[SOLVED] Problem with GbE connection

[pinkupik]

Hi, I have problem with my computer saying that my connection is only 100mbps.
My computer has a GbE ethernet and I use Cat 5e everywhere. I just want to transfer files between my computer and NAS at full speed(1000Mbps). I don't know why tha't happening but when I transfer files now it's transfering at only 100Mbps. When I unplugged main network from 8 port GbE switch and I restarted Computer, there was 1000Mbps, but when I connected the main network it just said No, No and went to 100Mbps. Image of my network bellow(I know it's messy). Could somebody help me why is it like that?

 

[kanewolf]

Hi, I have problem with my computer saying that my connection is only 100mbps.
My computer has a GbE ethernet and I use Cat 5e everywhere. I just want to transfer files between my computer and NAS at full speed(1000Mbps). I don't know why tha't happening but when I transfer files now it's transfering at only 100Mbps. When I unplugged main network from 8 port GbE switch and I restarted Computer, there was 1000Mbps, but when I connected the main network it just said No, No and went to 100Mbps. Image of my network bellow(I know it's messy). Could somebody help me why is it like that?

Are these home made cables or commercially made?
Cables are the most likely reason. Beyond that, if your 8 port switch has "green" ethernet features, that could be the problem.

 

[dwd999]

Hi, I have problem with my computer saying that my connection is only 100mbps.
My computer has a GbE ethernet and I use Cat 5e everywhere. I just want to transfer files between my computer and NAS at full speed(1000Mbps). I don't know why tha't happening but when I transfer files now it's transfering at only 100Mbps. When I unplugged main network from 8 port GbE switch and I restarted Computer, there was 1000Mbps, but when I connected the main network it just said No, No and went to 100Mbps. Image of my network bellow(I know it's messy). Could somebody help me why is it like that?

Tell us about your NAS; make, model; hdd or ssd; rated speed of internal electronics; etc. What makes you thing that your NAS can handle such an input speed?

 

[pinkupik]

Cables are commercially made and I think they should be ok. Yes, my switch has that "green ethernet", is it really that that's slowing down the speed? My NAS is Synology diskstation DS218play. It shows that it has "1000 Mb/s, Full duplex, MTU 1500 ". As I said I tested the NAS - Computer speeds alone without other devices and it was full 1000Mbps speed. I just want to have full speeds while connected to my network. So, I don't know if the green ethernet is the problem when my NAS which is connected to the same switch has full 1000Mbps.

 

[bill001g]

You need to isolate the connection that is going to 100mbps. This is mostly a hardware function but you need to verify you do not have anything manually set to 100mbps you want everything on auto.

Most switches you can tell from the lights what speed the port is running it. It varies a bit but most have different light pattern for 100mbps and 1gbit. If it is only your computer then you can check in the status on the ethernet.

In almost always is a bad cable. The alternative is a bad port which can't really be fixed on a motherboard. Even the very best cables can fail but the more common problem is all the fake cables that are sold. You do not want to be using that flat cable that is very common it has wires that thinner than is allowed for certified ethernet cable. You want cables that are pure copper with wire size 22-24. When you go to buy cables if you can not find that information in the advertising it is highly likely the cable is a fake.

Cables can be extremely strange they can work in some ports and not others. They might work for a while but as they get warm and the metal moves a bit and they can fail. The good thing is they are likely the cheapest thing that could be broken.

Note it is best to avoid the "green" crap on switches unless you can turn it off, not a option on non managed switches. In general it mostly causes issues on very long cables. It is such a stupid feature on a device that uses almost no power already.

 

[pinkupik]

I maybe found the problem. Cable from my main router to the 5 port switch is only Cat 5. Is that the problem that my computer can't talk to router at GbE so it does't use it?

 

[kanewolf]

I maybe found the problem. Cable from my main router to the 5 port switch is only Cat 5. Is that the problem that my computer can't talk to router at GbE so it does't use it?

That wouldn't cause the link speed on the PC to show 100Mbit. That would cause your speedtest results to be limited. Traffic on the 8 port switch (PC to NAS) would not be impacted by the uplink cable.

 

[Murissokah]

That wouldn't cause the link speed on the PC to show 100Mbit. That would cause your speedtest results to be limited. Traffic on the 8 port switch (PC to NAS) would not be impacted by the uplink cable.

The fact that the link negotiated between your PC and the 8-port switch changes when you connect the uplink is very weird indeed. It could be that your switch can only use one mode for all ports (very weird). Do you have the model of the switch so we can look at the manual?

 

[pinkupik]

The 8 port switch is this: https://www.mercusys.com/ae/product/details/ms108g

 

[gggplaya]

Your PC should be able to transfer files to and from the NAS at full gigabit speed without issue. The rest of the network shouldn't matter much since the PC and NAS are on the same switch.

That's a cool looking switch, but has that GREEN technology garbage which can cause issues. It's supposed to increase or decrease power based on usage and wire length. Perhaps it's causing issues with link negotiation due to lower signal power.

 

[pinkupik]

Hi, I think I repaired it. Cable between PC and switch was the problem. Cat 5E. I don't know why when I unplugged uplink it worked at full speed. Maybe some kind of signal quality when there were more connections. I changed it first time someone said that it would be cable, but the cable that changed it with was probably broken too. I stole my dad's laptop(don't tell him, he still does't know, lol) took some random 0.5m cat 5E cable connected it to the switch and it was GbE. I raged, went for a run while thinking why is the laptop working and my computer does not. Came back home, ripped the cable out of laptop and changed it with the one connected to my computer and it worked. For now, it's fixed, but my nerves will never be. I hate cables. For anybody watching this thread, CHECK THE CABLES THRICE BEFORE THINKING THAT'S IS'T SOMETHING ELSE. Thanks everybody for help, I love you guys, thank you. P.S.: I'm still gonna change the cat 5 cable coming from router. P.S.2: I'm not gonna mark my answer as the best, because I think it would be unfair to you guys.

 

[bill001g]

Cables are very strange when they fail. I have seen them fail when they were used in a patch panel to a switch and had never been touched for years and all the sudden decide to only connect at 100mbps.

It actually is not very likely that the cable you call cat5 is really that. It might be if it is say more than 10-15 yrs old. The costs for cable has become mostly the copper metal much more than difference in manufacturing costs. This is why you are seeing less and less price difference between say a cat5e cable and cat6a (rated for 10gbit). Not that it makes a performance difference cat6a plugged into a gigbit port not run any different than a cat5e cable.

What is key for cable is the quality of the cable. The cost of the copper metal is why we are seeing so much fake ethernet cables being sold they are trying to use tricks to reduce the costs but the cables are technically no longer ethernet cables when they do this.