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What max Mbps can I expect with iPhone 6s

when I look at Airport Utility /Wireless clients and pick the iPhone SE, the connection says excellent, Data Rate says 150 Mb/s, RSSI -53 dBm, Mode 802.11a/n. This changes with distance from the AEBS, but this is what I get sitting right next to it with the iPhone SE. I get approximately 100 Mb/s but nowhere near what I get on my iPad Air 2 (150-200 Mb/s). I don’t understand why the speeds are so much lower on the iPhone.


My wife’s iPhone 6 gets about the same speed and Airport Utility shows the connection under wireless clients to be similar to the SE.


i read in the AEBS User Guide that iPhones connect to 2.4 GHz and newer iPads and Macs connect to 5 GHz. I wouldn’t think the band would limit the throughput to as low as 100 Mbps.

iPhone SE, iOS 11.2.2, 32 GB

Posted on Jan 27, 2018 6:25 AM

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Posted on Jan 27, 2018 8:47 AM

For what it's worth, I checked the Internet connection speeds on an iPhone 6 and a 5 year old Mac laptop. The iPhone and Mac laptop were both located about 20-25 feet from the WiFi router with line-of-sight to the router.


On a 200 Mbps Internet connection plan, the iPhone checked out at 87 Mbps, 58 Mbps and 71 Mbps using the Speedtest utility.


The Mac laptop checked out at 204 Mbps, 199 Mbps, and 202 Mbps using the same application for the Mac.

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Jan 27, 2018 8:47 AM in response to pgoodwin

For what it's worth, I checked the Internet connection speeds on an iPhone 6 and a 5 year old Mac laptop. The iPhone and Mac laptop were both located about 20-25 feet from the WiFi router with line-of-sight to the router.


On a 200 Mbps Internet connection plan, the iPhone checked out at 87 Mbps, 58 Mbps and 71 Mbps using the Speedtest utility.


The Mac laptop checked out at 204 Mbps, 199 Mbps, and 202 Mbps using the same application for the Mac.

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Jan 27, 2018 10:23 AM in response to pgoodwin

On a Mac, hold down the option key while you click on the WiFi menu at the top of the screen and then look for the Channel listing.


If it is Channel 1-11, then the Mac is connected at 2.4 GHz

If it is 36 or higher, then the Mac is connected at 5 GHz


Apple does not really want you to know much about the iPhone or iPad connection, so they don't provide much in the way of information.....like what channel the device might be using.....on either device.


If you have a Mac handy, open up AirPort Utility

Hold down the option key while you double-click on the AirPort router

A list of Wireless Clients will appear

Click on the arrow next to device to reveal more information about the connection.


(The Data Rate is the link info between the WiFi device and the AirPort router. It tells you nothing about the actual Internet connection speed.)


Look for the PHY Mode setting


If it is 802.11b/g/n or 802.11a/n, then the device is likely connected at 2.4 GHz

If it is 802.11a/n/ac, then the device is likely connected at 5 GHz


In the example below, you can see that the iPad is connected at 2.4 GHz. Not very impressive. But, its 5+ years old.


User uploaded file


In the next example, you can see that the iPad Air is connected at 5 GHz. Not bad. But, it's only about a year old.


User uploaded file

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Jan 27, 2018 11:46 AM in response to Bob Timmons

I am going to disagree with Bob.. unusual and I am hoping the sky does not fall.


His first iPad is mode 802.11a/n

That means it is actually connected on the 5ghz.. using the old "a" class wireless which is 5ghz.


I know because this is my old iPad.. (everything here tends to be old.. along with the owner).


User uploaded file


You will notice this is connected to 2.4ghz.. because it is b/g/n


I also know this is iPad because I can get MAC address info out of the old airport utility


User uploaded file

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Jan 27, 2018 12:07 PM in response to Bob Timmons

No doubt about the voodoo.. but I am pretty sure you are connected to 5ghz..


Note in the screenshot below how the radio mode is a/n - b/g/n


N wireless is actually covering both bands.. which is only slightly less confusing that the stupid decision from IEEE to call new standard AC .. perhaps there are too many electrical engineers on the board??


Apple did up the spec of the early iPad (v2) so that it would connect to either band.. so original spec could be changed on that one.


In my case I am running 5ghz on a different wifi name..

User uploaded file


In the end.. if people want to be sure which band they are connected to.. make it absolutely certain.. use different names for the different bands.. but of course that can lead to other issues.

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Jan 27, 2018 12:21 PM in response to Csound1

Just a comment too about iphone .. it has a single antenna. Hence it cannot be more than single stream.. for AC wireless that means the top speed for wireless with AC wireless is 433Mbps link speed.. actual throughput being half or less of course.


ipad and lower end laptops have 2 antennas. This is dual stream.. each stream 433 so total 866Mbps


The data rate for Bob's newer ipad is the give away.. 585Mbps is dual stream.. but at a distance where the link is limited somewhat by signal loss.


So sitting in the same location your iphone should be half the speed of the iPad.. at best.. it can be worse of course.


The better laptops have 3 antennas which gives you 1299 or more commonly called 1300Mbps.


That rate of course is usually only obtained right next to the AC wireless router.


So my computer sitting right next to the AC Time Capsule gets 1300.


User uploaded file


Linked to the TC in the next room it drops dramatically.


User uploaded file


Although I would have to look up the MCS index to get what is really happening.

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Jan 27, 2018 7:25 AM in response to pgoodwin

I don’t understand why the speeds are so much lower on the iPhone.


