Rysz
Level 7 (20,325 points)
iTunes

Q: Download speed one third upload speed?

Paying for 100 Mbps Up and Down. Upload speed is close to that, but download speed is less than 30% of that. Getting same results regardless if I'm connected via Wi-Fi (AirPort Extreme ac tower), or Mac mini (Late 2012) is connected directly via Ethernet cable. Same results on Mac, iPhone and iPad, too.

 

Here's the kicker. When a friend connected his mid-priced Dell PC via Ethernet, he got 95 Mbps both Up and Down. Same connection, same cable.

 

Is there something about Apple hardware, or Apple default network settings, that would explain this? Anything that can be done?

IMG_1958.jpg

Mac mini (Late 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 16 GB

Posted on Aug 23, 2016 2:48 PM

by Tesserax,Solvedanswer
Tesserax Tesserax
Level 9 (54,100 points)
Wireless
A:

The third image that you provided from the Speed Test app (looks like the app is provided by BigWhitePlanet) shows a significantly high ping value of 147 ms even with your Mac mini connected by Ethernet. Good would be under 100 ms; fair between 101 & 200, and poor, 200+. Whereas, your Ookla web app show an excellent ping value. For Ookla latency (aka ping deviations) is measured multiple times and the lowest time is reported in the app. I don't know how BigWhitePlanet's app makes these same measurements.

 

If anything the methods used by the Speed Test vs. the Ookla's web-based app could certainly contribute to the discrepancy in the two ping values ... and also shows how these results cannot always be trusted as a true indicator of the data throughput speeds that your Mac mini is actually getting.

 

You can get a more accurate measure and a potential means to determine where in the data's path the issue may be by using an app, like PingPlotter. You can use it for free for a limited time, and if you like it, purchase it.

 

As an example, I ran the Ookla test from my Mac mini (Ethernet connected to the router) to a Ookla-provided server. I was getting ping values of 35 ms. Not really an issue, but I still wanted to know (between the mini and the Ookla test server) where there were any bottlenecks. Below is an image of the PingPlotter test results.

CapturFiles.png

First thing to notice, is the results show an average Round Trip Time (RTT) (aka, latency) of 13.5 ms, less than half of the Ookla results. I think it's due to the Ookla app's dependency on Adobe Flash.

 

More importantly, notice that RTT averages were pretty consistent on all seven router hops between the two devices. What I would look for is any that had high RTT average values. This would indicate the bottlenecks. The first hop is my local network router. It definitely is not an issue in this case.

 

Just wanted to arm you with information. Hopefully, I'm not overdoing it.

Posted on Aug 26, 2016 3:30 PM

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Q: Download speed one third upload speed?

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  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Aug 27, 2016 1:29 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 9 (52,347 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 27, 2016 1:29 PM in response to Rysz

    1. To put into a place some protection for your network. As it now stands you are wide open to anyone in the building accessing your computers or hijacking your voip (for example). VOIP hijack has become popular recently. People make free calls via your equipment.

    At present you have a dumb switch .. that is transparent to the network. That means just as you IP scanned the building and discovered those addresses open.. anybody in the building can scan and discover your IP. From there they can mount an attack on you as easily as can be. A simple router is first line defence .. and even a simple router has firewall function in it.

     

    2. To put some NON-APPLE piece of equipment into the network and see if that fixes whatever the issue is.

    This is a bit hard to explain.. more so because I do not understand how.. but a PC worked fine.. yet all the Apple equipment whether direct or by wireless from the AE had the same issue.. that means the problem is not merely the Mac mini.. which I would have targeted as the cause.. so it is something to do with the Apple method of handling something in your particular type of network.

     

    Mac and PC do use some different methods of handling DNS etc. and I think using a PC type cheap router MAY help solve the issue. It is the least expensive next move in finding out the cause of your slow download speeds. (that I can think up at least).

     

    You could have used the Airport (as a test) in place of this new router but that puts it in your wiring cabinet which is unsuitable. You are purchasing a PC type router because it is a lot cheaper than buying another Apple router and you don't even need wireless.. it is just that is standard now and cheaper than buying a decent non-wireless router. You can turn the wireless off in this new router if you like.

     

    3. There are enough network issues with the AE to suggest trying another router is worthwhile. The WAN port of the AE in Gen6 has proven unstable in situations of some ISP equipment. It is worth trying something else to see if it has same issue.

     

    I hope I can given you the right level of iffyness here. I am asking you to spend some money to help locate an issue. This is cheaper than getting a network technician in to try and fix it. Who would do exactly the same thing. But of course you have to spend the money since you don't have a suitable piece of hardware as a tester. This is how I would attempt to fix your network problem.

