# How can I increase my lan speed?



## Splinterdog (Sep 22, 2019)

I've shared a folder on each of my PCs simply to move large game folders about, but the transfer speeds are very slow, as per the image below.
I'd like to know if I can increase the file transfer speed, because moving a 64Gb folder takes about two hours, meaning it would have been quicker to download it from the Internet.
Router/modem is a Huawei Echolife hg8245q2, one PC has Intel(R) I211 Gigabit, the other has Realtek GbE through a LAN switch. I'm not sure if I'm using cat 5 or 6 lan cable as networking is not my strong point.


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## ShrimpBrime (Sep 22, 2019)

*Step 1*
Click "Start | control panel | Network and Internet | Network and Sharing Center."
*Step 2*
Click the "Change adapter settings" in the left pane, and then right-click the "Local Area Connection" connection and choose "Properties" from the context menu.

*Step 3*
Click the "Configure" button, and then click the "Advanced" tab.
*Step 4*
Select "Speed & Duplex" in the Property list.
*Step 5*
Select the speed and duplex settings in the Value box. Your choices are 1.0 Gbps Full Duplex, 10 Mbps Full Duplex, 10 Mbps Half Duplex, 100 Mbps Full Duplex and 100 Mbps Half Duplex. Auto Negotiation allows the network adapter to negotiate the maximum speed with the device it's connected to.
Click "OK" to apply and save the new settings"


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## Solaris17 (Sep 22, 2019)

Have you looked at your NIC status under adapter settings to see if you are actually connecting at 1g?


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## ShrimpBrime (Sep 22, 2019)

Solaris17 said:


> Have you looked at your NIC status under adapter settings to see if you are actually connecting at 1g?


 From the graph, it looks like 10Mbs. 
We also have to take in consideration of read and write times of the drives too. If the drives are slow, so will the transfer speed.


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## Solaris17 (Sep 22, 2019)

ShrimpBrime said:


> From the graph, it looks like 10Mbs.
> We also have to take in consideration of read and write times of the drives too. If the drives are slow, so will the transfer speed.



Thats what I was thinking 7 sustained sounds alot like 10mb linkrate.


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## thebluebumblebee (Sep 22, 2019)

Splinterdog said:


> Realtek GbE through a LAN switch


What switch?


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## Splinterdog (Sep 22, 2019)

thebluebumblebee said:


> What switch?


Ah! 
I think that's the answer. It's a 10/100Mbps switch, so I suppose data will only move at the speed of the slowest component?


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## Solaris17 (Sep 22, 2019)

Splinterdog said:


> Ah!
> I think that's the answer. It's a 10/100Mbps switch, so I suppose data will only move at the speed of the slowest component?
> View attachment 132487



you got it. Replace the switch and watch the speeds increase.

100mbit has a max speed of 12megabytes on paper.


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## Splinterdog (Sep 22, 2019)

We live and learn, so thanks for all your answers


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## newtekie1 (Sep 22, 2019)

ShrimpBrime said:


> From the graph, it looks like 10Mbs.
> We also have to take in consideration of read and write times of the drives too. If the drives are slow, so will the transfer speed.





Solaris17 said:


> Thats what I was thinking 7 sustained sounds alot like 10mb linkrate.



10Mbps would be closer to 1.2MBps, not 7MBps...


Splinterdog said:


> We live and learn, so thanks for all your answers



Good thing 1Gbps switches are super cheap.


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## Steevo (Sep 22, 2019)

Backplane bandwidth is important if you want multiple machines to be able to connect and transfer sustained high speeds. Most consumer grade switches/routers aren't even capable of sustaining a single stream at their "rated" connection speed.


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## Solaris17 (Sep 22, 2019)

newtekie1 said:


> 10Mbps would be closer to 1.2MBps, not 7MBps...



forgot a 0 dont be like that newtekie you know im not an idiot.


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## sam_86314 (Sep 22, 2019)

Your setup is probably different, but I have my main system and media server connected through an old D-Link gigabit switch with static IPs on their GbE NICs (since they're also connected to a wireless network for internet). I get transfer rates of around 85MBps (680 Mbps) when moving large files between them.


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## FordGT90Concept (Sep 22, 2019)

I can recommend GS105/GS108 switches from Netgear.  Have quite a few of them and they "just work."








						Unmanaged Switches | NETGEAR
					

Plug-and-play Switches for Businesses in Need of Instant Connectivity. No Management Required.




					www.netgear.com


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## TheLostSwede (Sep 22, 2019)

Modern network cards tend to allow for automagic crossover if you use a standard networking cable. However, you'd have to set up manual IP addresses on each system for this to work.

Or you know, plug both PCs into the router, as that's most likely a gigabit capable router as far as the switch in it goes.


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## Splinterdog (Sep 24, 2019)

TheLostSwede said:


> Or you know, plug both PCs into the router, as that's most likely a gigabit capable router as far as the switch in it goes.


That's what I ended up doing as it was the least expensive way, so I made up another network cable - which is not one of my favourite jobs, getting those pesky wires to stay in position when pushing them into the plug - and connected the other PC directly into the router, with the switch connected simply for workshop use.
Mind you, the wifi on my main PC is lightning fast and I always run the TV with a cable directly to the router as the performance is better with Netflix and Prime, so I can swap around as needed as all the ports are now occupied.


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## newtekie1 (Sep 25, 2019)

Steevo said:


> Backplane bandwidth is important if you want multiple machines to be able to connect and transfer sustained high speeds. Most consumer grade switches/routers aren't even capable of sustaining a single stream at their "rated" connection speed.



That's not true at all.  Even the cheap consumer stuff, as long as it is from a known brand, can do a single duplex transfer at the rated speed.  I've seen _some_ off-brand garbage that struggled with a single 1Gbps transfer, I'm talking stuff branded with names I've never heard of before that they probably bought off alibab or something like that, but to say most can't is completely wrong.  In fact, most can handle multiple transfers at the rated speeds.




Solaris17 said:


> forgot a 0 dont be like that newtekie you know im not an idiot.



I'm not being like anything, I'm just posting the correct info for the guy coming along in 5 years to necro this thread with the same problem.  The ... was because I was actually confused why you'd make that mistake, because I know you know better than that.



FordGT90Concept said:


> I can recommend GS105/GS108 switches from Netgear.  Have quite a few of them and they "just work."
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The SG105 is $12 on Newegg right now.  They are great plug and play switches, with good build quality.  I ordered 5 last week just to keep in stock and to my surprise they even came with lifetime warranties(Newegg lists 5 years, but the boxes all had lifetime warranty stickers).


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## Splinterdog (Sep 25, 2019)

It's impossible for me to order from here and know 100% that it will arrive and not get stolen or be subject to bribes at customs, so I have to source locally.
TP-Link is the dominant make here and I can pick up an 8 port for around $37 if I need to. In the meantime, I'll improvise/prioritise.


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