Buffering when connected via a Switch

[kamaran]

Some advice please, my setup is:

Media Streamer -> Network Switch -> NAS ...............all hard cabled by CAT6A

this works fine, however if I introduce an access point/switch between the streamer and switch:

Media Streamer -> AP/Switch -> Network Switch -> NAS ............again all hard cabled

My streamer has buffering issues.

The AP/Switch is a RT-AC66U in AP mode. I've also tried other plain gigabit network switches in its place, swapped all the cabling and still the same problem.

I experience the buffering problem with 2 different streamers made by different manufacturers.

Can anyone advise why this extra point is causing buffering and what can be done to resolve it?

 

[thiggins]

Do you have the same problem if you put the AP/switch AFTER the gigabit switch?

 

[kamaran]

Do you have the same problem if you put the AP/switch AFTER the gigabit switch?

Not sure I follow?

The NAS is connected via a LAG connection to the network switch in room 1

The AP/switch and streamer are in room 2

I have cat6a cabling between room 1 and 2

 

[thiggins]

I was suggesting to swap the two switches.

Thanks for disclosing that you are using LAG. Sorta important information. Try disabling LAG. It's not helping to increase bandwidth to a single client anyway.

 

[kamaran]

Isn't that irrelevant because it works fine when the AP is not in the chain?

 

[Dreamslacker]

Check your switch port to verify that the link from the Asus to the switch is running at GbE full duplex.

I've encountered issues with the Asus router line-up where certain NICs and switches will not negotiate properly - typically drop down to 10M or 100M half-duplex.

 

[azazel1024]

Isn't that irrelevant because it works fine when the AP is not in the chain?

No. Just because it is working fine without the AP in the chain, does not mean that for some crazy reason (bad switch config, improper TCP packet forwarding, etc.) that the switch is not working properly with LAG (or the NAS isn't) and it is only apparent when there is an extra Ethernet hop in the chain.

I would try removing the switch and just using the AP between the NAS and the machine doing the streaming. If it is still buffering, an issue with the AP.

Or is the issue that adding ANYTHING with the existing switch causes buffering? IE Using the current switch with LAG connected to ANYTHING (the AP, another switch, etc.) else between the main switch and the streamer is causing buffering? Is it LACP? Or are you doing it through a static LAG? If relying on LACP, I suggest DO NOT, switch to a static LAG group. I've seen some switches take several minutes to establish a LAG when using LACP and I've also seen them sometimes break the LAG and then re-establish it periodically.

I tend to go with, if you are connecting anything else in the chain and it results in buffering, the issue is with the main switch you are using or its configuration.

In short, try disabling the LAG to see what happens. Try removing the main switch entirely and using a different gigabit switch (at least temporarily). Then try connecting that new/different switch either to another switch or to the AP to the streamer. If everything is still working fine, then SOMETHING about the current main switch you are using or its configuration is resulting in the problems.

PS I'd also try factory resetting the switch to defaults and seeing if the issue presists as well.

 

[kamaran]

OK So I disabled LAG and factory reset the Network switch, same problem

Then I tried swapping the network switch for another switch (this time unmanaged)

So:

Media Streamer -> AP/Switch -> Unmanaged Network Switch -> NAS ............again all hard cabled

and it worked without problem

I then also tried:

Media Streamer -> AP/Switch -> Router -> NAS ............again all hard cabled and this was also fine.

So it appears the problem is with my network switch (HP PS1810-8G) which is supposed to be a high specification device :S This is back to factory default settings, anything I should ensure is set up correctly?

 

[Dreamslacker]

As I mentioned before, the Asus router ports can be somewhat fussy when it comes to negotiating the link speed. I've encountered this issue with some Intel NICs and D-Link switches.
Shuffling the port used on the router occasionally solves the problem.
E.g. the Intel NIC will only do Gigabit F/D on ports 1 or 2 but on 3 and 4, it falls back to 10Mbps H/D.
Putting the D-link switch on WAN or Ports 3 & 4 also suffered the same issue.

I eventually gave the router away to a friend to use as an access point and he was rather happy with it.

You can verify this by connecting the WAN port on the router to a specific port on the switch.

Then login to the web interface of the switch and look under Status -> Port Summary.

Odds are the port connected to the router will be connected at 10Mbps or 100Mbps half-duplex.

 

[kamaran]

I suspect this is due to a link-speed negotiation issue.

The streamers have 10/100mb ethernet, however the corresponding link from the AP/Switch -> Network switch is 1000Mb.

so:

Streamer (10/100) -> Asus RT-AC66U AP Mode (1000mb) -> HP Switch (shows 1000mb full duplex)

If I remove the AP, the HP switch shows its connecting directly to the streamer at 100mb full duplex and hence everything is OK.

I haven't forced the link to the AP down to connect at 100mb full duplex as it will limit the speed of all devices using that AP (I have 152mb internet).

So as a workaround I have connected one of the streamers (amazon FireTV) wirelessly using the inbuilt 802.11n 5Ghz which provides better performance than then ethernet port anyway.