File copying slow to 1MB to/from Server

[FatRakoon]

This I have asked about before but the issue always comes back.

I have multiple PCs and I grant you, I have NOT got rid of the HomePlugs that get a couple of other PCs connected, but those are ONLY in the Kids bedrooms and they have been in Uni for this past year and so I have NOT been using them, so the issue has nothing to do with them ok.

My network does also use a couple of switches. I have my Modem/Router that goes to my main Switch, and also to a HomePlug, where there is a second HomePlug upstairs that then goes to another switch and that then goes to the 3 kids bedrooms, there is also another Homeplug in my living room that also goes to another switch, and that then gives the TV, SkyBox, and the Media PC access to the Network and ultimately the Interwebz.

Now, I was going to wire these all with CAT5e however, as one kid has left home and the other 2 are in University, and the MediaPC, TV, and the SkyBox all have Wireless capability, I have, for the last year been using wireless and not used the Homeplugs at all. But, the issue is still present.

The main switch goes to my Server, My Main Windows PC, and Linux PC and my mess about PC. It also goes to 4 NAS boxes.

So, there is a few things on there. According to the Routers info page, I have, with the Mobiles and tablets and games consoles etc, there is 38 devices connected ( ouch ),

But again, thats not the issue.

I have also reinstalled the Server O/S and my main PC ( Both are Windows 10 64Bit ) but thats done nothing to change the issue.

What is happening then?

Ok, well whenever I copy files to or from the Server, the sped is only about 1MB.. It goes to 2MB here and there, but thats it.

If I try copying to or from any other PC on the network, lets say I want to give my son a new Linux ISO, if I copy it from my PC to his, then it usually transfers at 60-70MB. However, if I copy it with the Server involved in any way.... 1 or 2MB

Now, I have doen one small trick, but it requires a little planning, but if I uninstall the LAN Drivers, then shut the Server down, and then let it re-find the drivers and install them again, I can copy and its up to 38-40MB for a good however long it lasts for, but usually within the next hour or two, its back down to 1 or 2

I have 2 LAN ports on the server and I have tried each one... I have also tried both and both are connected to the Switch for whatever use that might do?

I have splashed ( splashed out is a nice way of saying wasted money ) out and bought a really decent Top end Network card, in the hope that might help, but it has not.

I am genuinnely stuffed in this and I honestly cannot work out why its doing this.

As I said, I have reinstalled and reinstalled 4 times now over the past 2 years to try to resolve it, but its not helped at all.

I do have Windows Server 2008 and I might install that... After all I only need the thing to keep on sitting in the garage being a Server, and if that solves it, I might consider upgrading to a newer version, but would that actually help?

I really dont have a clue as to what I need to do?

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Avalon]

For context this may be relevant to anyone replying: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/server-keeps-dropping-to-10m-over-lan.18851237/

Hard wire the PC’s to a switch that is directly connected to the router via cable (NOT power line or wifi) and test what speeds you get with known good cables. I know you may not like this, but this has gone on long enough it’s worth an hours minor inconvenience moving PC’s and it removes variables, if it works, you can narrow down the issue.

 

[Semple]

As above, it's pointless doing any further testing until you've wired them together and can confirm that the network is not the issue.

 

[FatRakoon]

Ok, sorry if I was NOT clear.

For the past year, it has ALL been with Ethernet and NOT using any of the HomePlugs.

I only used them when the kids were at home.

When the kids left, I disconnected them all, and because I did that, the Sky and the Media PC were using WIFI.

For the past year, I have kind of put up with it, but now the kids are back, they are whinging like hell whenever they try to watch something that I have on the server.

Its a lot quicker to simply come down, connect a USB to the Servers USB ports in the front, and copy things that way.

EVERYTHING ELSE is using good quality Ethernet Cables. CAT 5E and no, I get no issues when copying anything from any other PC to any other PC

And yes, of course not only have I changed the NETWORK ports, I have also tried LAN cards and of course I have also tried various cables just in case.

 

[sja360]

Sounds like a software issue, I'd suggest creating a live diagnostic cd that can provide network speed testing. Have you tried iperf or similar. Your not getting errors or loss on the network cable perhaps?

How are you exactly copying to and from the server? I mean are you on say device 1 and copying to/from the server. or do you copy between server and device 1 for example while on device 2?

 

[WJA96]

Can you please state the make and model number of the router and switch that has two connections from the server?

I don’t think having both LAN cards in the server connected at the same time is a good idea unless they’re on different subnets.

 

[edscdk]

Too much to read, but sound like you have proven its the server and related to network card drivers..

Put in a different card? Source some different driver versions..

Set IPs manually and plug pc into server directly to rule out all other factors (using a new cable)

 

[WJA96]

I disagree. And you might too if you read it. He’s tried a completely different network card. Same issue. Given that it starts off fine with the drivers he has, then slows down, it’s possible it’s a broadcast storm, especially if he actually has slow hubs rather than switches or not all the switches support spanning. There’s actually quite a lot of stuff in the network between the PC and the server. I think it’s worth investigating.

