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Fix bufferbloat on Netgear Nighthawk routers

Priority QoS only

Partly. Nighthawk routers have Dynamic QoS or Setup QoS, which prioritise traffic. Netgear doesn't describe it as fq_codel or CAKE, so test before and after.

Dynamic QoS recognises apps and devices and lets games and calls go first, using a bandwidth figure it measures or you enter. Results vary by model; on some lines it helps a lot, on others the queue still fills.

1. Test before you change anything

Run the Lag Check and note the "Lag under load" grade and your download and upload speeds. You'll compare against it afterwards.

2. Where the setting is

Nighthawk web interface

  1. Open the router at routerlogin.net and go to Advanced → Setup → QoS.
  2. Turn on Dynamic QoS (older models call it Setup QoS or Uplink bandwidth).
  3. Let it measure your speed or enter it yourself a little below your real speed, then apply.
  4. Newer models managed from the Nighthawk app may put the setting elsewhere; menus vary by model and firmware.

3. The numbers to enter

Netgear asks for Mbps. If you enter it yourself, try about 85 to 90% of your measured speed.

Work out my limits

The assistant starts at 90% of your measured speed and tells you when to drop to 85% or 80%.

Gotchas

  • Dynamic QoS can lower top speed on fast plans. If you lose a lot of speed and the lag grade barely moves, turn it off.
  • A speed measured by the router can be off; entering your own figure from the Lag Check is often better.

No real Smart Queue? Your options

  • Put a Smart Queue router between your modem (or ISP box) and this system. A GL.iNet travel or home router running its built-in OpenWrt, or any router that runs OpenWrt, can do CAKE for well under the price of a new mesh.

Test after the change. A good setup brings lag under load down to A or B.

Test before and after