Why am I not getting max network speeds with a new GB Switch?

[rasilun]

Hello!

I just got this switch
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127082&Tpk=dgs-2208

I have 2 computers wired to the switch and both computers have 10/100/1000Mbps max LAN speeds and both have 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drives. Printed on the Ethernet cables is "ETL verified to TIA/EIA 568-A CAT .5 - - - CAT .5E 350 MHZ UTP" One computer has Windows 7 64bit and the other has Vista 64bit. I understand I'm not going to reach 1 GBs but my speeds after hooking the switch up didn't really change one bit.

Currently I can transfer a movie file from my computer to the other at 11 to 12 MB/s. If I understand the math correctly using CAT 5e cable I should be seeing 42 MB/s correct? This is my first GB network rodeo so I'm probably just missing or not understanding something. Any help is appreciated.

[rasilun]

Ok a little update. There is a light on the switch that tells you if that port is on 100 or 1000. My computer is saying 1000 but the other computer (now in question) is showing that it's on 100. I'm not sure why though.

This is the board in the other computer
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131288

You will see the Onboard LAN Speed is 10/100/1000Mbps and I just tried to update the driver through windows and it says it's on the latest one. The Ethernet cable for this PC is the exact same as mine. I went to the NIC driver properties and didn't see anything along the lines of changing it's speed (but, I have never messed with NIC drivers in detail). Are there software settings that need to be adjusted to allow such speeds or maybe a defective NIC?

[EEVIAC]

On the computer that is indicating only 100 mbps, go into Control Panel (Classic Mode) Select Device Manager.  In dev. manager, right click on the network card driver, click properties..  Select the "advanced" tab..
Highlight "link speed" and click on the down arrow on the right for the options..

Set it to 1000 mbps Full duplex....  if it is not already set..

Make sure the network card in your other computer is set to the same..

[rasilun]

Thanks for the reply EEVIAC. I'm not seeing "link speed" in the settings.



there are a couple more options when you scroll down
UDP Checksum Offload (IPv4)
UDP Checksum Offload (IPv6)
Wake Up Capabilities
However I don't think any of those have anything to do with it.

If the section I have highlited is what you are refering to and if the LAN is suppose to support 1000mbps why would the option not be there? I only see 100mbps

[EEVIAC]

What are the options for link speed on your other computer, in dev. manager?

[rasilun]

What I want to see. Haha.

[EEVIAC]

What is the make/model of the computer that is stuck on the 100 mbps speed?

We may have to search for a better network card driver..  Windows Update is not always efficient when updating drivers...

[rasilun]

It's a home built PC. I am using the on board LAN. This is the link to the motherboard on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131288

I did go to ASUS's support site and search for the latest LAN driver. I never really understand which one to download though. They have 7 LAN drivers for that motherboard's onboad LAN. I wish I could give you the direct link to where I'm looking on there but you have to fill out the specs in order to see the downloadable driver options.

http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us

>Motherboard
>Socket775
>P5KPL-CM
>Vista 64bit

I downloaded the first one on there "ATHEROS L1E Driver V1.0.0.45 for Windows 32bit XP/64bit XP/32bit Vista/64bit Vista/32bit Win7/64bit Win7." Maybe I have the wrong driver?

[BC_Programmer]

Swap the network cables and see what the effect is.


EDIT: what I mean is, use computer1's cable for computer2 and vice versa.

[EEVIAC]

I can't find another driver...  It looks like you did good by getting the getting the one you did from ASUS...

You should have listings in your device manager for 1G link speed..

I would contact ASUS...

There may be a bug in your current bios that prevents using the 1G onboard card speed, which a bios update may fix, if there is one available..

I changed the FSB speed in one of my own computers once, in the bios.. Then when I went to confirm the speed increase in Winodws, using CPU-Z, and there was no speed increase detected.... I concurred with others and concluded that there is a bug...

[rasilun]

Thank you both for the help. I will try tomorrow and contact ASUS if I can't find a resolution and let you know what's up. Maybe newegg is accidentally false advertising this motherboards onbaord LAN. Who knows.... yet.

[BC_Programmer]

the 1G listing will only appear if the card detects that it's able to achieve that speed. a bad cable can cause it to determine that it's unable to achieve reliable 1000mbps throughput, so it only allows up to 100mbps.

[EEVIAC]

rasulin, switch the cables and see what you get, if you haven't already..

[dahlarbear]

Did you verify Device Manager is loading the desired driver "version"?

Although not the same board or operating system, ASUS forum has some unhappy people reporting similiar problem.  [Problem]P5Q Pro with Atheros Gigabit LAN.

[rasilun]

Ok the cables are routed pretty "neatly" so I didn't want to mess with it until this morning when I knew I had the time. I grabbed a new 15' cable from the garage and hooked it up. Surprisingly the switch and PC are reporting 1.0 Gbps now! I guess I just had a bad cable and never knew it. Luckily I have plenty of those to go around. I didn't know your NIC actually checks those either.

Learn something everyday! 

Thanks for the help everyone! Don't know of what point I would have thought of the cable. Probably after my head was through the wall.

[EEVIAC]

I honestly thought there was in issue with your driver...  I'd say kudos to mr. programmer 

[EEVIAC]

on a side note..   I should have considered more carefully, the "physical" layer of the OSI network model, which in this case was the cable...   poo on me