topic Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests in Internet

Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

Aptic — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:55:25 GMT

Up until recently I was getting between 300-600 mbps on my POD and Hub over wifi. (I don't have wired connections) However, I am at best getting around 150-200 mbps on my POD now (no change with the Hub, and there was no change to my set up). I rebooted everything to see if it would make a difference, but it remains the same. This has been going on for about a week, and measured at different times throughout the day.

When I run the Bell wifi checkup, it is showing a download speed of 1.8 gbps on the hub, and 1.5 gbps on the POD - with a strong signal to all my devices. That said, I see no difference in the performance of any of my devices. I also note that the Bell wifi app is showing my devices are getting 2-3x the speed that I see when I run Speedtest or Fast.

I am curious as to why the POD speed connectivitiy has dropped in half, and why Bell keeps sending me promotions to upgrade my speed, when I can't even come close to getting the speed I pay for now.

Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

Indo — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:14:30 GMT

Is there going to be a fix for the speed test in the Bell wifi app? as soon as it hits 1000 Mbps on download or upload, it shows 1Mbps instead of 1 Gbps and stops the test showing 1 Mbps as your internet speed.

Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

dks — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:14:21 GMT

I have had that occur from time to time.

Make sure you have the latest version of the Bell wifi app.
Reboot your device

Let us know if those steps work.

Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

Indo — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:15:23 GMT

The wifi app is on the latest version and I restarted my device. Still shows the same issue.

Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

dks — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:14:15 GMT

Restart your modem (unplug it for 30 seconds) and see if that makes any difference.

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

BellPatricia — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:37:16 GMT

Hey there @Aptic

Thank you for reaching out to the Bell Community.

What type of Wi-Fi pods do you have? The speed that your pods are capable of will vary depending on which Whole Home Wi-Fi pods you have.

Wi-Fi pod – Provides average speeds of up to 300 Mbps in the optimal setup
Wi-Fi Pod mini – Provides average speeds of up to 150 Mbps in the optimal setup

You can check if your pods are using the optimal setup by reviewing their connection quality rating in the Bell Wi-Fi app.

Take a look at at our support articles for more information on using the Bell Wi-Fi pods.

Let the Community know if you have any other questions.

@BellPatricia

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

themajorbrandon — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 21:22:02 GMT

This is like I wrote the post. Exact same issue. Speeds previously were 600 down from the pod. About the same up.

Now I can't break 200 down and 150 up. It's insane.It definitely seems like it's being throttled.

Here's the post I was going to make:

"I've had the same internet setup for months now. Gigahub upstairs. Pod downstairs. Always showed excellent connection. Showed good on occasion. I was very happy with the speeds and setup. I have a desktop plugged into the ethernet on the pod. I'd been getting approximately 600 down and even 700 up for months.

In the past month it changed. I'm maxed at 200 down and 120 up. I've tried another pod. In fact, when I unplug the pod, the speeds went back up. But then they came back down to 200/120. I have another desktop connected by wifi through the pod. It regularly got in the 400 range. Now it's also dropped back down to the 100 - 200 range

Things will work, and then it's almost like Bell Whole Home runs its optimization, and then it drops back to 200/120. In any other case I'd drop the pod and get my own router but i don't want to deal with setting up DMZ. I'm frustrated, it makes me want to switch back to Cogeco, who was in our neighbourhood recently.

Everything worked perfect for months. And then something just changed. Anyone have any ideas?"

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

BellPatricia — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 21:03:36 GMT

Hi @themajorbrandon

Welcome to the Bell Community 🙂

We shared the average download speeds that you can achieve in an optimal set up with your pods above. Can you clarify which type of Wi-Fi pod you have?

Check out our support articles for more information on how to use your Wi-Fi pods, and let the Community know if you have any other questions.

@BellPatricia

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

Aptic — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 12:31:37 GMT

Thank you for your response, but it does not solve the question I posed. I have the Wifi6e pod and was getting well over 600 Mbps for quite some time on that pod, then about a week ago the speed dropped off to 150-200, just as the other poster indicated above. Clearly something is going on. I did run the WiFi app and it says my network is optimized and I have an excellent connection. But my question is why are the Pods no longer getting the same speed as before?

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

Aptic — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 12:37:39 GMT

@themajorbrandon I have been doing speed tests with Fast and Speedtest and they are both giving me 150-200 when standing right beside the POD. Yet the Wifi checkup is telling me I have speeds of 1.5gb off the POD. Clearly there is something that happened recently.

