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Network speed issues

Networking issue:

Internet supplied by Virgin HUB 4 and Cable (1 GB speed)

I have a GigaBit network and Cat5 cabling

The network cards on my 2 laptops show GB speed in status

The Netgear switch I am using (Netgear GST24T)is a 24 port GigaBit device

I also have 2 NAS boxes attached to the same switch (both with GB NIC's) and each attached via a management cable and a data network cable

2 Mobiles attached to the network via Wireless

1 x printer attached to the network via Wireless NIC

1 x TIVO box via LAN cable to the HUB 4

1 x Soundtouch via LAN cable to the HUB 4

1 x Samsung SMART TV via LAN cable to the HUB 4

When I test the network speed (Supplied via a cable and HUB 4 from Virgin) by disconnecting the LAN cable connected to the HUB 4 from the switch end and directly attaching the same cable to a speed test device, I get a 950 Mbps download speed (which is what I should be getting).

When I re-attach the LAN cable from the HUB 4 to the switch (with all other devices connected to the switch as well) and test the speed with a laptop also connected to the switch (laptop with GB NIC), the speed drops to 400 Mbps.

What would be causing this dramatic drop - the devices connected to the network?

I would be surprised

All the devices connected to the internet probably have something running in the background that uses your Bandwidth. For example checking for updates, downloading them, checking E-Mails etc. Often if you wait for some time for those tasks to finish, you should expect improvements in speed. So run the test again a little later.

Besides that, your hardware seems to be called "Hub 4". I don't know that hardware, but if it is called "Hub", it probably doesn't act like a Switch, but rather more like a Hub. Hubs are slowed down by everything connected to them. Connecting the Hub to the Switch, & then everything else to the Switch, should improve performance. With 24 Ports you should have enough available...

ASKER

The HUB 4 is the internet device connected to the Virgin Cable
This is connected to the switch via a LAN cable - as explained above

Yes, but "HUB 4" could indicate that the LAN ports of the Device are actually a HUB & not a Switch, so connecting the HUB 4 to your switch, removing everything else from the "HUB 4" & rather connecting them to the switch as well, might give you some improvements. Hubs Share the ports with all attached devices & they all slow things down. Switches on the other hand aren't slowed down by the other devices connected.

ASKER

Ah ha - I see
Will try it

The HUB4 is a router with a switch built-in. It is not a HUB in the networking sense of the word.

I would connect the Netgear switch to the HUB4 with just a wired PC connected and test with nothing else.

ASKER

Update:
If I connect a laptop (GB NIC) to the hub 4 via a LAN cable, with nothing else connected to the hub 4 via a LAN cable, the speed goes down to 100 Mbps
When I connect a laptop (GB NIC) via wireless to the hub 4 with nothing else connected via a LAN cable, the speed is 300 Mbps

Has your LAN cable got 4 or 8 wires connected?

ASKER

8
I have also tried 2 different cables

ASKER

Sounds to me as if the HUb 4 is a piece of rubbish

ASKER

Maybe I should put the thing into modem mode and link to a draytek 2860

If you connect the switch to the HUB4 does it negotiate 1Gbps?

ASKER

How do I check that?
Also, does windows media streaming and Synology Plex server use much bandwidth?

ASKER

If you connect the switch to the HUB4 does it negotiate 1Gbps?
Answer:
Yes - 1000Mbps Full Duplex

Streamng can take bandwidth and streaming through some device can take bandwidth twice...

If you receive on a plex server and then send the stream on to another device the switch will have 2 streams at the same time.
this will add some load.

The bandwidth heavily depends on the resolution of the movie involved. SD, HD, 4K, 8K,and the amount of compression that is involved.'
Also the forwarding rate of a switch can be an issue. (and if the stream is sent as multicast or unicast.

ASKER

What about background
I really cannot see that these processes reduce my network from 950 Mbps to 200 Mbps

ASKER

Any update on this?

ASKER

Any ideas anyone?

Ok so you connect the Netgear switch and you see a 1Gbps link. What does your laptop negotiate at when you then connect it to the Netgear switch?

ASKER

1 GB

ASKER

Status shows 1 Gbps

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

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ASKER

The laptop is directly connected to the hub 4 with no other devices connected
I need to try connecting to the switch with nothing else connected
The NIC always shows 1Gb
Also
If I pull out all the LAN cables directly connected to the hub 4 (including the switch) and do a speed test over wireless using my phone I get 400 Mbps. If I then reconnect all the LAN cables to the hub 4 I get 600 Mbps over wireless!!

I need to try connecting to the switch with nothing else connected

That's what I suggested.

Forget the wireless testing. It will always fluctuate.

ASKER

When I get back I will try your suggestion and let you know

ASKER

One thing
When I connect thd laptop directly to the hub 4 port using a cable thd speed is 200 Mbps. If I connect a speed test device to thd same cable thd speed is 950 Mbps. There is nothing else connect to the hub 4
What is happening here

ASKER

Surely this suggests a problem with the laptop

Yes it could do.

Generally speed testing is pointless unless you use something that is actually designed to do just that. There are so many different factors involved when determining what the actual speed/throughput of a circuit is.

ASKER

Then maybe I should start the laptop in clean boot mode and try it first
That way there are no background services running

ASKER

Just tried the cleanboot on the laptop - Guess what
Speed now 950 Mbps!!!
Do you think Wireshark could show what is taking up bandwidth when the laptop is started in normal mode?
If so, what settings to use?

If a speedtest consists of the download of a file you also need to factor in the bandwidth & latency of disk writes. (with disk nearly full or fragmented this may be significant). For speed test use tools like iperf3 that only hit network devices.

ASKER

I have just found the main issue:
When I terminate the Microsoft Teams, the network speedtest goes from 300 to 950 when the laptop is connected to the switch with all other devices still connected!!

ASKER

Thanks very much for your help on this

ASKER

Thanks all