet fast everywhere - we need a wifi router that is FAST at RANGE. The bad news is that marketing for nearly every WIFI router - even the modem/wifi-router combo ones - tells you that their router's range is awesome (unless they're comparing their own routers, then it's "awesome" vs "awesome-er"). Unfortunately, often "range" really means "range across a flat empty room with no obstructions or competing electrical signals to interfere"). And which marketing team is going to say "our modem-wifi-router combo sucks at range, like most of the other ones out there".

It was extremely difficult to find apples-to-apples comparison data on the internet about router performance in houses at range. It was all vague and shiny with no real data results that could be compared. It shouldn't be, but it was. In fact, I never did find one place to go to get the info I desired, so I had to arduously stitch together data from many sources to build a comprehensive technical perspective to educate my decision. If I was going to buy something, I wanted to get the best performance I could and not pay for features I didn't need. And I did just that.

The Solution (saved by the "Gamers")

Leave it to the "gamers" to have the best wifi technology around. And it makes sense - they are playing fast-paced games online with other live players, and cannot afford to have slow or choppy internet - if it were, they simply couldn't play the game. So, "gaming" wifi routers use some of the best technology out there to ensure they have all of the speed possible and none of the "hiccups". Additionally, their router might be rooms away, which cannot be allowed to slow it down either. This results in impressive & highly-advanced wifi routers - some even having processing power similar to what you may be running in your computer!

After breaking down the final list of contenders for long-range high-performance routers, I ended up finding two SPECIFIC Asus brand routers that stood out. One is the Asus RT-AC86U and the other is the RT-AC88U. Don't let the "gaming" marketing distract you from the fact that reliable internet speed & range is independent of what you're using it for. Both of these routers have very long-range capabilities and maintain their speed even at very long ranges.

In the end I picked the Asus RT-AC86U over the Asus RT-AC88U for the following reasons:

• While "86" is lower than "88", the RT-AC86U is actually 2 years NEWER technology! (to me, this means it will stay "current" longer)
• The RT-AC86U has better & faster processing
• The range and fast-speeds at that range are nearly identical
• The RT-AC86U is WAY more compact (size of book vs size of laptop) & stands upright
• The RT-AC86U is $50 cheaper while being better!

There's also almost-identical router that has some additional gaming features for slightly higher cost. It's super popular as well. It's the Asus GT-AC2900 wifi router. I didn't need those features, I just needed fast speeds everywhere in my house, but you may want the extra features.

The setup was super clear & easy. Asus did a great job with clear step-by-step instructions, and only a few steps at that. It just plugs into the back of your old modem and you pick a wifi name.

The Verdict

I wasn't sure how much difference the new wifi would make, or if it would even make any difference... and WOW, was I surprised at the results. I now have full-speed internet anywhere in my house - even through 7 walls (yes, I counted) on the opposite corner of the house. In that farthest corner, I literally went from getting 2% of stated speeds to 99.1% of stated speeds!

It feels REALLY GOOD to get the internet speeds I pay for. I can now work from home effectively (which has come in handy during coronavirus). I can watch shows without any lag. Alexa never stops working for lack of connection/speed. My phone wifi is finally faster than its 4G-LTE, so I don't rack up data usage from home anymore. We can use multiple devices streaming simultaneously without any issues. I can go anywhere in the house and have internet. I even have nearly full bars standing in my neighbor's house a few doors down. Crazy. Awesome.

I hate to state that a piece of technology (especially an un-sexy wifi-router) "changed my life", but it definitely did - it gives me time back that would have been lost, it reduced hassle & frustration, enables me to be with my family more by enabling me to work from home, and has made me more effective at the things I need to do. All for the cost of a wifi-router? So sad that this simple solution took me so long to find. It shouldn't be "hidden knowledge", but it feels like it is. And that's why I HAD to write this article - to help others in the same frustrating situation. 

I'm excited to help you fully use the internet you're likely paying a high price for. Here's a link to the Asus RT-AC86U wifi router that has solved my internet woes for good and given me full usage of the speeds I'm paying for.

