Network speed (LAN) very low

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Mophro
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Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Mophro »

Hi,

I've been having intermittent problems with my homenetwork. I try to move files from one computer to the other and dont get speeds above 1KB.

I know i can get speeds above 1MB, i actually have that from time to time.

Both PCs are connected to my ADSL-router with a wire. I have tried optimizing TCP settings at both sides. I have tried different combinations of adsl-ports (this sometimes helps). I have tried different wires.

I am at a loss.

Anyone have any ideas?

Mop
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Chrisax
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Chrisax »

1 MBytes/s you mean? (So 8 Mbits/s) So I assume you're using a 10 Mbits/s Ethernet?

Could you connect two computers directly without going through your ADSL router and see if it's better?

Do you know if the Ethernet connections offered by your router are actually a switch (active device) or a hub (passive interconnection)?

Is there a firewall somewhere that could slow down your local area traffic? (Bad settings)

Or an anti-virus working on network connections which, for example, would be trying to perform packet analysis? (And obviously there would be not enough power to do that)

Can your ISP reconfigure / update your router firmware remotely ? (Some can and do it with ADSL modems that also offer TV or such services... with sometime unexpected results.)
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Mophro
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Mophro »

Chrisax wrote:1 MBytes/s you mean? (So 8 Mbits/s) So I assume you're using a 10 Mbits/s Ethernet?
That is correct.
Chrisax wrote:Could you connect two computers directly without going through your ADSL router and see if it's better?
That would be tough physically. I'll look into that.
Chrisax wrote:Do you know if the Ethernet connections offered by your router are actually a switch (active device) or a hub (passive interconnection)?
I dont know, it's a Zyxel 2602.
Chrisax wrote:Is there a firewall somewhere that could slow down your local area traffic? (Bad settings)
Possible, however its quite random. One day it works fine (1Mbit/s) the other day -without making changes- It's not working fine (20Kbit/s).
Chrisax wrote:Or an anti-virus working on network connections which, for example, would be trying to perform packet analysis? (And obviously there would be not enough power to do that)
Same as above, the randomness would suggest an answer No. But cant exclude it definately.
Chrisax wrote:Can your ISP reconfigure / update your router firmware remotely ? (Some can and do it with ADSL modems that also offer TV or such services... with sometime unexpected results.)
Dont know that either, possibly. We have telephone services across it aswell.

Thanks for your reply Chris, appreciate it.
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cutiecub
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by cutiecub »

Hmm tha fact is not constant is :?: .

Are you sure in both cases (high-low) speed that everything else is the same.
running the same progs, not downloading anything from internet and such?

The fact that switching ports sometimes helps is even more crazier :-).

Do you have any idea idd something else would eat your bandwith while you have low speeds?

When you check your network setting it stays 10M?

Did you check windows task manager in both cases to check cpu/men loads and also networking tab with network utilization?

BTW XP or Vista running?
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Mophro »

cutiecub wrote:Hmm tha fact is not constant is :?: .

Are you sure in both cases (high-low) speed that everything else is the same.
running the same progs, not downloading anything from internet and such?

The fact that switching ports sometimes helps is even more crazier :-).

Do you have any idea idd something else would eat your bandwith while you have low speeds?
Well in fact I'm quite sure there isnt. Im not an IT noob, however im not totaly knowlegable about hardware.
cutiecub wrote:When you check your network setting it stays 10M?
At this side of the PC it always sais 100Mb/sec :).
cutiecub wrote:Did you check windows task manager in both cases to check cpu/men loads and also networking tab with network utilization?
Yes I did, cpu/mem is nothing unusual, no real big loads. Networking: thats exactly how I verified the speed (along with the ftp client im using).
cutiecub wrote:BTW XP or Vista running?
XP, is that bad?
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by cutiecub »

Hmm once its 10M and now its 100M?

So which speed is where?

No was asking vista/xp because its a bit diff to check thats all.


