Very slow internet through Ubiquiti Cloudkey Gen 2

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 12:15

Hi,

I've been running my internet through a Vodafone router/modem, into a Cloudkey then out to Ubiquiti Wireless AP for some time now, relatively successfully.

Recently I had some electrical work done and so have been using the vodafone wifi as I had that on battery back up. For several weeks the power was off & on, and as we were having decorating done too the AP were removed from the ceiling as well.

Now that the work is all completed and in preparation for us getting full fibre in a couple of weeks, I wanted to move everything back to using the Ubiquiti wireless and that's where I'm having problems

Through Vodafone WiFi I'll get around 70Mbps, through Ubiquiti I'll get 4-10Mbps, and I have no idea why. Also things that are connected to the network switch (eg I have a fire alarm hub) or connected to the WiFi (like my Ring alarm) and sometimes one of the wireless AP keep on reporting network issues. Basically, the it's all a bit pants - slow speed and patchy network.

I thought it may be a problem with the LongRange AP as our decorators left it hanging off the cat cable, but I disconnected it and no joy. I also removed everything from the network switch except the vodafone modem/router, cloudkey and one wireless AP, but still have the same issue.

Any advice on how to proceed / trouble shoot?

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 12:18

Cloudkey does not process traffic, so I wouldn't expect it to have any impact on your performance.
When you get slow speed, what is your internet connection plugged into?

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 12:27

It goes into the vodafone router, which is hooked up to a netgear network switch along with the cloudkey, 2x Wireless AP in the house and 1 in the garage; a Philips Hue Bridge and a fire alarm hub.

So maybe it is the output of the vodefone router or the network switch?

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 12:30

Mike_J_Smith said:
It goes into the vodafone router, which is hooked up to a netgear network switch along with the cloudkey, 2x Wireless AP in the house and 1 in the garage; a Philips Hue Bridge and a fire alarm hub.

So maybe it is the output of the vodefone router or the network switch?

First thing I'd check is the speed of a wired device plugged into the switch. Get the radios out of the equation completely.
You say things connected to the switch are giving internet connection issues - I would start with the wiring between the router and the switch, or maybe plug the router into a different port in the switch in case that port is failing.

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 12:35

Cool thanks; I totally blamed it on the cloudkey. Will do some investigating

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 16:25

Well it's a bit weird.

I unplugged all the Ubiquiti stuff and put my PC into the network switch directly wired in and got normal speeds of 70Mbps. Then I plugged the cloudkey back in and on of the AP in the garage; low and behold that gave me normal speeds too. Then I plugged in one of the APs inside the house and that gave normal speeds. Got distracted for a while, so plugged in the Long Range AP just now and speeds plummeted back to 4Mbps. Unplugged that AP and speeds are still low. Going to try replicating that and try a different cable on the LR AP.

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 16:30

Mike_J_Smith said:
Well it's a bit weird.

I unplugged all the Ubiquiti stuff and put my PC into the network switch directly wired in and got normal speeds of 70Mbps. Then I plugged the cloudkey back in and on of the AP in the garage; low and behold that gave me normal speeds too. Then I plugged in one of the APs inside the house and that gave normal speeds. Got distracted for a while, so plugged in the Long Range AP just now and speeds plummeted back to 4Mbps. Unplugged that AP and speeds are still low. Going to try replicating that and try a different cable on the LR AP.

So wait, with the LR AP plugged into the switch, your wired connections dropped to 4mbps?

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 16:39

Oooh, no I didn't check the wired again. I'll do that too. I just meant the speeds over the Ubiquiti Wi-Fi.

Sinbad2000 said:
So wait, with the LR AP plugged into the switch, your wired connections dropped to 4mbps?

john_smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 16:57

Could be for some reason your client is connecting to an ap furthest away with a weak signal.

From within UniFi confirm the ap you’re connected to.

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 17:18

Sounds like some of the parameters of the LR AP may be broken and need reviewing

Avalon · 16 Apr 2024 at 19:21

Forgive me, while it should work etc. etc. the AP and AP-LR went EoL March 1st 2021 and they shipped with 10/100mbit ports and were 2.4Ghz N300.... If you're getting fibre, perhaps consider something slightly more modern? Whatever your ISP gives you will likely be significantly better.

