NETGEAR's slow-connection article lists six steps in order. Install the newest router firmware, as NETGEAR regularly ships speed and stability fixes. Restart the modem, then the router. Test several devices. If some are quick and others crawl, look at what the slow ones support compared with the router. Try Ethernet: if wired speeds are better, suspect wifi interference or a device on an older standard. Switch the wireless channel if a neighbor's network is probably crowding yours.
The checks in more detail
As a last test, unplug the router, connect a computer directly to the modem or gateway and test; if still below expectation the fault is the provider or the line, so contact them. The range article adds that speeds fall with distance because devices move to lower frequency bands, and that the 6 GHz band is fast but short-range so the router should be near where you need it. A Wi-Fi 6E or 7 router only delivers top speeds to devices that support the same standard, and a 100 Mbps Ethernet adapter caps a wired device.
Speeds also vary by time of day, so test more than once. Do not judge from one test. Run a wired and a wireless test twice at different hours, record each result and set them beside the speed you pay for. Wireless that reaches about half the wired figure is common on phones. Speeds rise and fall through the day because neighbors share the provider's network. An 8 pm test can read far lower than a 6 am one with nothing wrong at home.
A test on a satellite's wifi reflects the backhaul, whereas a test on a wired router port reflects the router and provider; compare the two. Close big downloads and cloud backups on every device before you run a test, since a single laptop uploading photos can hold a whole household's speed down and make a healthy router look faulty. Speeds on one band alone being slow suggests a channel problem, while all bands being slow suggests the connection, which narrows the search at once.
Differential
Likely causes of “NETGEAR Nighthawk routers internet or Wi-Fi is slow”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Old firmware
What separates it The router is slow because its firmware is out of date
How to confirm Update the firmware first, because releases often improve speed
- 2
Interference
What separates it Wifi trails the wired speed because other networks are interfering
How to confirm Pick another wifi channel in the router settings and test again
- 3
An older device
What separates it Only one device is slow because it uses an older wifi standard
How to confirm Look up which wifi standard the device supports; older ones cannot reach high speeds
- 4
Distance
What separates it The speed is slow in rooms that are far from the router
How to confirm Move closer to the router, or add a mesh system, so that the signal is stronger there
- 5
A provider fault
What separates it The speed is slow even with a computer plugged straight into the modem
How to confirm Call the provider; the slowness comes from the line, not your router
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Speed at the modem, wired through the router and over wifi
- Which devices at home are slow
- The wifi band and the channel that is in use
- The firmware version shown on the router
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedUpdate firmware
ReversibleUpdate the firmware first, since NETGEAR frequently releases updates that improve performance, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Power cycle
ReversibleRestart the modem and the router and let both finish booting before testing.
Test several devices
ReversibleTest several devices, and look for a pattern in which ones are slow and which are fast.
Test by Ethernet
ReversibleTest over Ethernet from a computer and compare that with wifi.
Change the channel
ReversibleChange the channel if you suspect interference from neighbors or from appliances at home, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Test at the modem
ReversibleConnect a computer directly to the modem to see the speed the provider delivers.
Contact the provider
ReversibleContact the provider if the modem itself is slow, since the fault is then in the line.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- RS700S
- The RS700S is a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router with a 10 Gbps internet port.
- RAX50
- The RAX50 is a dual-band AX5400 router.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Nighthawk RS300 Wi-Fi 7 router, Nighthawk RAXE500 router, Nighthawk RAX50 router.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !A modem that is slow when tested directly is a call to the provider
- !If the wired speed through the router stays slow after a firmware update and restart, contact NETGEAR support
- !When only wireless is slow, move the router or change the channel
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Firmware, power cycle and direct modem test.
Placement, antennas, channels and mesh.
Power, Internet, WiFi, Ethernet and WPS LEDs.
Speed limits by device and band.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I check for wifi problems?+
Test over Ethernet and compare with wifi to learn whether wifi is the weak link.
How do I check the provider?+
Connect a computer to the modem.
Does distance slow wifi?+
Yes, distance slows wifi, since the signal gets weaker the further it travels.
Do older devices limit speed?+
Yes, older devices cap the speed because they cannot use the newest wifi standards.
Does 6 GHz have short range?+
Yes, 6 GHz has a short range, so it does not reach far from the router.
Should I change channel?+
Yes, change the channel if you suspect interference is slowing wifi.
Does the time of day matter?+
It can, since the network can be busier at some times of day, when neighbors are online.
What warranty does a Nighthawk have?+
NETGEAR gives a Nighthawk a one-year limited hardware warranty and ninety days of technical support.
Does this router include a modem?+
Only cable modem routers such as the CAX80 include a modem, so this router needs a separate modem for cable internet.
What is WPS?+
WPS is a quick way to join devices, and the WPS light blinks while it is working and lights when it succeeds.