New Sky Max Hub (white) severe Ethernet speed drop 25Mb/s to 1Mb/s

[Rubin_Chimera]

Hi Sky Community team,

I am writing to report a critical and persistent issue with my new white Sky Max Hub, which is causing my broadband speed to drop to an unusable level. I have conducted thorough troubleshooting and all evidence points to a fault with the Hub itself. I need this case to be escalated to a specialist team.

Here is a summary of the situation:

Background:

• I was previously using the older black Sky router and had a perfectly stable connection, consistently achieving my full 25 Mb/s speed.

• Crucially, my network was stable even when my Amazon Eero system was in a non-optimal Double NAT state with the old black router. There were no speed issues whatsoever.

• The problem started immediately after I replaced the old black router with the new white Sky Max Hub.

The Core Problem:

• After installing the Sky Max Hub, my internet speed, as confirmed by Sky's official online speed test, plummets from a normal 25 Mb/s to less than 1 Mb/s.

• This issue is specifically triggered when a device is connected via any of the Ethernet ports and the network is under load (for example, when my Jellyfin media server is active, which is connected to the Eero network). The speed is sometimes normal after a reboot, but drops drastically again after a short period of use.

 Current Setup & Diagnostics Already Performed:

1. Engineer Visit & Critical Test: A Sky engineer has already visited. During his visit, we performed a crucial test together: The engineer personally unplugged my Eero system from the Hub's Ethernet port, and we both witnessed the internet speed immediately and significantly increase. At that moment, we both suspected it might be a Double NAT issue. I subsequently correctly set my Eero system to Bridge Mode, but this has NOT solved the problem. The speed remains unstable (sometimes fast, sometimes slow).

2. Network Configuration: To eliminate other variables, my current setup is: The Wi-Fi on the Sky Max Hub has been completely disabled. My Eero mesh system is in Bridge Mode and is the only device connected via Ethernet to the Sky Max Hub. It handles my entire home Wi-Fi network. The problem persists in this configuration.

3. Isolation Testing: I have confirmed the fault lies with the Hub's Ethernet port, not my devices. I have tested multiple connection scenarios to the Sky Max Hub's Ethernet port(s): Connecting only my Eero mesh system, connecting only my Raspberry Pi, and connecting both simultaneously. In all of these scenarios, the end result is the same: the speed eventually plummets.

Conclusion:

The engineer's visit officially confirmed that the issue is directly linked to a device being active on an Ethernet port. My subsequent testing proves that it is NOT a simple user configuration error (like Double NAT) or a Wi-Fi interference issue. All evidence strongly indicates that this new white Sky Max Hub has a fundamental hardware or firmware defect related to its Ethernet traffic handling. A stable network that worked perfectly for years was rendered unusable simply by swapping to your new hardware.

Action Required:

I have already spent considerable time on standard troubleshooting. I am posting here to formally request that my case be escalated to a senior technical support specialist or the Community Messaging team for resolution.

Given the evidence, I believe the only solution is to replace this faulty Sky Max Hub. Due to the nature of this issue, which appears to be a model-wide flaw based on other forum reports, I would strongly prefer to be issued with the older, stable black model that previously worked perfectly for me, or another proven-stable alternative.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Thank you.

[TimmyBGood]

@Rubin_Chimera 

Do you have Sky Q television at the address?

[Chrisee]

@Rubin_Chimera you are not communicating with Sky by posting in the forum as forum members are customers like yourself.. You need to call Sky to report this issue. 

[Rubin_Chimera]

No sky Q and no other sky devices, quite a few alexa ... And since no sky wifi so no Sky max pod on socket now.

[Rubin_Chimera]

Yes, I will .. just here to leave record for others with similar issue for reference. 

[JimM1]

@Rubin_Chimera From your point 1. what was the testing method used after the disconnect of your EERO!

Take with the speeds you have you are also still on the copper fttc circuit connection! Can you post up your 30 day service checker history!

[Rubin_Chimera]

@JimM1 :

I think the engineer used a 3rd party speed checker since he had logged into my wifi (sky max). Just checked 0.5m

I don't believe the average are correct these days, max maybe ...

[JimM1]

@Rubin_Chimera Not going to dispute that you have the issue, question since your speed is in the toilet just now, do you have another device that you can connect to one off the spare ports on the Max hub, see what it syncs at port wise, and if 1000/1000 run a speed test on it through the port!

Sky's TR69 check is kind off fixed when they go check the hub but just down through the fttc line and back, nothing else and with the old SR203 you could go look on the log to get the idea time wise it was happening, not even sure if that is possible to do with the SR213 and the app, never used the sucker as will not have a hub that you have to use a mobile to look at, so NO idea if any web function is available for you to look at.

Take it you have to maintain a landline connection or do you just need the hub for the dsl interface!

[JimM1]

@Rubin_Chimera You dont per chance have an old switch lying around that you could put in between your 2 connections and out single to the Max nic port!

[Rubin_Chimera]

@JimM1 

I ran some more tests. Will call for a hardware exchange next. 

• Testing with an intermediate network extender:

  • I connected a network extender (router/AP mode) via Ethernet to the Sky Max router's LAN port.

