10/100 speeds over a gigabit connection.

[thps2k2]

Please see my rather crude drawing.

http://imgur.com/a/AU8ms

So I have a bunch of machines in each room in the house. All are gigabit routers, and all machines have gigabit adapters aside from a raspberry pi3. DHCP has been turned off on all routers aside from router 1, and are effectively just access points.

192.168.1.1 = router 1 RT-AC68U
192.168.1.2 = router 2 Linksys E4200
192.168.1.3 = router 3 BT business hub 3
192.168.1.4 = router 4 Plusnet hub 1

Machines that are connected to routers 1 & 2 transfer at gigabit speeds. Machines on routers 3 & 4 only communicate at 10/100. The cable between 3 & 4 is testing good, so that isn't the issue. All computers connected to routers 3 & 4 show they are connected at 1Gbps in properties. but data transfers at 10/100 speed.

If I disconnect the cable between 1 & 3 and plug a PC/Laptop into it get Gigabit speeds.

Plug cable back into 3 and transfers revert to 10/100.

Router just replaced as suspected faulty, but same issue. All cables tested and are terminated correctly. Even TDR tested the cables for assurance.

Does anyone have any ideas as to whats going on?

 

[pete y testing]

and are effectively just access points.

un no , they are still routing even with dhcp disabled

i assume the rt-ac68u is set to do dhcp

192.168.1.2 = router 2 Linksys E4200
192.168.1.3 = router 3 BT business hub 3
192.168.1.4 = router 4 Plusnet hub 1

these 3 need to be run in wan bypass mode or what tim calls

How To Convert a Wireless Router into an Access Point
https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/bas...onvert-a-wireless-router-into-an-access-point

set up the router so main router is doing all the routing and dhcp and all others are set as above and see if that solves your issues

pete

 

[Samir]

I don't agree with the above assessment on the routers not acting as access points. I think they are. I think there's a cabling issue going on that is causing the .3 router to slow down to fast ethernet.

Try the following:

• connect a system directly to the line coming from .1 to .3 and see what type of speeds you get back to .1
• connect a system directly to the line going from .1 to .3 and see what type of speeds you to .3

Report back your results. If either of these is less than gigabit, there's something else going on.

 

[pete y testing]

I think they are.

then you simply dont understand what access point actually is

some wireless routers have a specific AP mode and out of that lot the only one that would is the rt-ac66u , the rest you would have to run in wan bypass mode to achieve true switch and ap mode functionality as tim's link indicates

connecting to the lan ports also ensures 1000M connection as the wan port may be limiting throughput and sync

 

[Samir]

then you simply dont understand what access point actually is

some wireless routers have a specific AP mode and out of that lot the only one that would is the rt-ac66u , the rest you would have to run in wan bypass mode to achieve true switch and ap mode functionality as tim's link indicates

connecting to the lan ports also ensures 1000M connection as the wan port may be limiting throughput and sync

I've been dealing with networking since before the advent of wireless, so I think I've got a good handle on what an AP is.

And most, even those that require some sort of proprietary 'AP mode' still function perfectly fine as access points when the dhcp is off and the wan is disconnected. If they have no clients, they will never try to route. All traffic on the same subnet is dictated by tcp/ip itself, no router is even needed.

If the two access points are failing to negotiate a gigabit link, and for some reason one of those APs, for whatever reason, throttles the entire switch vs just a port to 100Mbps, that would cause this scenario. But the only way to even investigate that scenario is to confirm the cable is fine first, as well as the ports on each AP.

 

[thps2k2]

I don't agree with the above assessment on the routers not acting as access points. I think they are. I think there's a cabling issue going on that is causing the .3 router to slow down to fast ethernet.

Try the following:

• connect a system directly to the line coming from .1 to .3 and see what type of speeds you get back to .1
• connect a system directly to the line going from .1 to .3 and see what type of speeds you to .3

Report back your results. If either of these is less than gigabit, there's something else going on.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

DHCP is disabled on each router aside from number 1.

If I use the cable that links router 1 & 3 directly to another machine and not a router, I get gigabit speeds both ways.

If I replace router 3 with a gigabit switch, just a plain unmanaged switch, speeds drop to 10/100.

The web UI of router 1 reports a full 10/100/1000 regardless as to if router, switch or cable direct into PC.

