Network won't connect at 1.0gbps

pk1209 · 13-11-2009, 00:43

Hi,

I have two pc's and a ps3 connected via a Sitecom Wireless Gigabit Router 300N-XR.

All my cabling is cat6 and all nic's are gigabit capable.

Both PC's are set to 1.0gbps full duplex (rather than auto) but on both PC's I cannot get either of them to connect at 1.0 gbps. When I check the connection status it's 100 mbps.

Tried restarting router, upgrading it's firmware. I would try other drivers by both my NIC's are off ebay and aren't that well known, but like i say I can select 1.0 gbps full duplex so the drivers seem ok.

One of the pcs is my media server and copying files to it is painfully slow at 100mbps.

Running Windows 7 x64.

Anyone got any ideas what might be going on?

Thanks,

pk

Graham M · 13-11-2009, 01:36

Does the router have Gigabit Ethernet Ports? Most don't.

Edit: My bad, just re-read your post, serve me right for scanning em at this time of night

Jon T · 13-11-2009, 08:13

What happens when you set the PC's to auto rather than 1Gb full duplex?

Can you turn of autonegotiation in the router?

Just for the sake of testing, can you get hold of a crossover cable and connect the two PC's together, do they connect at 1Gb then?

I'm never very comfortable with cheap ebay PC stuff, it's always "no brand". A Realtek/3com/Intel chipset NIC would only cost a tenner or so. I know you say the drivers seem ok, but is the hardware up to the task that the drivers say it can do?

pk1209 · 13-11-2009, 09:20

Hi,

Once of the cards is a realtek chip, the other is definately more on the random side.

There are no router options I can see in relation to setting the speed on the ports.

Setting to auto-neg leaves me at 100mbps still.

I'll try connecting the two pc's together and see what speed I can get.

I forgot to say, one pc is Win 7 x64 the other is Win XP SP3. Not sure that should really matter though.

Cheers,

pk

13-11-2009, 20:50

What does Device Manager recognise the NICs as?

Have you used CAT5e / CAT6 connectors on the patch cables?

pk1209 · 13-11-2009, 21:24

Hi,

Device manager recognises one NIC as:

Realtek RTL8169/8110 Family PCI Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)

and the other as:

IC Plus IP100 10/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter (although I can select 1.0 gbps full duplex in options)

The cables were all bought as CAT 6 - didn't crimp them myself. My upstairs pc is actually connected via two ethernet wall sockets with the cable wired into them.

Is it possible my sockets don't support 1.0 gbps? I'm starting to wonder if it's this now....

Cheers,

Pete

13-11-2009, 21:44

Ahh well there you go. Simple test - take router to PC - switch on router - plug in patch cable from PC and I bet you get 1GB. The socket / cabling will be the issue.

pk1209 · 13-11-2009, 22:03

Yup - although it doesn't explain why my media server downstairs ain't getting 1gb as that's connect to the router directly, but then it is the one with the non realtek shifty chip!

will psyche myself up for the pc move - so many cables!

14-11-2009, 11:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk1209

will psyche myself up for the pc move - so many cables!

You don't need to. Just move the router to the PC - it'll be easier!

All you need to do is plug it in and see what the PC NIC reports the speed as. You don't need to worry about plugging in the ADSL or anything else.

pk1209 · 14-11-2009, 13:07

Good tip! Done that - reports 1.0 gbps - so it must be the sockets after all. Och well off the Maplin I go - thanks for the help!

pk1209 · 18-11-2009, 21:15

Success! installed two new cat 6 sockets and now connecting at 1.0gbps.

However, I'm only getting transfer speeds of about 16mb/s - my media pc is very low spec - could that explain the slow speeds?

Any tips for boosting lan transfer speeds on gb connections?

Thanks,

pk

Kymmy · 18-11-2009, 22:05

Disk transfer rate possibly causing the low speed

Jon T · 18-11-2009, 22:49

If the router and the NIC cards have a "jumbo frames" setting, enable it.

pk1209 · 20-11-2009, 10:55

Yeah some minor improvements. Copying from my media server up to my main PC is about 25mb/s so a bit better, which does suggest the pc spec is limiting transfer speed.

Thanks for the help

flamingeck · 25-11-2009, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon T

If the router and the NIC cards have a "jumbo frames" setting, enable it.

You don't need to enable jumbo frames this early. Jumbo frames should only make a difference to get over roughly 400Mbps. He's struggling maintain 200Mbps let alone jumbo packets network speeds.

You can't expect to get anywhere near gigabit speeds, or even the need for jumbo frames on cheap software base nics, which it sounds like he has but I'm not formilar with the kit he's mentioned so it could be good but I do doubt it.

I need to use jumbo frames to improve my network speed, past 400Mbps which I can hit with ease on Intel Pro 1000 nics, but lack a switch that supports a frame that big, or really need it. 50MB/sec transfers is enough for my home network.