So which speed are both comps at? Which speed is the port speed on the router ?
And iff it's all in full duplex? (on comp sides that normaly is full).
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Mophro »

Sorry for the confusion ...
cutiecub wrote:Hmm once its 10M and now its 100M?

So which speed is where?

No was asking vista/xp because its a bit diff to check thats all.


So which speed are both comps at? Which speed is the port speed on the router ?
And iff it's all in full duplex? (on comp sides that normaly is full).
My main PC is windows XP, at 100Mbit/sec.
My other PC is an oldie running Ubuntu. Dont really know how to check speed/port on that one.
Port on router? How do I check that?

Omg im a noob after all!
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Chrisax
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Chrisax »

Mophro, do you still have then docs/manuals of the router and the old system? Maybe you can find the speed of the interfaces there without doing tests or checking hardware via the OS.

Anyhow, on an "oldie", you likely don't have more than 10Mb/s.


Also, XP is certainly NOT bad. I use it.


Your situation puzzles me. Maybe we could perform some simple tests first.


Could you UNPLUG your router from the Internet (so it just works as a local router), for safety, and then turn off all your firewalls on each computer, and on the router itself if it contains one (see the manual, I can't say)?

And test how the speed is.

If you have no issue, then maybe the firewalls do something. That would be a first clue.
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by cutiecub »

Issue is that whi diff speeds and diff duplex setting thats a scenario for worst networkconnection ever so that's why i asked those questions.

Indeed Xp is not bad at all, I like it more, my management works on xp way better then my high specced laptop from work with Vista so :shock:
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Hyde »

This won't address Mop specifically, since your speed is so much lower ... but just be aware that even with a direct connection to another PC you will almost never see more than 60-75% of the "max" speed.

So if you have a Gigabit direct connection ... expect to see between 600 and 700Mb/s.

Likewise on a 100M direct connection ... expect to see 60-70Mb/s.

And that is with a direct connection. Stick a router between them (or even a cheap hub) and you can cut that in half.
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Gator »

If it’s worth the trouble try setting up one of the pc’s with an ftp server. Windows all versions throttle most network connections but seem to leave ftp alone. To see proof of what I’m talking about open task manager and select the networking tab. Usually windows explorer uses a very low % of your bandwidth ftp will ravage it lol. Same with most DCC programs

More than likely it’s not a hardware issue but windows/samba whatever being stupid and not allowing you to use all of your available bandwidth.

This is me assuming that your router is a 10/100 as most are and your nic cards are also at least 10/100 most new ones are 10/100/1000
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Hyde »

If you want to really test your network, I've been using iperf alot lately. Google for iperf (actually, for Windows folks, google jperf ... which is a java gui that uses iperf). It's a very simple program (compared to some benchmark suites) and it will handle Gb+ speeds. I've been testing various Gb routers and can easily max out the router with it. Free, too, as well as open source and will run on Linux and probably Mac.
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Mophro »

The strangest thing happened today.
I had started a LAN-LAN file transfer, it was at a slooow speed.
I thought just for kicks I'd try and pull the WAN cable (outgoing, to the internet).
All of a sudden my LAN-LAN went up to 5MB/second!
Weeeiird, im guessing that it's got something to do with my router. At least I can rule out all cables :).
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Gator »

that isn't right lol got to love computers, think your router is posesed.......... That or your router is programed to throttle lan speed wile conected to the internet and thats just silly.

Call your isp and get a replacement or just buy a little 5 port switched hub with an uplink port shouldent be to much. hook the uplink port to you internet router and you should be good to go.

could get a wireless router useually has 4 ports and an internet port to hook to your isp's router thats how my home network is setup.
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Mophro
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Re: Network speed (LAN) very low

Post by Mophro »

So today I got a new modem.
All is well so far, even better then ever. I can currently use 80-100% of my LAN speed.
I am happy. Hope it lasts :).
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