ASUS RT-AC86U - Don't Work From Home Without It! :-)

Or the other nearly identical (even looks the same) GT-AC2900 wifi router that costs about $20 more and supports additional gamer features like connecting with the Sony PS4. 

ASUS GT-AC2900 - About the same, but preferable if you're actually a gamer. :-)

Pro Tips

• My usable internet speeds are now 40-50x what they were before and can be used anywhere in my house. The speed you get from the ASUS RT-86U may mean you can downgrade your internet service and save $$. The router then puts money back in your pocket while giving you speed you never had at the higher cost. Win.
• You may be able to test to see if a router might help your slow internet. The best way is to: 
1. With your wireless device, go to the farthest corner of your house from your wifi-router. Then go to this link by Google that can test your internet speeds: Google Internet Speed Test and click the "Run Speed Test" button.
   My results BEFORE: 2% of the high-speed internet speeds I pay for. Lame.
2. Go back to your wifi-router. Use an ethernet cable to plug your device directly into one of the slots in the back of your modem. (if possible) If not possible, then put your wireless device about 2-3ft from your router with no obstructions in the way.
   Then go to the same Google Internet Speed test and click "Run Speed Test" button.
   My results Before: 94% of the high-speed internet speeds I pay for. Hmmm...
3. If there was a difference in the speeds of the Google Internet Speed Test, then you have a WIFI router issue! Buy the Asus RT-AC86U and follow the easy installation instructions in the box.
4. Re-test your internet from that farthest corner of the house.
   My results AFTER: 99.1% of the high-speed internet speeds I pay for. WOW!
5. Do a happy dance or something - your slow-internet-speed days are over!
• When setting up your new fast, long-range wifi router, pick the name wifi name/password as before, so that all of your devices automatically connect just like they did before.
• I'm all for the "best bang for the buck device" possible, and for my connection it was the ASUS RT-AC86U meeting my long-range and speed needs, but maybe you would prefer better gaming integration with the GT-AC2900 wifi router. OR maybe you have a multi-GB/sec internet connection, are into gaming & 4k streaming, and just want the best money can buy. If that's you, I'd be surprised if you don't already have a gaming router like this... but in such a case you may want to consider this next-tier wifi router capable of easily streaming your multi-GB/sec speeds over long ranges. These include the Asus GT-AC5300 (up to 5.3GB/sec speeds) or the next iteration the Asus GT-AX11000 (up to 11GB/sec speeds).

Asus GT-AX11000 When you just have to have the best. :-)

Answered Questions

Glad this article has been helping people! I've had some people ask me questions, and I figure others probably are wonder the same things. I'll add more answers as sharable questions come in.

Question 1: My internet is slow, but will this work for me?

The main problem a good wifi router solves is slow internet at range. Remember how my wifi speed was fast when I was right next to my combo modem/wifi-router but not as I went moved away from it? That difference in close vs far speeds is a sign of a sub-par wifi router. So, the “close-far” test can tell you if wifi router has poor speeds at range. 

I recently ran this test with one of my friends who had poor internet speeds in her condo. Her "close" speed was 2.6Mb/sec and her "far" (across the condo) was 2.4Mb/sec, so the wifi did not drop much. This indicates her issue was not the router (we later found the service provider was giving her poor speeds - see Question 2 for more info there). 

So, if you’re next to the wifi router & run speedtest, and it’s not significantly faster than a speedtest run a few rooms away, this router may not help much. Remember a wifi router can only give you what’s getting to your modem. So that modem speed is the next big question... which brings us to Question 2. 

Question 2: How do you know what speed is at your modem?

