2.5 Ethernet port download speed below 100 mbit

[megamoz]

Hi,

I've just purchased RT-AX86U Pro which is the replacement of RT-AC3200. I'm in the UK, my ISP is Virgin Media which provides 1150 Mbit download speed. The ISP router has 2.5 Gbit port.

In my place there's CAT6 cabeling, so Virgin Router is connected through patchbox. My previous router AC3200 provided 980 Mbit of download speed in AP mode.

So, I configured the AX86U Pro today with the hope of getting even more speed via 2.5 ports, in the AP mode. However when I use the 2.5 port download speed is only 94 Mbit and on the setup page of the Asus router, the 2.5 is in colour yellow which indicates a problem.

When I use the conventional WAN port on the Asus Pro, the speed is 900+ Mbit again and on the setup page the colour of the WAN port is green, so no issue there. My all cables are CAT6, devices are new, updated etc.

Is there anything I'm missing here or is it a faulty 2.5 port?

Any help is much appreciated, thank you.

 

[Tech Junky]

Got a 2.5 or 5GE port on your PC to test with? If that works then it's the Asus.

 

[megamoz]

Got a 2.5 or 5GE port on your PC to test with? If that works then it's the Asus.

I only have Gigabit port on my PC. I connected Virgin 2.5 port to Asus 2.5 port, Pc is connected to Asus Gigabit Lan port.

 

[Tech Junky]

Pick up a Sabrent USB Ethernet adapter then to test. I have the 5GE one and it was $70 on Amazon.

They come in handy for things like this or when you want to do a bulk copy of data from a source with that speed as well.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Can you bring to Asus closer to the router and try a different patch cable between them? Even if it's Cat5e it should be good enough for 2.5GbE.

 

[megamoz]

Can you bring to Asus closer to the router and try a different patch cable between them? Even if it's Cat5e it should be good enough for 2.5GbE.

I don't think it's the cable as WAN port already provides high speed with the same cable.

 

[megamoz]

Can you bring to Asus closer to the router and try a different patch cable between them? Even if it's Cat5e it should be good enough for 2.5GbE.

I tried different patch cable, same result.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I presume you're using the most recent stock firmware?

 

[megamoz]

I presume you're using the most recent stock firmware?

Yes, I already updated it.

 

[ColinTaylor]

It sounds like the 2.5GbE port is only working at 100Mbps. If so that's probably a firmware bug.

If you reconfigure the Asus as a router rather than an AP, does the 2.5GbE port still show as yellow in the GUI?

Alternatively, you could enable SSH access from the LAN (Administration - System) and run the following command.

ethctl eth5 media-type

This is assuming eth5 is the 2.5GbE port, which it is on my non-Pro RT-AX86U.

 

[megamoz]

It sounds like the 2.5GbE port is only working at 100Mbps. If so that's probably a firmware bug.

If you reconfigure the Asus as a router rather than an AP, does the 2.5GbE port still show as yellow in the GUI?

Alternatively, you could enable SSH access from the LAN (Administration - System) and run the following command.

ethctl eth5 media-type

This is assuming eth5 is the 2.5GbE port, which it is on my non-Pro RT-AX86U.

I think I’ll return it as the USB 3.0 port has also difficulty to handle a usb attached ssd of 2TB while my previous router could do it without hassle. Such a shame, I was expecting superb performance out of this device.

 

[megamoz]

Just a little update, I returned the AX86U Pro and ordered GT-AX6000 as well as TPlink 2.5 Gbit PCIe ethernet card which was delivered today. I installed it in my PC, and omitting the old router and using the existing cables connected it through patchbox to the VM’s Hub5 route’s 2.5 gbit port. The link speed was 2.5 gbit and according to the Samknows, download speed almost matched the Hub5 speed which is 1150 mbi. I’ll see what happens with the new one.

Update 2: GT-AX6000 was delivered yesterday. I set it up and running. Since I now have 2.5 Gbe PCIe card ethernet port, the link speed all the way from Hub 5 to Asus to my PC is 2.5 Gbit. However download speed still fluctuates. varies between 700 Mbit-1100 Mbit according to the Samknows speed test.

 

[drinkingbird]

Just a little update, I returned the AX86U Pro and ordered GT-AX6000 as well as TPlink 2.5 Gbit PCIe ethernet card which was delivered today. I installed it in my PC, and omitting the old router and using the existing cables connected it through patchbox to the VM’s Hub5 route’s 2.5 gbit port. The link speed was 2.5 gbit and according to the Samknows, download speed almost matched the Hub5 speed which is 1150 mbi. I’ll see what happens with the new one.

With all these new copper speeds coming out there are bound to be some compatibility problems. Gig was actually extremely good, you could hardcode one end, do pretty much anything you wanted and the other end would detect and match (unlike 100 meg which would come up half duplex). But 2.5 and 5 interoperating with 1 and 10 (and even other 2.5) is still a work in progress. Especially when you can't get into your ISP device and tweak that setting, and consumer routers often don't let you change it either.

I still have an HP printer with 100 meg port that likes to come out of sleep at 10/Half. Have to hardcode both ends to keep it at 100/F all the time. I print complex Visio diagrams for work, it was always painfully obvious when it was in that state. Good excuse for a smoke break though. Reminded me of dot matrix using Print Shop on my old early 90s computer.