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Mac Pro 5,1 not reaching Gigabit Speeds

Mac Pro 5,1

Cat 5 cabling directly from router

Only getting 90Mbps


Connect the same cable to MacBook Air, and get over 200Mbps.


Have changed the Network settings to 1000baseT, Full-duplex, Flow-control, and MTU to Jumbo


No change.


What am I missing?


Mac Pro, macOS 10.14

Posted on Nov 13, 2019 11:19 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 26, 2019 11:10 AM

Now, it gets even more interesting.


I've ordered a CAT6 cable, and was still using the CAT5 cable until the new one arrives.


This morning, I noticed the CAT5 cable was running at Megabit speeds.


I run SpeedTest, and now I'm in excess of 200Mbps.


What the heck?


While I'm glad it worked itself out, I can't help but wonder what happened.

13 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 26, 2019 11:10 AM in response to lancewright

Now, it gets even more interesting.


I've ordered a CAT6 cable, and was still using the CAT5 cable until the new one arrives.


This morning, I noticed the CAT5 cable was running at Megabit speeds.


I run SpeedTest, and now I'm in excess of 200Mbps.


What the heck?


While I'm glad it worked itself out, I can't help but wonder what happened.

Nov 22, 2019 9:43 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Computer: Mac Pro 4,1 firmware upgraded to 5,1.


Both systems have Gig-e Ethernet capability


ISP: Spectrum Internet, California


Router: Hitron Tech E31N2V1


WIFI/ Hub device connected to the Router:

SAGEMCOM

Fast 5280

Part No: RAC2V1S


I don't have a problem getting a Cat 6 cable, but when my other devices are running at the faster speeds on the Cat 5 cable, it makes me look at the Mac Pro as being the problem.


Even when I manually set the Ethernet speeds to 1000baseT.


This is mystifying me...


Lance

Nov 22, 2019 11:01 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Well, this gets interesting...


I'm connected to the Hitron Modem, and consequently to the SagemCom device.


I found the manual online, and learned a couple of things:


If the orange light is on, and the green light is flashing, it means the SagemCom device is working at Gigabit speeds.


So, I took the Cat 5 cable and connected my Macbook Air to the SagemCom device, and the orange light is on, and the green light is flashing: Gigabit speeds with Speedtest.net.


Then I took the same Cat 5 cable and connected my Mac Pro to the SagemCom device, and the orange light is OFF, and the green light is flashing: Sub 100Mbps speeds with Speedtest.net.


ODD.


So, I took my USB to Ethernet adapter and connected it to my Mac Pro.


The SagemCom device now registers the following: The orange light is on, and the green light is flashing suggesting Gigabit speeds, but with Speedtest.net, it is still registering at sub-100Mbps speeds.


Interesting.

Nov 14, 2019 3:28 AM in response to lancewright

If you are testing based on file transfers to/from the Mac Pro hard disk then a hard disk is far slower than Gigabit Ethernet. As a comparison the MacBook Air will almost certainly have an SSD drive which would be much quicker.


Note: Merely fitting a 2.5" SATA SSD in the Mac Pro will only make a very small difference as the Mac Pro as standard only has SATA II connections. There however ways to both add SATA III support and much faster PCIe SSD support.

Nov 22, 2019 9:18 AM in response to lancewright

case A is Mac Pro to MacBook Pro, and each is known to support Gigabit Ethernet.


Case B is Mac Pro to what? Router? when you make this connection, does Network Utility report that it has, in fact connected at 1000 Mbits/sec?


many Routers do not support Gigabit speed settings, and of those that do, many do not support Jumbo frames. Exactly what make&model device is this?

Nov 22, 2019 10:27 AM in response to lancewright

when NETWORK UTILITY says you connected at 100 M Bits/sec, it is telling you the ACTUAL speed setting. Some equipment in that connection is refusing to accept the 1000 M bits/sec connection you requested in System Preferences > Network.


Are you connecting directly to the Hitron Modem device, or to the Sagecom Router? If Sagecom, does the cable between Modem and Router have all 8 conductors present and is the Gigabit light lit at each end?



Mac Pro 5,1 not reaching Gigabit Speeds

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