I have connected a machine with just a 10/100 NIC and the webUI changes to reflect this.

 

[pete y testing]

DHCP is disabled on each router aside from number 1.

so 192.168.1.2 is in dual nat and 192.168.1.3 is also in dual nat

192.168.1.4 is triple nat

just because you disable dhcp does not mean the nat is disabled nor most router features

you need to setup the router as per tims link above to have proper local area network topology and only 1 router

And most, even those that require some sort of proprietary 'AP mode' still function perfectly fine as access points when the dhcp is off and the wan is disconnected.

yes and connecting to the lan port and not the wan port on those other routers is part of tim's tutorial , the OP has not indicated that this is the case so assume he is using the wan port in each case

, as well as the ports on each AP.

again one of the lan ports should be used to connect not the wan port

 

[thps2k2]

NAT is disabled on each additional router (2, 3 and 4)

I'm connecting to the LAN ports, not the WAN.

 

[pete y testing]

NAT is disabled on each additional router (2, 3 and 4)

unless its in wan bypass mode or the link i provided that tim did its still not just an AP

I'm connecting to the LAN ports, not the WAN.

you didnt mention that

 

[thiggins]

Move all the routers into one room.

Connect a LAN port on Router 2-4 directly to Router 1 LAN ports. Test connections between Router 1 LAN and each other router LAN.

You should not have to disable NAT on the routers acting as APs. Just disable DHCP server, assign static IPs and connect to LAN ports. If routers have an "AP" mode, DON"T also use that. Use one method or the other.

 

[pete y testing]

You should not have to disable NAT on the routers acting as APs. Just disable DHCP server, assign static IPs and connect to LAN ports. If routers have an "AP" mode, DON"T also use that. Use one method or the other.

lol tim that a bit confusing

put it this way

logic is other than the main router all other should be set as the link above i have indicated

this way all devices will be on the same ip subnet and ensure no wan functionality is causing the 10/100M issues as all lan ports are 1000M

 

[thiggins]

lol tim that a bit confusing

What's confusing, Pete? I wrote the article you linked to.

I'm just having him remove the daisy chain connection.

 

[degrub]

Try using a different port on Router 1 for the connection to the unmanaged Gb switch. Does the speed drop ? If not, maybe a misconfigured port on router 1 (try forcing to Gbit only) or a hardware issue on that router 1 port.
Have you tried a different cable as well ?

 

[thps2k2]

Different port used on router 1, same issue.

I've somewhat isolated (I think) the problem to something between routers 3 - 4, as when the cable between 1 & 3 is removed, the transfer speeds between the machines connected to 3 - 4 only communicate at 10/100. This is despite windows and a linux box showing they are connected at 1Gbps.

 

[Samir]

unless its in wan bypass mode or the link i provided that tim did its still not just an AP

Like I said previously, most routers don't have or even need such a mode.

 

[Samir]

Different port used on router 1, same issue.

I've somewhat isolated (I think) the problem to something between routers 3 - 4, as when the cable between 1 & 3 is removed, the transfer speeds between the machines connected to 3 - 4 only communicate at 10/100. This is despite windows and a linux box showing they are connected at 1Gbps.

From the results of the cable test and this test of using a different port on router 1, router one is acting a bit funny in terms of negotiating a gigabit link. If there is a way to force router 1 to gigabit full duplex on each port, I would try that.

Otherwise, I like Tim's idea of putting all the routers in one room and test them that way. Then you've eliminated any potential cabling issues. If the problem re-emerges in the 'all in one room' test, then it is definitely some sort of negotiation issue, which while quite rare, still does happen.

 

[pege63]

Thats basic thinking

 

[thiggins]

The important part of my suggestion is connecting each router directly to the base router in a star configuration, vs. a daisy chain.

 

[thps2k2]

Thank you all for the replies, and I'm sorry for not getting back sooner.

It turns out that there were 2 patch cables of 1.5m length that had developed a fault. Somehow they were faulting out routers 3 and 4. They have been replaced, and without any further adjustments; they have rectified the issue.

 

[Samir]

Thank you all for the replies, and I'm sorry for not getting back sooner.

It turns out that there were 2 patch cables of 1.5m length that had developed a fault. Somehow they were faulting out routers 3 and 4. They have been replaced, and without any further adjustments; they have rectified the issue.

Glad you found the source of the problem. How did you figure out it was the cables?