  • My main eero unit was then connected to this extender's LAN port.

  • Result: The connection was stable at normal speeds for a while, but eventually dropped to less than 1 Mb/s again. This suggests the issue is not solely eero/Sky Max compatibility.

• Speed recovery and subsequent drop after resetting the Sky Max router:

  • When the speed was degraded (<1 Mb/s), I power cycled (reset) the Sky Max router.

  • Result: Speed quickly recovered to 30+ Mb/s but declined sharply to less than 1 Mb/s again within ~5 minutes. This pattern is consistently reproducible.

• Testing with all internal LAN devices disconnected (while router is in degraded state):

  • While the router was already operating at low speed (<1 Mb/s) and without rebooting the Sky Max router, I unplugged all Ethernet cables from its LAN ports (including the extender and eero).

  • Result: My testing PC (connected via Wi-Fi to the Sky Max router) saw speeds slowly climb to ~10 Mb/s, though remaining unstable. Crucially, Sky's official website test concurrently showed the speed to the hub had recovered to ~28 Mb/s.

[Rubin_Chimera]

@JimM1 wrote:

@Rubin_Chimera Not going to dispute that you have the issue, question since your speed is in the toilet just now, do you have another device that you can connect to one off the spare ports on the Max hub, see what it syncs at port wise, and if 1000/1000 run a speed test on it through the port!

Sky's TR69 check is kind off fixed when they go check the hub but just down through the fttc line and back, nothing else and with the old SR203 you could go look on the log to get the idea time wise it was happening, not even sure if that is possible to do with the SR213 and the app, never used the sucker as will not have a hub that you have to use a mobile to look at, so NO idea if any web function is available for you to look at.

Take it you have to maintain a landline connection or do you just need the hub for the dsl interface!

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Not a network engineer here 😃 ... I do need a stable mesh (4 eero now), if max pods can provide such performance, I can go with full sky system (without any added cost of course). Too bad I have already sent back the Black sky box, or I can go back to old setting or about time to swith a service supplier?    

[JimM1]

@Rubin_Chimera See what you have been trying to do, replacing the Sky Max hub is one factor to eliminate, and it is very unfortunate that there is nothing in the Max due to having the app as the only tool that can be used to see what is going on with it, and with such a low wan connection speed pipe does not take much to starve the connection. Unless you are prepared to have only one wireless wi-fi connection on and one Ethernet total off two devices then testing is going to be hard.

[JimM1]

@Rubin_Chimera If you are running the EERO as a complete mesh and doing everything, then you want to have the Sky Max completely disabled in the wireless Wi-Fi side, both band's turned off, and your Primary EERO direct connected into the Max Ethernet port

Have NO idea how good or capable the EERO system is as have just never used them,  a complete Asus user myself!

You will butt heads with sky, the stand seems to be, once you go Max then you never get to go back. Seems to be plenty 2nd hand SR203 out there one way to get round the problem know what i mean!

[Rubin_Chimera · Accepted solution]

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@JimM1 wrote:

@Rubin_Chimera See what you have been trying to do, replacing the Sky Max hub is one factor to eliminate, and it is very unfortunate that there is nothing in the Max due to having the app as the only tool that can be used to see what is going on with it, and with such a low wan connection speed pipe does not take much to starve the connection. Unless you are prepared to have only one wireless wi-fi connection on and one Ethernet total off two devices then testing is going to be hard.

---

Sky service guy recommanded to do a hard reset (hold wps button 30 secs). Now it looks convincing, I can connect directly my bridge mode eero main unit to max lan port and even run max pod now. No rate drop .. all around 25m as promised.

Now testing Jellyfin and netflix to run movies at same time  ... fingers crossed.   

[MaccaPJ]

Sky's new white Max router is now completely controlled by AI, meaning you don't have access to most of the settings. You should still be able to access things such as Sky Shield, but in the whole Sky no longer want their customers having any control or autonomy over the router.

My Max broadband service went live on 18th October 2024, but since early December 2024, I've continually raised so many concerns and complaints regarding the connectivity and reliability of the router. I've constantly had regular issues with Sky Q and Sky Q boxes losing connect to the router and my other devices not have any WiFi connection. It really is such a poor product!! 

Sky's Technical Team have said I "have too many Apple devices connected", despite Sky engineers insisting the Max routers have been tested with more the 500+ devices connected to them. I've also been told the structure of my home is affecting the WiFi signal, or I have too many electrical devices which are affecting the WiFi signal. It does seem funny though that having lived in my home for almost 8 years without ever having any issues previously, and given that I have fibre direct to the property from the exchange, so the location of the fibre modem that's fixed to my wall where I connect my router has never changed location and also the WiFi connectivity has never been an issue, it's been extremely frustrating and disappointing that over the past 8 months,  despite contact with so many different Sky telephone agents, Technical Team and Engineers, none of them want to accept the issue is with their equipment, primarily the Sky Max router!! Even more sadly, no one at Sky cares anymore or actually wants to help.

Honestly, if you're still in your cooling off period, LEAVE!! Go to another provider and get a better broadband service that works.

I found an old Vodafone router and connected that instead of using the Max router and my service has been so much better since!