# Slow Gigabit Network



## error_f0rce (Nov 14, 2010)

I just upgraded my whole network from 10/100 to gigabit. I'm running a Linksys E3000 router, a Netgear Prosafe switch, and a D-Link DNS-321 NAS. I'm aware that there is about a 125MB/s theoretical ceiling (less with real-life overhead, etc.), but I'm only seeing 11-14MB/s transfer speeds from the NAS to my PC. 

Here's what I've tried so far, with no effect:
1.) Switching all devices to gigabit only mode.
2.) Disabling anti-virus/defender.
3.) Increasing MTU sizes across the NICs.

The NAS is running RAID-1 with x2 Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, and my PC is running SSD's in RAID-0 (see specs), so I don't believe drive speed is the issue here.

Looking for any suggestions or possible solutions here.
Thanks!


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## Easy Rhino (Nov 14, 2010)

error_f0rce said:


> I just upgraded my whole network from 10/100 to gigabit. I'm running a Linksys E3000 router, a Netgear Prosafe switch, and a D-Link DNS-321 NAS. I'm aware that there is about a 125MB/s theoretical ceiling (less with real-life overhead, etc.), but I'm only seeing 11-14MB/s transfer speeds from the NAS to my PC.
> 
> Here's what I've tried so far, with no effect:
> 1.) Switching all devices to gigabit only mode.
> ...



hrm, i am also on an all gigabit network and my NAS transfer speeds max out at 19MBps. i always assumed it was because the NAS is kinda crappy.


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## Yukikaze (Nov 14, 2010)

error_f0rce said:


> I just upgraded my whole network from 10/100 to gigabit. I'm running a Linksys E3000 router, a Netgear Prosafe switch, and a D-Link DNS-321 NAS. I'm aware that there is about a 125MB/s theoretical ceiling (less with real-life overhead, etc.), but I'm only seeing 11-14MB/s transfer speeds from the NAS to my PC.
> 
> Here's what I've tried so far, with no effect:
> 1.) Switching all devices to gigabit only mode.
> ...



I recently did the same thing, but my router is 100Mbps, so everything goes to the switch, and then the router also gets connected to the switch. I have no NAS, but transfers between both machines in my place run as fast as the mechanical hard drives will allow.

I'd say the problem might be in the NAS.

I just googled up your NAS model:
Specifications
Standards	
*•	IEEE 802.3 10Base-T Ethernet
•	IEEE 802.3u 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet*
Support Hard Drive Type	
•	SATA*
Ports	
•	1 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Port

Compare this to the DNS-323:
Specifications
Standards	
•	IEEE 802.3 10 Base-T Ethernet
•	IEEE 802.3u 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet
*•	IEEE 802.3ab 1000Base-T Gigabit*

In other words, it seems like your NAS is simply not capable of 1Gbps speeds, despite it listing a 1Gbps port - It doesn't list the 1000Base-T as a supported standard. This might be due to a lack of processing power inside the box.


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## Easy Rhino (Nov 14, 2010)

Yukikaze said:


> I recently did the same thing, but my router is 100Mbps, so everything goes to the switch, and then the router also gets connected to the switch. I have no NAS, but transfers between both machines in my place run as fast as the mechanical hard drives will allow.
> 
> I'd say the problem might be in the NAS.
> 
> ...



wow, this actually explains the same issue with my NAS. well i guess you get what you pay for


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## Batou1986 (Nov 14, 2010)

There really needs to be some better legal repercussions for false and misleading advertising.


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## error_f0rce (Nov 14, 2010)

Thanks, that really does explain it. I have to say, it does seem rather disingenuous to advertise a gigabit port when the device itself doesn't support the same speed of throughput.


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## Easy Rhino (Nov 14, 2010)

error_f0rce said:


> Thanks, that really does explain it. I have to say, it does seem rather disingenuous to advertise a gigabit port when the device itself doesn't support the same speed of throughput.



i agree, that is pretty lousy of them. my gigabit NAS is a QNAP. i won't be buying anything from them again.


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## slyfox2151 (Nov 14, 2010)

are there any difference between reading from the NAS and writing to it?



my gigabit network does max out at 90-110MBytesps transfering from PC to PC


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## Easy Rhino (Nov 14, 2010)

slyfox2151 said:


> are there any difference between reading from the NAS and writing to it?
> 
> 
> 
> my gigabit network does max out at 90-110MBytesps transfering from PC to PC



for me it is the exact same.


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## error_f0rce (Nov 14, 2010)

slyfox2151 said:


> are there any difference between reading from the NAS and writing to it?
> 
> 
> 
> my gigabit network does max out at 90-110MBytesps transfering from PC to PC



Just tried, nope same. One funny thing I did notice when boosting the MTU sizes was that I saw spikes of up to 34-80MB/s, and the data bar mirrored the claim, but they only lasted seconds. I wonder if the NAS RAID controller just isn't built to handle it.


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## Yukikaze (Nov 14, 2010)

error_f0rce said:


> Just tried, nope same. One funny thing I did notice when boosting the MTU sizes was that I saw spikes of up to 34-80MB/s, and the data bar mirrored the claim, but they only lasted seconds. I wonder if the NAS RAID controller just isn't built to handle it.



I think the controller simply dies. The actual Eth port might be 1Gbps, but the NAS controller simply cannot handle this data rate - Thus it is not listed. It will also explain the short bursts of speed - They last before it runs out of receive buffer.


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## Easy Rhino (Nov 14, 2010)

this is just depressing.


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## IggSter (Nov 14, 2010)

The problem certainly lies with the NAS device - more specifically Rumba.

Rumba is part of the software on the NAS that allows windows PCs to access the *nix file system on the NAS - typically ext2 or 3.

I have a QNAP 809pro and with Ext2 was getting 36MB/s. After I migrated the NAS to Ext3 the rate increased to 58MB/s.


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## Easy Rhino (Nov 14, 2010)

IggSter said:


> The problem certainly lies with the NAS device - more specifically Rumba.
> 
> Rumba is part of the software on the NAS that allows windows PCs to access the *nix file system on the NAS - typically ext2 or 3.
> 
> I have a QNAP 809pro and with Ext2 was getting 36MB/s. After I migrated the NAS to Ext3 the rate increased to 58MB/s.



how did you migrate to the new file system?


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## newtekie1 (Nov 14, 2010)

This is why I always tell people don't waste money on NAS devices.  A full blown file server will be so much better for only a marginally higher price.

Most of the time these NAS devices use a software RAID controller with a processor that can't handle the load.


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## kciaccio (Nov 14, 2010)

If you have a spare computer laying around turn it into an unraid server. Mine works fantastic. They even have free software using 3 drives, 2 data and a parity drive. 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php


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