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 20:27

john_smith said:
Could be for some reason your client is connecting to an ap furthest away with a weak signal.

From within UniFi confirm the ap you’re connected to.

I think this is part of it; combined with the LR being funky. I might reset it and see what that does.

Sinbad2000 said:
Sounds like some of the parameters of the LR AP may be broken and need reviewing

Feels that way; I’ll see if resetting it helps.

Avalon said:
Forgive me, while it should work etc. etc. the AP and AP-LR went EoL March 1st 2021 and they shipped with 10/100mbit ports and were 2.4Ghz N300.... If you're getting fibre, perhaps consider something slightly more modern? Whatever your ISP gives you will likely be significantly better.

I was using AP generically. I have the U6 Lite and U6 LR so should be good.

I will try what comes with the ISP anyway to see what that’s like. I wanted to get a Dream Machine Pro but can’t justify the expense. Once I’ve got the full fibre I’ll have a rethink.

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 20:29

Mike_J_Smith said:
I think this is part of it; combined with the LR being funky. I might reset it and see what that does.

Feels that way; I’ll see if resetting it helps.

I was using AP generically. I have the U6 Lite and U6 LR so should be good.

I will try what comes with the ISP anyway to see what that’s like. I wanted to get a Dream Machine Pro but can’t justify the expense. Once I’ve got the full fibre I’ll have a rethink.

IMHO look at something like the UXG lite or the UXG Max rather than the DMP unless you need the extra applications. You already have the console (CK-Pro)... (or even the Cloud Gateway Ultra and ditch the cloud key if you only want Network - that price point is compelling)

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 20:31

john_smith said:
Could be for some reason your client is connecting to an ap furthest away with a weak signal.

From within UniFi confirm the ap you’re connected to.

To add to this; it does look like it was using an AP that was downstairs or the one in the garage instead of the LR which is in the upstairs hallway and really what I was hoping would cover the house; then the one downstairs for the kitchen / back garden and garage for the rest of the garden but also the Ring cameras at the front.

I’m a bit disappointed in the range of the U6 Lites, but maybe I’m expecting too much? Need to see if I can get them working better .

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 20:32

Th

Sinbad2000 said:
IMHO look at something like the UXG lite or the UXG Max rather than the DMP unless you need the extra applications. You already have the console (CK-Pro)...

They look great; are they new? Last time I looked Ubiquiti didn’t really have anything similar.

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 20:33

Mike_J_Smith said:
Th

They look great; are they new? Last time I looked Ubiquiti didn’t really have anything similar.

Yup, last few months. About time the venerable (venereal?) USG-3P got a replacement!

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 20:57

Sinbad2000 said:
Yup, last few months. About time the venerable (venereal?) USG-3P got a replacement!

Ok because I am dumb and never understand network stuff; would I need a modem on top of this?

Sinbad2000 · 16 Apr 2024 at 21:11

Mike_J_Smith said:
Ok because I am dumb and never understand network stuff; would I need a modem on top of this?

Depends how your fibre is presented to be honest. If it's a plain old ethernet connection then you don't. I don't know enough about FTTH implementations in this country to comment more, really. I'm with hyperoptic, it's active ethernet with an RJ45 1GB port on the end of it, router plugs straight in with DHCP set up. No idea how the other operators work - sorry.

Mike_J_Smith · 16 Apr 2024 at 21:14

Sinbad2000 said:
Depends how your fibre is presented to be honest. If it's a plain old ethernet connection then you don't. I don't know enough about FTTH implementations in this country to comment more, really. I'm with hyperoptic, it's active ethernet with an RJ45 1GB port on the end of it, router plugs straight in with DHCP set up. No idea how the other operators work - sorry.

Hopefully getting fitted next Friday so we’ll see what I get. They already cancelled once as they have to install via an overhead cable and need to go over live power cables, which apparently takes multiple teams of people to do safely.