This question is a little harder to tell for the average person these days, because so much of our technology is cordless. Here are a couple of ways - the first using the old-fashioned cord: 

1. Plug an Ethernet cable into your computer (larger Windows laptops often have an ethernet plug built-in as well as some Apple products, OR you may have an adapter for Ethernet that came with your computer). After you have your ethernet cable attached, turn off wifi (to be sure your using the cable) and run Google speedtest while plugged in directly.
   A direct cable connection will always provide the fastest data connection you can get at your house & will reflect the speeds you currently at your modem. If your wifi is not significantly different from this direct-cable speed, then a new wifi router cannot do much. In this case, your provider is truly giving you slow speed.

1. If you can’t test through a direct ethernet cable connection, often your modem settings webpage will tell you its current speed. Look on the back of your modem and it should have an address to go to like “192.168.0.1”. Just type that in your browser and go to it, and you’ll likely be met with a login page that you’ll need to login to using the username/password also likely listed on the back of your modem.
   Once in the modem settings, look around and you’ll likely be able to find a page that has info on your modem speeds. For my Motorola modem, it’s under “Status” page and it has the modem speed under “Downstream Connect Speed (Kbps). This is just like the download speed you get from Google speedtest, only add a “dot” in the thousands place to turn it into GB/sec (my 13503 would be 13.503 GB/s… it’s very exact). The key is find something that says Kbps or KB/s or Kb/sec (or Mb/s if your modem is nice like that), which indicates the internet speeds currently AT your modem.
   
   
   My friend’s modem settings called it “Link” and it listed her speeds like this: “Link: 13503/988 Kbps” which stands for her download/upload Kbps speeds - again, similar to Google speedtest results. This seems to be a pretty reliable place to find your speeds for most modems. Once you know that, you’ll know the speed you COULD get up to. For me, my provider (Century Link DSL - aka: “phone line internet”) bills me for 12Mb/sec, and you can see I’m getting 13.5Mb/sec at the modem, and Google speedtest says I’m getting 11.9Mb/sec through my wifi router when across my house.
   
2. Your provider may be able to “ping” your modem and give you this info as well, so you don’t have to login. That would require a phone or online chat with your provider & I'm not positive they'll have the info handy. 

If you find that your modem is the same speed or not much faster than what Google speedtest says your wifi is giving, then your wifi router is doing all it can with what it’s given. :-( Sorry. This was the case with a friend of mine who had slow internet. We found that her modem said “Link: 3396/512 Kb/sec” which is about 3.4Mb/sec at the modem and her wifi router was 30% less than that. Thankfully, she uses her computer next to the modem. 

If you use your computer from nearby the modem (eg: your office desk is next to your modem), then there may be a silver lining. If you have the option (like on a laptop, MS Surface, desktop, etc) and can deal with being “leashed” as a tradeoff for speed, you could opt to use an Ethernet cable connection by directly connecting your device into your modem with an ethernet cable. If you don’t have the plug on your device, you may be able to find an adapter that can accommodate the ethernet cable into one of your existing plug options. 

This ethernet cable connection will ensure you have the FASTEST possible speed that your provider is giving you. It doesn’t mean you couldn’t use wifi elsewhere, but it would give you the option of getting the fastest connection at the cable. Oh, and if you decide to do this, just make sure to turn your device’s wifi off when you want to use the ethernet cable connection, because your device may still default to using the wifi if you don’t turn wifi off. 

Microsoft Surface Ethernet Adapter (plug&play) - about $35

"New-School" Apple USB-C Ethernet Adapter (cheaper directly from Apple) - about $30

"Old-School" Apple Thunderbolt-Plug Ethernet Adapter - about $29

Macbook Air USB Thunderbolt Ethernet Adapter - about $30

AND don't forget, if you're using an adapter, you need a cord to plug into your modem. There are many that work, but the majority can use Cat5e & Cat7. I recommend Cat7 to future-proof your purchase. It's backwards compatible with Cat5e, yet supports faster speeds.

