5g speed very slow and dropping connection

[lformela]

Hello, for quite a while my internet connection is utterly slow, and dropping frequently. Whenever I run speedtest I'm getting 5-15mbps on 5g, which is just not acceptable. The Zyxel NR5103E hub is on a window sill, I can see 5g mast from the window.

Interestingly when I switch to mobile data on any of our mobile phones, I'm getting 200mbps+ on speedtest, anywhere in the house.

It's really frustrating, as it's not the first issue and I still pay my monthly bills.

I tried every possible solution, including: setting bands to B1, B3, n77, n78, splitting connection into 2.4ghz and 5ghz, testing different channels manually, numerous factory resets, and even making sure the SIM card sits in tightly.

I'm out of ideas, and can't use my 5g hub really.

I've been on a chat with customer service just to get few copy/paste messages that lead to nowhere. Only my request for a replacement router has not been answered directly.

Please what else can I do?

[lformela]

The hub is Zyxel NR5103E

[lformela]

Is there really no way to solve this?

[JonathanB]

Hi @lformela,

This sounds really frustrating, I'll do my best to help.

Just to check, I'm assuming the mobiles with the 200+ speeds are also on Three?

I think the best starting point is to try to establish if the issue is a potentially faulty router. I'd try swapping the SIMs, testing one of the mobile SIMs in the router, and the router SIM in a mobile if possible. If the issue is specifically with the router, then that should help establish with the tech teams if they need to look at replacing this, or if there's some issue with your Broadband account or SIM.

Let me know if you're able to try this, and what the result is.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[lformela · Accepted solution]

@JonathanB ,

I truly appreciate your response. So this is strange, but the procedure seems to have fixed the issue.

What I did, in this particular order:
- ran speedtest on 5g wifi - got 3.84mbps,
- ran speedtest on 5g mobile data - got 280mbps,
- inserted SIM from hub into mobile phone, ran speedtest on 5g mobile data - got 300mbps,
- inserted SIM from mobile phone into hub, ran speedtest on 5g wifi - got 250mbps,
- inserted SIM original mobile phone SIM back, ran speedtest on 5g mobile data - got 300mbps,
- inserted SIM original hub SIM back, ran speedtest on 5g wifi - got 550mbps.

As you can see, SIM card from hub was giving normal speeds on mobile already and keeps doing it when I put it back into the hub. I did not switch off the hub when removing/inserting sim, but turned it off for a minute afterwards.

I don't think it has anything to do with switching the hub off though, as I was doing it already for more than few minutes each time in the last few days. I don't know what exactly helped, but problem seems to be gone now.

Thank you again for your help!

[JonathanB]

Hey @lformela,

That's great news. Very odd, but I assume swapping the SIMs about must have cleared a cache or refreshed something on the router. Either way glad that you're back on good speeds again!.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[lformela]

@JonathanB the issue came back and persisted for the last few days. Unfortunately SIM swaps are no longer fixing it, and the SIM card from hub reports 1.5mbps both in the hub and my mobile phone.

Please how can this be fixed? I don't want to go to the support chat just to be left again with 'there are ongoing works to the mast nearby'. I have zero issues using my mobile SIM, neither have other mobiles in my home.

[JonathanB]

Hi @lformela,

I'm sorry to hear you're running into speed issues again. I'd suggest in this case it's more likely that there is an issue with the local mast if the phone and router are now showing the same speeds, whereas last time from what I gather it was only the router that seemed to be having issues?

Does our Network Status Checker show that we're aware of and working on an issue this time?

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Alexw]

Hi Jonathan,

This isn’t odd, I’m afraid. Everyone seems to be having the same issues with three hubs. I’ve now got two accounts, thinking that maybe the new hub would be better and having one as a back up isn’t a bad idea. Unfortunately, the new hub does the same. It doesn’t matter how many time you switch the SIM cards around or restart them or move their locations, one minute you’re getting speeds of 300+ and the next thing nothing at all. 

Given that I’ve heard so many people say the exact same thing, im going to hazard a guess that it’s the network that’s the issue and not the hubs. 

I can’t tell you how many painful hours I’ve had to endure on various chats and phone calls with three that have all lead to nowhere. The customer service over there is about as good as the network, which is unreliable making the service unusable if, like me, you depend on the internet for every day life. Shame really because I had such high hopes for three when they started gaining traction , but there we go. Another one bites the dust!

[Threlly]

Seems perfectly reasonable that enacting a random series of sim swaps would fix the issue.
Three all over...may as well cast bones on the floor...