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Aug 27, 2016 2:42 PM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 7 (20,325 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 27, 2016 2:42 PM in response to LaPastenague

    ...and you don't even need wireless.. it is just that is standard now and cheaper than buying a decent non-wireless router. You can turn the wireless off in this new router if you like.

    It was the "wireless" part of the new router that I was puzzled by. You mow explained it. Ordering it tonight,

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Aug 29, 2016 10:48 AM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 7 (20,325 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 29, 2016 10:48 AM in response to LaPastenague

    I'm now a proud owner of a brand new Netgear WNDR4500 N900 WiFi Router.

     

    Today I'm busy, but tomorrow I'll use it to replace the current Netgear GS605 in the Comm closet. If it all works, I'll turn the WiFi options on and see if I even need the AirPort Extreme tower.

     

    Wish me luck!

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Aug 29, 2016 10:57 AM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 7 (20,325 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 29, 2016 10:57 AM in response to LaPastenague

    I'm now a proud owner of a brand new Netgear WNDR4500 N900 WiFi Router.

     

    Today I'm busy, but tomorrow I'll use it to replace the current Netgear GS605 in the Comm closet. If it all works, I'll turn the WiFi options on and see if it even makes sense to keep the AirPort Extreme tower.

     

    Wish me luck!

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Aug 30, 2016 11:08 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 7 (20,325 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 30, 2016 11:08 AM in response to Tesserax

    Just to make life even more interesting...

     

    We had an internet outage on Sunday. By the time they fixed it on Monday, I was getting about 90 dn, 95 up speeds. Since I already bought Netgear WNDR4500, I installed it in place of the old Netgear switch. Currently getting 95 Mbps up and down! And have private IP address.

     

    Two curiosities...

    1. Since I'm still using AP Express for Wi-Fi, I don't need wireless from the router, but see no way to switch that function off.

    2. AirPort Express ac keeps flashing Amber light and saying I should switch to bridge mode. I'm running it wired from wall jack, so I don't want that. I guess it's detecting Wi-Fi siglan from Netgear.

     

    Anyway, I'm happy now. Finally getting the speeds I was paying for! Thank you to both of you for the tireless assistance and patience.

     

    Rich

    image.png

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 30, 2016 11:28 AM in response to Rysz
    Level 10 (105,018 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 30, 2016 11:28 AM in response to Rysz

    1. Since I'm still using AP Express for Wi-Fi, I don't need wireless from the router, but see no way to switch that function off.

    Which "router" are you referring to here....the Express, the Extreme, or the Netgear?

     

    2. AirPort Express ac keeps flashing Amber light and saying I should switch to bridge mode. I'm running it wired from wall jack, so I don't want that.

    We'll assume that you meant to say AirPort Extreme ac here. 

     

    The amber light is flashing because you have a Double NAT error on your network......meaning that you have two devices that are both trying to act as routers on the same network. In other words, both devices are providing DHCP and NAT services for your network.

     

    Normally, you only want one device acting as the router for the network.....and the other devices are set up in Bridge Mode, like the Apple message is telling you to do.

     

    Double NAT in particular can create some unpredictable results like slower connections, browsing slowness, some sites may display while others do not, etc.

     

    Sometimes you can get away with a Double NAT error on a network, and sometimes not.  But, there is no advantage to using Double NAT, so the common advice would be to get the AirPort in Bridge Mode as Apple recommends.

     

    I guess it's detecting Wi-Fi siglan from Netgear.

    No, it is detecting an Ethernet signal from the Netgear.

  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Aug 30, 2016 1:04 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 9 (52,347 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 30, 2016 1:04 PM in response to Rysz

    1. Since I'm still using AP Express for Wi-Fi, I don't need wireless from the router, but see no way to switch that function off.

    I presume you are referring to the WNDR4500 here. Have you read the manual? Download it and read it is generally essential to find out how to do stuff.

     

    http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/WNDR4500/WNDR4500_UM_08Jul12.pdf

     

    This is manual for v1 ..

    But the controls over the whole Netgear series tend to be common.

     

    On page 87 of said manual it says.

    Enable Wireless Router Radio. You can completely turn off the wireless portion of the wireless router by clearing this check box.

    And there is a picture of the advanced wireless screen. With the first option ... enable wireless router radio.

     

    Bob has you covered for problem 2.

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Aug 31, 2016 10:48 AM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 7 (20,325 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 31, 2016 10:48 AM in response to LaPastenague

    Done!

     

    Apparently not all versions of Netgear Genie apps and sites offer access to the Advanced settings.

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Aug 31, 2016 10:49 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 7 (20,325 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 31, 2016 10:49 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    All taken care of.

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