[SOLVED] LAN cable not giving the 1 GBps speed [realtek Gaming GbE Family controller.

[FoxInFlames]

Well, i have a 300mbps connection but the darned LAN cable given me max 100, here's what i have tried already.

1. Check the Speed and Duplex:- it's already set at 1 Gbps Full Duplex.
2. Realtek drivers, already installed and updated them from realtek's own site.
3. Checking the LAN cable, it says it's a CAT 5E, which, on further googl-ing, tells me that it supports 10, 100 and 1000 Mbps.

Anything else i can try?
My specs
Acer Nitro 5 AN517-51
CPU:- intel core i5 9300H
GPU:- GTX 1650
RAM:- 16 GB 2666MHz
Mobo:- not sure, but i think it's a CFL superb CFS

Funny thing is, my WiFi's 5Ghz band gives me the whole 300Mbps so the ethernet is of little use to me.

 

[Ralston18]

Where did you get the LAN cable?

Is the cable CAT 5e or CAT 6, rounded, pure copper 22-24 AWG?

Not flat, shielded, or copper clad aluminum.

Lots of fake and substandard Ethernet cable being sold nowadays (Likely true for other types of cables.)

First try setting speed and duplex to auto.

Failing that: Get a known working, at speed, Ethernet cable to swap in.

Determine if speed improves.

 

[FoxInFlames]

Where did you get the LAN cable?

Well, actually my dad bought an extra cable that he had at his workplace, so my guess is as good as yours.

Is the cable CAT 5e or CAT 6, rounded, pure copper 22-24 AWG?

Here's what the cover on the cable says
"CAT-5E + U.T.P FR PVC 4 PAIR NETWORKING CABLE. 108 MTRS"

I don't really have any knowledge in cables to see about the coating and such, please see the adapter for yourself

[Ignore my nail 🗿]

 

[FoxInFlames]

I'll try setting the S&D to auto, give me some time

 

[Ralston18]

No brand name/manufacturer information on the cable?

Is the cable actually 108 meters long? And you are using the cable end to end?

Ethernet limit is 100 meters.

What distance do you need?

Also the pinouts (wire colors, pairings, and pin number) appear to be incorrect:

Not sure - may just be the photographic "view".

Are you able to take another photo showing both connectors side by side that also clearly shows the wire colors?

Reference:

https://www.truecable.com/blogs/cable-academy/t568a-vs-t568b

= = = =

Did you try changing the configuration to Auto?

 

[FoxInFlames]

Did you try changing the configuration to Auto?

Did, still limited to 100

Is the cable actually 108 meters long? And you are using the cable end to end?

I think so, it's pretty long and there's still a decent amount of it left after running it through the roof along the walls of our dining room, and yes, I'm using it end to end.

Are you able to take another photo showing both connectors side by side that also clearly shows the wire colors?

I'll need a bit of time for that, i have other things that i have to do for the next 15 minutes or so.

No brand name/manufacturer information on the cable?

The manufacturer is ORBIT, it's an indian company (I'm an Indian too, so i guess this is legit, with stores here and there)

 

[Ralston18]

"I think so, it's pretty long and there's still a decent amount of it left after running it through the roof along the walls of our dining room, and yes, I'm using it end to end."

That may well be the problem: length, path, etc.. Especially if somewhere along the cable run there are kinks, hard bends, pinches, knots, tangles, contact with other wires, exposure to the elements, any sort of physical damage, etc..

Ensure that the connector and wire on each ends is supported in some manner. I.e., the extra cable is not "hanging/dangling" from the host LAN port.

No rush on the photographs: purpose is to just eliminate (to some extent) termination problems.

 

[FoxInFlames]

if somewhere along the cable run there are kinks, hard bends, pinches, knots, tangles, contact with other wires, exposure to the elements, any sort of physical damage, etc..

Would "loosely coiling it around the curtain rod" count in one of those? Other than that the cable is reasonably bent (not like the covering broke and the wires are exposing though, that's nonexistent)

Also, I'd have a hell of a time trying to take both of those cables side by side, will two images (one of each) work?
The part into the router:-

The part into my PC

Also, could it be that the router itself limit LAN speeds? It's one that's taken from the service provider themselves but it feels sort of cheap (fully plastic body, among other things, there are two antennae though)

As for the hanging part, the cable clicks into the router and goes up from there, as it should (i mean, I'm not twisting it from there in any way, it's in a straight line), but my laptops' LAN port hinge doesn't 'force itself up' if you know what i mean, the connection is still okay though. Could that be the problem?

 

[gggplaya]

Might be a cheaply made cable, possibly CCA instead of full copper. For cable that long, you can't go cheap or it won't negotiate full speeds.

 

[FoxInFlames]

Might be a cheaply made cable, possibly CCA instead of full copper. For cable that long, you can't go cheap or it won't negotiate full speeds.

I tried to search it on Amazon, it says type CM, Cat5e UTP, Bare solid copper

If this helps, otherwise i could search the house for another ethernet cable that looked more decent than this one, hopefully that one is better?

Or i can just use my 5G WiFi connection too, i mean, that gives higher speeds

 

[ex_bubblehead]

The one question that hasn't been asked/answered (which should be the FIRST question asked): Is there a switch/hub between the laptop and modem? And if there is, are the ports 10/100 or 10/100/1000?