 

[bledd]

Get a laptop, give it a static IP.

Give the server a static IP too.

Download iperf3 to both machines.

Connect laptop directly to the server, check you can ping it.

Run iperf server on the server, point the client at the server.

Now move the laptop further away through switches etc to find the bad switch or bad cable.

Ultimately, you want to ditch the powerline, this could be creating loops etc

 

[WJA96]

Get a laptop, give it a static IP.

Give the server a static IP too.

Download iperf3 to both machines.

Connect laptop directly to the server, check you can ping it.

Run iperf server on the server, point the client at the server.

Now move the laptop further away through switches etc to find the bad switch or bad cable.

Ultimately, you want to ditch the powerline, this could be creating loops etc

If it's a loop you might not see it for a while though. The fact that the OP has powerlines and switches/hubs and 2 cables from one machine into the same switch, plus the fact that it all builds up over time makes me think it is a loop/storm scenario.

 

[FatRakoon]

Ok, Im reading all of this, and its given me food for thought.

I ned to re-state, that for the last ... Well, since Spetember, I have NOT used the powerlines. They have not even been connected.
Yes, I was going to ditch them and go full Ethernet, but the kids went to Uni and I did not need to have them or feel the need to rewire for Ethernet.

Faulty Wires.
This was mentioned before, when I first asked about this issue. I have since fully rewired the main part of my LAN and thats in my computer room, plus to the router and to the server. Its unlikely that I had the issue ONLY with the Server both times.

Two Ethernet cables.
Obviously this is not the usual thing to do, and I only did it purely in a kind of "stabbing at straws" thing. I wwas also using it to test one cable and then another cable on each port aand the card, but then I just plugged them both in for a giggle. Its not that I was using them like this all the time.
And no, its now back to one cable. ( Admittedly, since last night LOL )

Copying.
I see what you are saying there, but when you boil things down, no computer is going through another computer. taking only my own computers in the computer room, each computer is directly connected to the Switch ( Netgear GS116 ). This includes my Server. So, the ONLY time that I can be sort of going through another PC, is when say, I use MY PC to then copy files over from my Daughters PC to say my sons ( never happened ) ( but then I would be going over the Powerlines. ) No, its also slow when I am copying to/from my PC to the Server.

------------

LOOP / SOFTWARE
This is where I am thinking the issue might be.
Certainly I am thinking of it bottlenecking or something because after a reset, its fine for a while, ( 40MB-ish )

I am also using 4 NAS boxes, and these are connected directly to the Switch, and they are mounted as Network drives on my main PC, the Server and the Media PC. So there is indeed a lot of traffic that goes through these cables at times. I fully accept that the length of the cable is a little long, and when I think that the amount of cable that files need to go through, its quite astonishing, and especially if data is crossing over and wotnot, but still.

---

I think that the ONLY solution to all of this, is to once again, strip the lot down, but rather than just plonk it all back together, I am going to have to take my time and do things bit by bit and take my time doing it all fully.

The fact that it works great for a time, after the Server has been reset, is going to mean that its going to be a slow process, but the fact is, that this has bugged me for a very long time... The network is working for the most part, in fact its working fine, its just disgustingly slow.

I think I will also get the NAS Drives right next to the Server too!
They are 4 Boxes with 12 Drives in total, and I would love to limit those down and just have drive in the server, but thats already got 5x10TB Drives in it and its already on 2 PSUs as it is LOL ( Maybe I should splash out on a multidrive NAS that can take all the drives and do away with that bloody server thats been the single biggest waste of money in my life )

Anyway. Im wafling too much.

 

[WJA96]

No, you’re not waffling too much, you’re trying to give the information people are asking for. There is this thing called a network storm aka packet storm aka broadcast storm aka packet loop where data gets pushed out and then starts circulating round the network and then sometimes it can find its way back into the network through a loop in the network. Many switches have something called spanning tree protocol and that stops a switch passing packets it’s already seen but simpler ones and hubs don’t. That recycling of packets eventually makes the network grind to a halt. I did this on my first ever install because I wanted to link-aggregate some ports but I didn’t know what I was doing so I plugged them all in, created loops on a switch, STP cut in and my network just stopped. Literally nothing worked. So I rebooted it and it all worked for about 3 seconds then died again. You can find my first ever posts on the Unifi community asking what I’d done so I’m really sensitive to scenarios where loops cause these loops and network storms. But it could be a bad cable etc. as well.

 

[bledd]

Draw your network in paint or draw.io, add each network cable in.

 

[sja360]

Surely if this was

No, you’re not waffling too much, you’re trying to give the information people are asking for. There is this thing called a network storm aka packet storm aka broadcast storm aka packet loop where data gets pushed out and then starts circulating round the network and then sometimes it can find its way back into the network through a loop in the network. Many switches have something called spanning tree protocol and that stops a switch passing packets it’s already seen but simpler ones and hubs don’t. That recycling of packets eventually makes the network grind to a halt. I did this on my first ever install because I wanted to link-aggregate some ports but I didn’t know what I was doing so I plugged them all in, created loops on a switch, STP cut in and my network just stopped. Literally nothing worked. So I rebooted it and it all worked for about 3 seconds then died again. You can find my first ever posts on the Unifi community asking what I’d done so I’m really sensitive to scenarios where loops cause these loops and network storms. But it could be a bad cable etc. as well.