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

themajorbrandon — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 12:45:43 GMT

I agree with you. I took it to reddit but most people thought I was just complaining about the speed from the pod. I wasnt, i was extremely happy with the performance of the pod prior to this. I was trying to point out how dramatically something changed for now reason. When I run a speed test sometimes the upload even shoots up to 500 for a fraction and then immediately comes back to the 100 to 200 range. Almost like something is being throttled.

Something has changed, you and i cant be the only two people affected by the EXACT same issue.

I don’t expect 1.5gbps from the pod, but when I had 500mbps for months and I can’t go over 200 now, I expect an answer for that

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

BellPatricia — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 19:49:05 GMT

Hey there @Aptic & @themajorbrandon

Thanks for your replies and clarification 🙂

Can you tell us which device you used to perform the speed test? Please also share a screen shot of your speed test so we can check it out.

It is possible that your pods are connecting to the 2.4Ghz band (which provides slower speeds with a more stable connection). Can you also retest the speed without the pod connected for comparison and share those results with us as well?

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

themajorbrandon — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 14:09:59 GMT

See the two images. This is a desktop in the basement. Gigahub is on main floor. Higher speed is with no pod plugged in. Lower speed is with pod plugged in, showing excellent condition, right next to desktop. Same lower speeds if i use an ethernet cable from pod to desktop.

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

BellPatricia — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:05:24 GMT

Hi @themajorbrandon

Can you share a screen shot of your speed test results while connected via Ethernet as well?

Also, how far away from your modem is the pod? It should be no more than 14 meters from the modem.

@BellPatricia

Re: POD Wifi Speed Tests

Aptic — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:59:09 GMT

I think its important to point out that the configuration, POD placement did not change. Was getting speeds well over 600 for months, then like the other poster, speed just dropped off by 2/3.

Re: Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

Aptic — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 21:15:15 GMT

Guess I will just cancel the POD and Bell can lose the revenue - since I am getting better speeds from the hub which is much further away. Go figure.

Re: Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

dks — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 11:15:14 GMT

Thank you for your observation. What you describe is not surprising at all and appears to be normal pod behaviour. The pods are always self-regulating for speed. They determine what pod or the hub is best to connect your devices to, based on their algorithm rules. You can never obtain theoretical maximum speed on the pods at all times and on all devices. I have found that the pods "bottom out" at about 200 Mbps. That makes no difference to my computer experience. Your experience may be different.

If you find the pods don't work for you, they don't work for you. However, I have found the WiFi app to be helpful in understanding how the pods work and are mapped, as well as how devices move around.

Re: Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

ADude2 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 23:58:29 GMT

I have this issue as well and no one appears to be able to solve it, it's beyond frustrating!!

My desktop is Ethernet-wired into my Wifi 6E pod. Back at the end of August, I was obtaining 500 mbps on my speed tests from Speedtest.net. At some point after that, my speed tests have plummeted to 200mbps max. Nothing has changed. The Ethernet cable, the positioning of the pod, the computer, nothing.

I've spoken to Bell several times about it to no avail. They've sent me new wifi pods to test, and still nothing.

Re: Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

dks — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:35:14 GMT

Thank you for your post. There are many factors involved in pod speed. How far is the pod from the modem? Are you having any issues with your internet experience? And what is your speed expectation?

Re: Wi-Fi Pod Speed Tests

ADude2 — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:53:31 GMT

Hello, thank you for the reply, I appreciate the attempt to help.

I understand your comment "There are many factors involved in pod speed. How far is the pod from the modem?"

However I must emphasize that my modem has not moved nor changed, my pod has not moved or changed, my desktop has not moved or changed, and neither has my Ethernet cable.

End of August it was obtaining 500mbps, which is my expectation. I pay for the 500mbps Fibe package and I had received that speed to my desktop in this configuration prior for many months without issue.

At some point after that it, suddenly decreased to a maximum of 200mbps, almost as if it is was suddenly throttled. I am not having any issues with my internet experience side from the fact that my desktop has been inexplicably obtaining less than half the speed it used to for no reason for months now. Based on this thread, clearly I am not alone either. The modem itself continues to receive its 500mbps on the internal speed test.

None of my external factors have changed to provide an explanation as to why I have gone from 500mbps to 200mbps. It is also interesting to see @BellPatricia mention the Wifi pod "Provides average speeds of up to 300 Mbps in the optimal setup" - This very same pod used to obtain 500mbps without issues prior.

Bell has attempted to send me a new Wifi pod, and it has not made any difference. Both in replacing the pod all together, or attempting to run 2 pods in my household, no difference, so I returned to the old one. The Bell Wifi App continues to indicate an excellent signal quality over the 6ghz frequency.

This entire sequence of events feels like a firmware update gone bad or some attempt at throttling.