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
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.
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.
Be sure you are suing Network Utility to examine the actual data rate, and check for errors:
Cables that are used for Gigabit must have all eight conductors present and wired correctly, as it needs them all (but will work fine at top to 100 Mbit speeds with only four conductors wired correctly).
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
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.
Understood.
But, then why can my MacBook Air, hit 200Mbps?
It's not the connection, obviously, but something in the Mac Pro.
And, short of trying to purge the Kext, I don't know what else should work.
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.
I’ve been using www.speedtest.net to measure my internet speeds.
And, I can’t understand why I’m only getting 80Mbps on the Mac Pro, when I’m getting 200Mbps from the same cable on my 2016 MacBook Air.
What am I missing? I figured this was a simple plug and play the exercise.
Lance
I've run the Network Utility, and it is stuck on 100Mbit/s.
But, the system has two Gig-E ports, and if I connect my MacBook Air, via a USB to Ethernet adapter with the same cable, (CAT 5), I get 200+Mbps.
What am I missing?
Lance
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?
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?
I discovered that some of my Routers did not do Jumbo frames.
If you Internet service is not Gigabit, it cannot manufacture additional data to send to you.
Thank you.
I will check that.
Lance
I have seen failure to achieve Gigabit speeds when the cable is mis-wired or a wire is broken. All eight conductors must be present for Gigabit Ethernet, while only four are used for 100 M Bits/sec.
Mac Pro 5,1 not reaching Gigabit Speeds