The only logical thought to me is that how come he doesn't experience the slowdown elsewhere or even for the kids on gaming consoles etc? Or has the op only been transferring between just two devices?

As above it would be clearer if we had a topology tree of your network

 

[FatRakoon]

Draw your network in paint or draw.io, add each network cable in.

I have drawn it but I am so useless when it comes to any form of drawing or graphical work.
I even struggle to draw matchstick men and I cannot play hangman cos I cannot draw the stick figures, I am genuinely that bad.
But yeah, it needs to be done, so I will have a go.

The only logical thought to me is that how come he doesn't experience the slowdown elsewhere or even for the kids on gaming consoles etc? Or has the op only been transferring between just two devices?

My son does play on both xbox and playstation and either one or the other is plugged in.
He does often whine about the speed of the internet, and he ends up disconnecting anyone elses devices to give him more speed, but little does he know that I have set the router to only let him have 25% of the bandwidth anyway.

 

[Rainmaker]

I have drawn it but I am so useless when it comes to any form of drawing or graphical work.
I even struggle to draw matchstick men and I cannot play hangman cos I cannot draw the stick figures, I am genuinely that bad.
But yeah, it needs to be done, so I will have a go.

I realise it's probably frustration with the problem, but you come across so (passive) aggressive in your posts it's actually funny. You don't need to actually draw anything. Try Creately - just search pictures (router, switch, computer) and drag them in, then click each device to draw a line between it and the one it's connected to. You can export to JPEG or similar without signing up.

Edit: You're aiming for something like this:

 

[FatRakoon]

How dare you accuse me of being PASSIVELY aggresive... Im bloody furiously agressive LOL

No, several years ago I had a massive accident that has left me both physically, and mentally done in.

While I do often take the piddle out of my condition, its also quite frustrating.

More so, because I used to be a very good and very competent programmer. I used to also have a PC repairs shop and I did really well with it, but the accident absolutely ruined me and put me in a wheelchair and we struggled like hell to pay bills etc and so the wife sold the business for me. At a huge loss I might add, but we had no choice. Anyway, I get really confused very easily over things that I know that I used to know.. Admittedly, I have never been great at networking, but I have done amazing in that I now no longer ned my wheelchair ( I still have it cos I do need it sometimes ) but I have almost no use of my left hand and only partial use of my right. I cannot get onto the floor, or I can easily get onto the floor, I cannot get up, and so life is infuriating me, but hey, I know people who are a lot worse than I am, and so I dont moan.

But when I say I cannot draw... its actually true... I just cannot do it... I dont know why, its just my brain simply wont let me.

Weird?

And yes, thats also why I often waffle like an idiot.

Like now.

 

[Rainmaker]

How dare you accuse me of being PASSIVELY aggresive... Im bloody furiously agressive LOL

No, several years ago I had a massive accident that has left me both physically, and mentally done in.

While I do often take the piddle out of my condition, its also quite frustrating.

More so, because I used to be a very good and very competent programmer. I used to also have a PC repairs shop and I did really well with it, but the accident absolutely ruined me and put me in a wheelchair and we struggled like hell to pay bills etc and so the wife sold the business for me. At a huge loss I might add, but we had no choice. Anyway, I get really confused very easily over things that I know that I used to know.. Admittedly, I have never been great at networking, but I have done amazing in that I now no longer ned my wheelchair ( I still have it cos I do need it sometimes ) but I have almost no use of my left hand and only partial use of my right. I cannot get onto the floor, or I can easily get onto the floor, I cannot get up, and so life is infuriating me, but hey, I know people who are a lot worse than I am, and so I dont moan.

But when I say I cannot draw... its actually true... I just cannot do it... I dont know why, its just my brain simply wont let me.

Weird?

And yes, thats also why I often waffle like an idiot.

Like now.

Sorry for 'laughing' at your rants then FatRakoon, I was unaware. I stopped spending as much time on here once the kids came along. Seems I need to get back at it, I'm losing touch.

 

[bledd]

@FatRakoon , if you don't fancy drawing it.

Do it in Excel..

 

[FatRakoon]

Sorry for 'laughing' at your rants then FatRakoon, I was unaware. I stopped spending as much time on here once the kids came along. Seems I need to get back at it, I'm losing touch.

No, dont ever stop. If anything I do or say makes you laugh, then go for it. Im no ********* and so Im fair game mate.
You have no idea what I say every day just to make others laugh.

This morning for example, we went to Asda to get some food and I stod in the queue and let off a huge fart and then I said UHOH and ran out of the shop, leaving my wife inside to pay...
I was waiting outside almost wetting myself but I know that loads of people were taking the piddle out of me for that... I really dont care because I made them smile!

So sure, take the piddle I dont mind at all.