Troubleshoot Networking Issues

By xWhiplash
in Smart Home, Network & Security

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xWhiplash

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If this is in the wrong forum, I apologize.

For the past few months, I have been having MAJOR networking issues. I have a cable modem, a router, and a switch. I am wondering what I can do to narrow it down as to what is causing it.

Apparently, if some major file is being downloaded (like iTunes movies/tv shows or Steam games), the entire network comes to a CRAWL.

While downloading from Steam (which is going at 400MB/second right now), this is what I get:

http://www.speedtest.../2537045783.png

If I want to download a game update from Steam and download Crysis 3 which I just got: Steam gets 400MB/second and Origin gets 40.44 KB/second. YES KB!

Steam fluctuates very quickly between 200 MB/s and 800 MB/second.

if I close Steam, Origin gets 1.5-1.8MB/second.

If this goes on too long, it seems like restarting the router and switch together seems to be the only fix to it. NOTE: I do not reset the cable modem.

However, if NOTHING ELSE is downloading anything, I get something like this:

http://www.speedtest.../2537072082.png

So it seems to be an internal issue (switch, router, or cables). What do you guys recommend I do to start? It seems to affect both the router and the switch. So at least the issue is with the router is what I mean here.

I do not have anything to test the cables with. Could a cable be bad?

Doing a network transfer (transferring a large file from one computer to another), I only get 5MB / second :(

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+BudMan MVC

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  • MVC
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"Steam fluctuates very quickly between 200 MB/s and 800 MB/second."

800 MB, that is B as in Byte -- yeah I find that hard to believe. When your speedtest shows you on at best a 10Mb -- that is b as in bit connection.

You do understand that a 800MBps download = like a 6.4Gbit connection speed... So you have 6 plus Gigabit to your home?

How are you devices connected to your router? Wired, Wireless? When you say you copy files between computers you get 5MBps -- that sure seems like a wireless connection to me. Just a hare better than G.

I doubt there is anything wrong with your router, I think just some confusion to what is going on - with clearly a misunderstanding of transfer speeds and what B (Bytes) and b (bits) mean.

I am confused that your not understanding your speedtest showing slow if your downloading something - you state

"While downloading from Steam (which is going at 400MB/second right now)" -- So that would be like 3.2Gbps?? And since your speedtest with nothing downloading only shows 10mb -- I find it unlikely that its even 400mbit download -- which would be a pretty freaking screaming connection in its own right. What cable company are you on that is 400mbit??

So clearly your confused or misreading what speeds your seeing.. But yeah if your downloading something that is using up a large portion of your internet connection, then yeah a speedtest is going to be crappy during that ;)

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xWhiplash

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For gods sakes of course I do not have 6 Gbit (does any ISP offer that?), obviously it is KB not MB. Sorry, those should have been KB not MB.

You do not need to ask me 6 different times. Of course it is a damn mistype. Stupid typing mistakes and I was not able to edit the first post :(

But the point is, if Steam is downloading ONE DAMN THING, I cannot do ANYTHING else online. Pages take MINUTES to load. Neowin for example took 3 minutes to load one time. It does not get better until I unplug the router and plug it back in. It becomes worse than dialup.

Anyway it does not matter, I did some additional testing and found it to be the router. Network admin at work confirmed it as well. I do not remember the technical term as I am not that good at networking, but somehow packets got dropped or some congestion was happening in the router and it just gets worse and worse until I restart the thing. Then the process repeats itself. Sometimes it can go a few days, but the speed gets worse and worse until another restart.

I am on gigabit wired - so after unplugging and plugging the router back in the LAN data transfer becomes around 80 MB/second instead of 5 MB/second

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