Internet-based transfer speeds

[Torgog]

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum, so if this question has already been answered, my apologies. Here are my system and network statistics:

• OS: Windows 7
• Internet download speed from my ISP: 200 to 220Mb/sec. Upload is pretty steady at 15Mb/sec. Both of these values have been tested via Speedtest.net
  • I can achieve file download speed averages of 60 to 70 Mb/s.
• LAN: Cat 5e with 1Gb/s switches. Every system piece of equipment is hard wired. No WiFi here (except for kids' devices).
• internet Cable modem is a Motorola, speed capable up to 300Mb/s.
• TP-Link AC-series router
• DS418play NAS with four Seagate Exos 6TB enterprise drives

I've measured LAN file transfer speeds between 600 and 700Mb/sec. Not bad. But when uploading or downloading over the internet (outside of my LAN) transfer speeds drop as low as 100kb/sec up to about 1Mb/s. I've read multiple forum suggestions and tested many settings on the NAS and my router to no avail. Looking for some creative suggestions on how to resolve this issue. Thanks much.

 

[L&LD]

What router do you have? What firmware? What NAS and specs do you have?

How are you connecting to the destination network? From the router, the NAS or,???

Where are you connecting to? What are the ISP speeds possible for the destination network?

 

[Torgog]

Router: TPLink Archer A7, hardware version 5.
NAS is a Synology DS418play with 4 extra Gb of memory, running DSM v 6.2.3-35426

When connecting over the LAN via Windows Explorer (drag and drop), speeds are fantastic. But if I use a web browser and FileStation, speeds up and down plummet.

The NAS is connected directly to the router with a Cat 5e cable. Router ports are 1Gb.

 

[degrub]

What are you uploading to on the web and downloading from on the web ?

 

[Torgog]

It can be a large file or simply a ripped CD. If the pathway to the NAS is via the internet, it's painfully slow.

Now if I'm on my home network, I use the pathway established via a network attached device. Then it's incredibly fast. Problem is, if my dad is uploading family photos from Arizona to the NAS in California, it'll take him forever via the slow connection problem I can't solve.

 

[degrub]

have you tried setting up a VPN ?

When you are moving files on the LAN side, you are only engaging the switch. That usually runs at line speed as you found and is likely only limited by the two devices at either end.
When anything moves across the WAN port, it engages the routing portion of the box. That, the ISP, and many other systems in between can slow it down. Do you have deep packet inspection on or QOA or any other services in the router portion ?
What is your dad's nominal ISP bandwidth ?
Have you tried something like Dropbox or similar services ? If so, what was the bandwidth ?

 

[degrub]

there is this thread over on the Archer forums

Archer A7 Speed is incredibly slow - Home Network Community

Hi, Model : Archer ar AC1750 Hardware Version : Archer A7 5.0 Firmware Version : 1.0.7 Build 20181210 rel.54182(553) ISP : Spectrum When I initially hook the ethernet cable to router. I get about 460 down and 23u

community.tp-link.com

 

[Torgog]

Okay, I think I figured it out.

Here's my theory, which my nephew in PA helped me realize. My Speedtest to my ISP is 230Mb up, but only 11Mb down. If my nephew downloads a file from my NAS, that should actually be an upload from the NAS to the ISP. Hence, limited to about 1.5MB, which is what he said it was going at. When he uploaded a file to the NAS through his Gig connection, it's like a download to me, which limits it to about 30MB/sec. He said the upload from his computer took about 3 seconds (90MB file).

So there you have it: it's my crappy Spectrum ISP that's causing the bottleneck. Wish I had fiber in this neighborhood.

Thank you everyone for the advice and suggestions.