Cat7 Ethernet Cable (comes in various lengths) - about $9

Otherwise, if the speeds at your modem are slow, you may want to consider a provider who can give you the speeds you pay for. I currently pay $35/mo “Price for Life” (which is always exactly $35/mo - amazing) for 12Mb/sec in Renton, WA. Whatever you choose, once you find another provider & find a service speed/price you’re ok with, you may want to call your old provider and give them one chance to “do better” before you switch. Maybe they can - great - less work & a happier you! Maybe they can’t or won’t - possibly time to switch & not look back.

Question 3: Can I connect this WiFi router to my existing combo modem/wifi-router?

YES! That’s exactly what I did. My apologies for not making that more clear. 

Question 4: What if my modem is just bad?

Totally possible. They do go bad - faster than you would probably think they should. Most of my modems usually only last 1-3 years before they start going bad, and that’s the word I’ve heard on the street as well. Better modems may hit 5 years, but nothing is guaranteed with electronics. Lifespan has many factors (manufacturing, packaging, handling, usage, electrical surges, curious toddler-electricians, etc).

One way I’ve always been able to tell a modem is starting to go bad is when internet begins intermittently cutting out, AND restarting the modem (power off or unplug modem for 10s then power back on) will restore internet connection... for a while, until you have to do that restart process again. If you have to play the “restart game” with your modem to keep it working, it may be time to look for a new one. If your modem is bad, at this point you have some options. 

1. Get another combo modem/router. Totally a valid option if you want to try that first. Depending on the range you need in your house & the speeds you expect at that range, combo modem/WiFi-router may work fine. Ideally shorter distances or lower expectations of speed at range/obstacles. If you get sick of the wifi signal, you can always use the modem part just as a modem and get a separate wifi router - which is what I shared in this article that I did with great results.
2. Get a separate modem & WiFi router that has good range/speed capabilities. It may take a couple extra cords & two logins for setup (one for modem setup, one for WiFi setup), but it may give you a higher tier of range/speed. It also may last a little longer, depending on quality. The modem you need depends on your provider connection type (cable/dsl/fiber/??), but any of the WiFi routers in this article should be able to plug into the modem using the normal Ethernet cable it comes with.
   

Theory Why Providers Give SLOW Combo Wifi Routers

Maybe it's innocent ignorance, but that's probably too naive. I have my own theory based on my experience. It has to do with providers up-selling you on higher speeds while not having to give you much extra data. My theory is that they "approve" certain modems that will provide the "issue breakdown" I initially stated - fast modem and wifi at close range, but super slow wifi when at any range.

Why would they do this? Because they can still have their techs show you how FAST your connection is when they test it, but then most of your practical usage - when not sitting at the router - will be notably slower. What benefit would that provide?

Easy - their network had limited total capacity. But they only have to send you data as you use it, and if your wifi can't deliver it faster than 20% of your maximum speed, then they only have to send it at that 20% rate. This saves them 80% of the data your connection could be using. This means there's more "20%" chunks to go around for them.

If providers gave everyone a FAST long-range wifi router, then everyone would be possibly using 100% of their maximum speeds. The difference between 20% and 100% is 5x, so this would mean a 5x increase in network demand, and they would need to increase their network capacity. So, as it is, they sell you a high-speed connection that you're only able to use a fraction of. And you probably won't figure out why.

They probably even justify it saying "well, most people only NEED what our router's wifi can provide" - which may be true for some internet searching cases. And they may also justify it by saying to themselves that it's easier to setup a single combo modem/wifi-router, which is also true, but not compared to the years of frustratingly slow speeds they give the users. I'd personally rather spend an extra 8 minutes setting up the separate wifi router than 10+ years (how long I spent using combo modem/wifi-routers) of frustratingly slow speeds and needlessly switching internet providers only to end up with the same problems.

But that's on YOU to fix, because they never told you that you have to use their modem's built-in wifi. So, get your own high speed-wifi router and use the FULL internet speed that you're paying for!

Clinton J Nelson

Hi! I'm Clint. I'm A... Husband. Father of three. Software Engineer. Professional Engineer (structural). Sippy-cup filler. Carpenter. Mechanic. Entrepreneur. Archer. Follower of Jesus.

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