The iPhone has a tiny Wi-Fi antenna buried inside the device, so you cannot expect much in the way of performance from an iPhone. The iPad has a bit larger Wi-Fi antenna contained in a larger surface.


My advice would be to forget about trying to get an iPhone or iPad to perform on the same level as a Mac laptop, since the laptop has a much larger antenna and lot more "brains" as far as evaluating a Wi-Fi signal.


i read in the AEBS User Guide that iPhones connect to 2.4 GHz and newer iPads and Macs connect to 5 GHz

Either you did not understand what was written, or the information is not correct. An iPhone (and a Mac) will connect to 5 GHz if the device is in close proximity to the wireless router......like the same room. Devices will connect at 2.4 GHz a room or two away from the wireless router. Once the device moves a few rooms away and connects at 2.4 GHz, it may or may not switch back to 5 GHz when it moves back closer to the wireless router.


Wi-Fi as a general category is a mix of about half science and half voodoo. You'll see wild speed claims from some users (which might actually be true at times) and complaints about slow speeds from other users. As long as your iPhone or iPad has a stable Wi-Fi connection, I would not spend much time worrying about the actual speed of the connection.


If you really do want to spend a bit more time with this, you are looking at the link-speed between the Wi-Fi router and iPhone / iPad. You really need to be looking at the Internet connection speed between your iPhone / iPad and the Internet. Use a utility like www.speedtest.net to get a better picture of what really might be occurring.


It's on the App Store, and is free.

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Jan 27, 2018 7:42 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks Bob. That makes sense about the smaller antennas.


both of our iPads here consistently run at 150-200 Mbps. But the phones seem to be limited to about 100. I was mainly curious about why the phones seemed to be maxed out at about 100. We don’t use the phones for any intense downloading anyway, so 75-100 is more than enough. And yes it is voodoo.



my comment about the 2.4 and 5 GHz came from the AEBS 5th gen setup guide:

“AirPort Extreme provides simultaneous dual-band wireless 802.11n networking. When you set up your AirPort Extreme Base Station, it creates two high-speed Wi-Fi networks:

- A 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) network for 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and older computers

- A 5 GHz network for 802.11n and 802.11a devices, such as newer computers, iPad, and Apple TV


Wireless devices join the network that provides them the best performance and compatibility, and the AirPort Extreme shares your broadband Internet connection with computers and devices on your network.....

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Jan 27, 2018 8:02 AM in response to pgoodwin

- A 5 GHz network for 802.11n and 802.11a devices, such as newer computers, iPad, and Apple TV

Looks like Apple forgot to mention that the iPhone can connect at 5 GHz, because it can. I also suppose it is possible that you are looking at long out of date information in the manual. Very old iPhones and iPads did not have 5 GHz capability.


But, in my experience an iPhone won't connect any faster at 5 GHz than it does at 2.4 GHz.


The speed checks that I posted above were all taken with the iPhone 6 using a 5 GHz connection.

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Jan 27, 2018 7:51 AM in response to pgoodwin

“AirPort Extreme provides simultaneous dual-band wireless 802.11n networking. When you set up your AirPort Extreme Base Station, it creates two high-speed Wi-Fi networks:

- A 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) network for 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and older computers

- A 5 GHz network for 802.11n and 802.11a devices, such as newer computers, iPad, and Apple TV

That seems a bit out of date, 802.11a is very slow, it is also very old and difficult to find these days. Bob's measurements mirror mine, the iPhone is the slowest thing I own as far as networking goes. Usually it is between 40 and 60 percent of the actual rate.


If it is a current document it is simply wrong.

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Jan 27, 2018 7:25 PM in response to pgoodwin

It’s tricky figuring out what speed a device is connected to. It changes with signal strength. I’ve noticed the 6s connect as a/n when you’re next to the AEBS, then take it a room away and it changes to b/g/n. When the iPads go to sleep, I’ve seen them drop down to 1 Mbps in Airport utility amd pop back up to 150 when you awaken them.


I’ve got my AEBS set to radio mode 802.11a/n - 802b/g/n and both the 2.4 and 5 GHz channel’s set to automatic.


without the simultaneous signal strength plots they used to have in Airport Utility, it’s virtually impossible to choose fixed channels for 9 devices we have here.



thanks for all the discussion. I learned a lot.

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Jan 27, 2018 7:51 PM in response to pgoodwin

I’ve noticed the 6s connect as a/n when you’re next to the AEBS

5 GHz only works well when you are in the same room or very close proximity to the wireless router.


then take it a room away and it changes to b/g/n

Because the 2.4 GHz signal is much stronger than the 5 GHz signal at that location.


Everything in wireless is a compromise. You can have high speed, but it will come with weak signal strength at 5 GHz. Or, you can have high signal strength, but it will come with slower speeds at 2.4 GHz.


without the simultaneous signal strength plots they used to have in Airport Utility, it’s virtually impossible to choose fixed channels for 9 devices we have here.

Even if you had the information available, other wireless routers at the neighbors around you are changing their channels automatically all the time. So, a "great" channel now will likely not be so "great" in an hour or two. That's why you would want to use the "Automatic" setting unless you are lucky enough to live in an area with no other houses around you. Then you can use any manual channel that you want.

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Jan 27, 2018 10:59 PM in response to pgoodwin

When the iPads go to sleep, I’ve seen them drop down to 1 Mbps in Airport utility amd pop back up to 150 when you awaken them.

That is a power saving feature.. and works really well.


Since it is in sleep mode it is helpful to maintain some connection but by dropping speed it uses much less power.


The ethernet and wireless on the Mac do the same thing.. much slower speed during sleep to save power.

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What max Mbps can I expect with iPhone 6s

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