slower usb3.0 speeds on front panel vs back panel

[milkygirl]

I have built 4-5 rigs with completely different configurations so far, and I notice all of them exhibit the same issue - the front panel usb3.0 ports are significantly slower than the back panel ports.

The front panel (be it the default one given by Fractal Design R4 or by Unitek) maxes out at 42MB/s , whereas the back panel usb3.0 ports can max out at 100+MB/s (depending on which hard drive i use).

Is this the norm, or is there a better front panel adapter that I can use to get max speeds from whichever device I plug in?

 

[Sohom]

No, thats not the case, you should get way over that 42 MBps speed.

 

[TMTOWTSAC]

42 MB/s sounds an awful lot like USB 2 max speeds. Any chance the ports have been mislabeled?

 

[milkygirl]

impossible, because that is consistent across all the rigs I've built so far.

in case anyone is asking other questions like whether I've plugged into the right headers, have the latest drivers from Asmedia/Intel, the answer is yes.

and for USB2 front panel, I will usually hit the max of 28.2MB/s +/-.

 

[Sohom]

I have not used that particular cabinet,i.e, the Fractal Design R4; So cant say anything regarding the quality of those cases, but those speeds are pretty low, even your usb 2 speeds are low.

 

[Neur0nauT]

Make sure you've downloaded the latest USB 3.0 eXtensible Host controller driver. Then check in device manager under Universal Serial Bus Controllers... Make sure you can see both the USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller and ALSO the USB 3.0 Root Hub in there. If its not there, then the drivers haven't installed correctly. So uninstall them completely then reinstall from the latest driver from Intel or your Mobo manufacturer's website.

 

[milkygirl]

yes it's the latest.

 

[Neur0nauT]

The front panel ones are likely on a separate controller to those on the back. If you can find out which controller serves which....i.e. Front panel = ASMedia chip, then you could see if there are any specific drivers or firmware available from their website which may speed things up.

If that works on one system, then you could roll out the firmware update to the rest.

 

[milkygirl]

I am already using the latest asmedia and intel USB drivers. There are only these 2 controllers. Anything else I can do?

 

[Neur0nauT]

I am already using the latest asmedia and intel USB drivers. There are only these 2 controllers. Anything else I can do?

You can specifically flash the firmware on USB controllers, which is different than updating drivers. However, you need to find out the exact version of your chip and also the correct firmware. It can be a complicated task for some, and does not guarantee positive results. You can end up bricking the USB controller completely....it's a case of trial and error.

If you do source the exact model and version of your chip, then you might find other people who have successfully flashed theirs and gained better speeds; if you google search keywords such as your 'controller chip version' and "flashing firmware" etc. - You get the idea. It might even be a better idea to post in the motherboard manufacturer's support forums to see if anyone else has experienced similar issues with your mobo model.

As an example, here are some people who have been doing just this: Flashing Asmedia 104x USB 3.0 firmware Although this may not be the same chip as your controller, this would give you an idea of what is involved.

Personally, I would not want to venture into doing this, as the risk outweighs the reward. I would just stick to using the back panel USBs for high speed, and be content with slower speeds. But check on your motherboard manufacturers support forums first.

Good luck!