TP-Link Archer C7 v5 slow WAN speed

[n1md4]

I have a TP-Link Archer C7 v5 router, with the latest OpenWrt installed.

Recently I had a new 1Gbps fibre line installed. The supplied router, an Eero 6 reported speeds of over ~940Mbps. But when removing the Eero and connecting the TP-Link I'm unable to get anywhere need these speeds.

The system is completely hardwired, this is not about wireless performance. Here is a quick comparison of speedtests from a connected computer:

TP-Link
425.9Mbps download
213.2Mbps upload

Eero
747.6Mbps download
863.0Mbps upload

Any advice on what I could look into to check the difference in router performance.

[frollic]

@n1md4

Eero 6 reported speeds of over ~940Mbps. But when removing the Eero and connecting the TP-Link I'm unable to get anywhere need these speeds.

are the two devices using exactly the same hw, internally ?

So you have 500Mbps-1Gbps fiber and need a router READ THIS FIRST

It's such a frequently asked question over the last few years that we really need a post we can point people to. So your cable company rolled out 500Mbps or 1Gbps download speeds, or you have 1Gbps symmetric fiber (GPON/EPON) from ATT or Centurylink or Orange or whoever. You realize your old all in one router from 2009 is not up to the task of handling this, but hey by now stuff should be cheap and available that will handle your new fiber connection right? So you want advice about a router for…

[n1md4]

Thanks for the quick response.

Ah, I wasn't sure if the hardware was up to the task or not, because the advertised specification; gigabit ports etc mean to the likes of me that gigabit is available. If this is a hardware issue then fair enough, in which case, yes I'd appreciate some advice for a new router, there is one requirement that it supports mesh networking.

[frollic]

@n1md4

gigabit ports etc mean the likes of me that gigabit is available

gigabit ports != capable of routing at gigabit speeds.

@n1md4

yes I'd appreciate some advice for a new router,

where are you located, geographically.

[elder_tinkerer]

@frollic

are the two devices using exactly the same hw, internally ?

Of course not.
While the C7 V5 has got a single core Qualcomm Atheros QCA9563 running at 750MHz with 16MB Flash and 128MB RAM, the Eero 6 has got a unspecified quad-core SoC running at 1,2GHz with 4GB Flash and 512MB RAM.

@n1md4
So the Eero 6 is much more powerful than the C7, and i guess they're using some parts in the SoC with their firmware to speed up the troughput which isn't available in OpenWrt.

[n1md4]

@frollic

where are you located, geographically.

I am located in the United Kingdom.

[n1md4]

I've read that thought fully now, and basically you can't get an all-in-one solution for gigabit fibre speeds.

I'll be investigating a component based solution, currently I'd need an AP and router.

[frollic]

@elder_tinkerer

Of course not.

it was a rhetorical question ...

@n1md4

I am located in the United Kingdom.

WRX36 (complicated to flash, but still very doable)
RT3200 / E8450 (mostly unavailable)
ASUS AX4200 (requires serial to flash)
WAX206 (very easy to flash)

Table of Hardware: Ideal for OpenWrt + 802.11ax supported

if you can repurpose the Eero, and set it up as AP, you could get a cheap x86 box off ebay, for less than 50£.

[n1md4]

@frollic

if you can repurpose the Eero, and set it up as AP, you could get a cheap x86 box off ebay, for less than 50£.

That's not a bad idea! I have been looking at a dedicated router too, for example (and not limited to) the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite. I'll check out your links too.

[frollic]

you can obviously do the same with the TP-Link, but the wifi will be slower.

[elder_tinkerer]

@frollic

it was a rhetorical question ...

I know...i just couldn't resist...

Both models cost about the same (~120€) at Amazon.de. So one might assume they're in the same league...which they aren't.

[n1md4]

I already have a separate modem, the Adtrans SDX621i, and I use a Pi-Hole for DNS and DHCP. Just thinking aloud before doing my own research ... does the modem do the routing? do I need a separate router ...

[n1md4]

@frollic

WAX206 (very easy to flash)

I'm really liking the look of this though, pretty affordable too. Something I'm not getting though, it's marketed as an AP but also has ethernet ports, is it a switch too or is it routing ...

[frollic]

@elder_tinkerer

Both models cost about the same (~120€) at Amazon.de. So one might assume they're in the same league...which they aren't.

it's been as low as ~45€, 120 is just old stock.

https://de.camelcamelcamel.com/product/B00BUSDVBQ

@n1md4

does the modem do the routing?

depends on the modem, and how it's configured / configurable.

@n1md4

Something I'm not getting though, it's marketed as an AP but also has ethernet ports, is it a switch too or is it routing

it got an uplink port, and there's a router mode in the stock fw, but it's sold as an AP.

[fodiator]

See here for entitlements of the C7 :
[OpenWrt Wiki] TP-Link Archer C5 AC1200 / TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 / TP-Link TL-WDR7500

[timothyjward]

Depending on what features you need a number of MT7621 devices have been enabled for 2Gbps hw accelerated routing.

2 Gbps WAN/LAN NAT Routing on ramips MT7621 devices

18th of April 2023 Update Here is some information to prevent repeat questions directed at me. This won't be on 22.03, only newer versions will have it as the patch was made at that time frame, and there's no need to spend time and effort backporting to older versions. For the devices listed under the "RGMII2 pins are used with an external phy on these:" and "RGMII2 pins are used as GPIO on these:" lists, the feature will work with changes on the devicetree of the said device, except some rare…

You could, for example, buy a ZyXEL WSM20 (aka Multy M1) from Ebuyer for £33, or a 3 pack for £90. This would absolutely not be able to do gigabit SQM or VPN, but should do basic gigabit routing with the enhanced device tree on master.

It’s really about working out what best fits your needs and budget.

[theMan]

That's slow, even for a C7. Did you enable software flow acceleration under firewall?

[n1md4]

You called it! Enabled both software and hardware offloading and now get far faster speeds:

801.46Mbps download
859.56Mbps upload

Wireless is more than it was with offloading, but still less than I'd expect, given the hardware specification I thought it would be closer to 866Mbps. But the speeds I'm getting suggest the connection is running 802.11n instead of ac:

307.20Mbps
273.71Mpbs

TP-Link Archer C7
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9880 802.11acn
Channel: 36 (5.180 GHz) | Bitrate: 866.7 Mbit/s

Laptop
Intel Corporation Wireless 8265 / 8275 (rev 78)

[theMan]

C7 doesnt have hardware acceleration support, so don't think it matters that you turn on hardware acceleration or not. If anything it could be slower.

Wifi is limited by the cpu in the C7 and the speeds you're getting seem to be accurate and as expected.

[n1md4]

I thought about what you said of WiFi being CPU intensive, so I did some tests.

Putting the Eero into bridged mode and having WiFi enabled, but excluding the TP-Link I got WiFi speeds of around 500Mbs. When I put the TP-Link back in the equation and had the Eero on a stick (in bridge mode) for WiFi, speed reverted back to the 300Mbps range.

Two questions then:

i) Any idea why including the TP-Link reduced the speed of WiFi, even though the service was offloaded to the Eero.
ii) How is it possible to get close to the 1.3Gbps speed as supported by 802.11ac (assuming ideal conditions).

Thanks in advance.