 

[FoxInFlames]

Is there a switch/hub between the laptop and modem? And if there is, are the ports 10/100 or 10/100/1000?

Nope, no hub between there, but i do have one lying around, should i use it? I think it has a 10/100

 

[ex_bubblehead]

A 10/100 device of any kind between the laptop and modem will limit everything to 100.

What make/model router and modem?
What happens when you connect directly to the modem using a 6ft cable?

 

[bill001g]

So far things look mostly ok. The wire should be good cat5e. The colors on the ends are ok but the technique is a little marginal. The grey jacket it suppose to extend very slightly into the jack and be crimped. This does not have any impact on the speed it just makes it harder to pull the wires loose if it gets snagged.

Unfortunately there is no easy way for a home user to test cables. First thing is to try to figure out if you are over or even close to 100meter limit. The ends must be perfect when you are pushing max distance. Most bulk cable has a number on it that is a distance, it is used to know how much wire is left is a box. If you can find these
numbers on each end you can subtract them and get a guess to the distance.

After that I would suspect that one of the ends is not making proper contact. Again no simple way to test this. They make cheap $10 testers that will to a extent show you if the wires are proper. They are basically a battery and a leds and are better than nothing I guess.

Since this is long in house cable I would replace the ends with keystone jacks. You can get ones that do not require a special punch down tool. It tends to be easier for a beginner to get it right and you can do just 1 wire at a time rather than trying to get all 8 just perfect before you crimp it. You can also pull them out and redo them unlike a rj45 plug. You would then use a commerical ethernet patch cable to go between the jack and the end device. The thing that concerns me about this option depends on how close you are to the distance limit. Adding extra jacks and cable cuts the distance allowed by a small amount so you do not want to do that if you are very close to 100 meters.

 

[FoxInFlames]

What make/model router and modem?

It's a GX titanium 2122A

What happens when you connect directly to the modem using a 6ft cable?

Idk, never tried

 

[ex_bubblehead]

It's a GX titanium 2122A

Specs indicate gigabit ports

Idk, never tried

Do so. If you get a gigabit connection to the modem then you've proven that the long cable is where the problem resides and it needs to be either reterminated or replaced.

 

[kanewolf]

Idk, never tried

That is the next thing you need to do. That is a sure way to determine if you PC will ever work at 1GE. Considering we are talking about a laptop, it should not be an inconvenience to carry it to the router and directly connect.

 

[FoxInFlames]

First thing is to try to figure out if you are over or even close to 100meter limit.

Well, the way I've (again, loosely) looped the wire at places i could still do with a 50m anyways, but the only shorter ethernet cable i have is barely 6ft or something.

After that I would suspect that one of the ends is not making proper contact. Again no simple way to test this.

As i said, my laptops' LAN port hinge doesn't 'force itself up', Lemme provide an image

As you can see, the hinge sags down a bit, could that be a problem in holding the cable snugly?

Adding extra jacks and cable cuts the distance allowed by a small amount so you do not want to do that if you are very close to 100 meters.

I'm okay with reducing the cable length a bit, it's too much anyways.

That is the next thing you need to do. That is a sure way to determine if you PC will ever work at 1GE. Considering we are talking about a laptop, it should not be an inconvenience to carry it to the router and directly connect.

Yeah, I'll try that later, let me find a short cable first though

I have a shorter and sturdier-looking cable, it's cat5, does that support 1000mbps?

 

[FoxInFlames]

Specs indicate gigabit ports


Do so. If you get a gigabit connection to the modem then you've proven that the long cable is where the problem resides and it needs to be either reterminated or replaced.

Yup, this cable gave me 340 mbps down and 335 mbps up

 

[FoxInFlames]

Left one is the cable that gave me higher speeds.

I can't really see the difference except the left one looking a lot more organised and sturdy, what's making the gap in speeds? Could there be a broken link in between?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Look at the order in which the left connector is wired vs the right. There is a difference. Note the orange and green pairs.

This alone could be the problem. Or, just a very poor crimp job.

 

[FoxInFlames]

Look at the order in which the left connector is wired vs the right. There is a difference. Note the orange and green pairs

Yeah, just noticed they are exchanged, but that's the difference between cat 5 and cat 5E i guess?

 

[bill001g]

Nope cat5 can cat5e have the same pattern it is just a difference between 568a and 568b. Both are valid as long as both ends are the same. The signals have no way to know what color the wire is, it could be all white and work as long as they are in the correct positions.

You seldom can actually see a problem. The issue would be inside the plug where those metal pins make contact with the wire. Likely either the blue pair or the brown pair has 1 wire just slightly not making proper contact. Since it runs at 100mbps it means the orange and green pair are likely good.

But all this does not really matter. Your only option is to blindly cut one end off and try again. This is very hit and miss when you have not made a lot of cables. Even someone who makes lots of cables will make bad ones now and then.

 

[kanewolf]

Yeah, just noticed they are exchanged, but that's the difference between cat 5 and cat 5E i guess?

No. That is a difference between 568A and 568B color code -- https://www.comms-express.com/infozone/article/t568a-and-t568b/
But is one of the eight wires is not making connection in that homemade wire you get 100Mbit.