1gbs router on a 2.5gbs network?

[vian_siu]

My current network is as follows: ISP router -> TP-Link Deco X50 (access point mode for WIFI) -> 2.5 Gbps switch -> Other devices (NAS, PC, etc.).

My question is, do the ISP router and the access point, both of which have only 1Gbps Ethernet ports, bottleneck my network speed? For example, if I transfer files from a PC to a NAS, both of which have 2.5 Gbps ports, will I achieve the full speed?

My other question is, if the access point and router are bottlenecks in the network, will upgrading my Deco to a higher-spec model with 2.5 Gbps ports make a difference?

 

[MissChief]

If you're not using the Internet, as in your example of a file transfer from your PC to NAS, or vice versa you should get 2.5Gb on the transfer, IF you don't go via your router. Anything from the Internet will be rate limited to 1Gbps but I'm sure you know this.

 

[ChrisD.]

For example, if I transfer files from a PC to a NAS, both of which have 2.5 Gbps ports, will I achieve the full speed?

Yes, if they are both connected to the same switch, and on the same VLAN. If you have a flat network like most people do, they'll be on the same VLAN.

 

[vian_siu]

Yes, if they are both connected to the same switch, and on the same VLAN. If you have a flat network like most people do, they'll be on the same VLAN.

Does the switch create its own vlan? My switch is just a regular unmanaged switch. I am not sure where the vlan is handled.

 

[vian_siu]

If you're not using the Internet, as in your example of a file transfer from your PC to NAS, or vice versa you should get 2.5Gb on the transfer, IF you don't go via your router. Anything from the Internet will be rate limited to 1Gbps but I'm sure you know this.

My internet can't go over 1Gbs anyway. It only does 910Mbs. My main concern is the bandwidth and speed of the activities within the local network connected to the switch. I noticed a lot of slow downs recently when I copied some files from NAS1 (2.5Gbs) to NAS2 (1Gbs). My guess is the slowness is because I ran out of bandwidth but I am not sure.

 

[Rainmaker]

My current network is as follows: ISP router -> TP-Link Deco X50 (access point mode for WIFI) -> 2.5 Gbps switch -> Other devices (NAS, PC, etc.).

Is this actually accurate? Why (and how) is the device chain like this? Your TP-Link is plugged into the router, and the switch is plugged into the TP-Link? Or have you just typed it out back to front? It should be router -> switch -> devices. Then, as said above, your 2.5G capable devices will talk to each other across the LAN at 2.5G and the WiFi will continue to link at 1Gbps.

Edit: I just realised you may mean the router has a built in switch, and you have it like:

Router
|
---------- TP-Link Deco
---------- 2.5Gb switch
               |--------------- LAN devices

That would make more sense. You can blame my middle daughter for bugging me about common factors for her homework, while I'm busing posting. Doing it that way works, yes, but you're putting WiFi clients on a separate swtch, and I'd still personally move the AP to the second (2.5G) switch if it's in the same physical location.

 

[vian_siu]

Is this actually accurate? Why (and how) is the device chain like this? Your TP-Link is plugged into the router, and the switch is plugged into the TP-Link? Or have you just typed it out back to front? It should be router -> switch -> devices. Then, as said above, your 2.5G capable devices will talk to each other across the LAN at 2.5G and the WiFi will continue to link at 1Gbps.

Edit: I just realised you may mean the router has a built in switch, and you have it like:

Router
|
---------- TP-Link Deco
---------- 2.5Gb switch
               |--------------- LAN devices

That would make more sense. You can blame my middle daughter for bugging me about common factors for her homework, while I'm busing posting. Doing it that way works, yes, but you're putting WiFi clients on a separate swtch, and I'd still personally move the AP to the second (2.5G) switch if it's in the same physical location.

It literally mean my TP-Link is plugged into the ISP router and the switch. The switch is not directly plugged into the ISP router.

 

[vian_siu]

Your Current Network Topology​

ISP Router (1 Gbps ports)
   ↓
   ↓ (1 Gbps link)
TP-Link Deco X50 (AP Mode, 1 Gbps ports)
   ↓
   ↓ (1 Gbps link)
2.5 Gbps Switch
   ├── PC (2.5 Gbps)
   └── NAS (2.5 Gbps)

---

Does your router or Deco bottleneck your local network (PC ↔ NAS)?​

Short answer:
No, not if both your PC and NAS are connected directly to the 2.5 Gbps switch.
Here’s why:

• When you transfer files between your PC and NAS, the traffic goes only through the switch, not through the router or the Deco.
• The router and Deco only handle Internet traffic and Wi-Fi traffic, respectively.
• Since your switch is 2.5 Gbps and both devices are wired into it, the link between them can operate at the full 2.5 Gbps speed (minus overhead).

So in this setup, your wired LAN traffic will not be bottlenecked by the 1 Gbps ports on the router or the Deco.

---

When would those 1 Gbps ports be a bottleneck?​

They would become a bottleneck only if:

• Your PC or NAS were connected throughthe Deco or the router instead of the switch.
  • e.g., if the PC was plugged into the Deco’s LAN port (1 Gbps max).
• You’re transferring data between a wired device and a Wi-Fi clientconnected to the Deco.
  • In that case, the Wi-Fi ↔ Deco ↔ switch path goes through a 1 Gbps link, limiting max throughput.

---

Would upgrading your Deco to one with 2.5 Gbps ports help?​

It depends on what you want to improve:

Use Case	Would upgrading help?	Why
PC ↔ NAS (both wired to 2.5G switch)	No	They already bypass the Deco.
Wi-Fi device ↔ NAS/PC (wired to switch)	Possibly	The Deco’s uplink would increase from 1 Gbps → 2.5 Gbps, letting high-end Wi-Fi 6E/7 clients use faster speeds.
Internet speed > 1 Gbps	Yes	A Deco with 2.5 Gbps WAN port could pass through >1 Gbps ISP speeds if your router also supports it.

---

Summary​

Scenario	Max Speed Limited By
PC ↔ NAS (both wired to 2.5G switch)	Full 2.5 Gbps possible
Wi-Fi device ↔ Wired device (via Deco)	1 Gbps (Deco port limit)
Internet ↔ Any device	1 Gbps (ISP router port limit)

---

Recommendation​

If your main goal is faster local transfers between wired devices, your setup is already optimal — no need to upgrade the Deco.
If you want faster Wi-Fi ↔ wired performance or Internet speeds above 1 Gbps, upgrading to a Deco model with a 2.5 Gbps uplink (e.g., Deco BE85 or XE75 Pro) would indeed help.

Thanks for the breakdown. I think there is a possibility to upgrade the Deco for faster WIFI, or if the internet ever gets upgraded, I think the ISP will send me something better

 

[ralv585]

Thanks for the breakdown. I think there is a possibility to upgrade the Deco for faster WIFI, or if the internet ever gets upgraded, I think the ISP will send me something better

You're welcome. ISPs tend to send routers that aren't the best. I personally would recommend getting something else to get the most out of your internet.

 

[ChrisD.]

Does the switch create its own vlan? My switch is just a regular unmanaged switch. I am not sure where the vlan is handled.

No, if you're running a flat network and an unmanaged switch, don't worry about VLANs.

 

[Caged]

You're very likely double-NATing currently and if you are with a FTTP provider you probably have all the hardware required to remove the ISP router from the mix.

 

[vian_siu]

You're very likely double-NATing currently and if you are with a FTTP provider you probably have all the hardware required to remove the ISP router from the mix.

I thought access point mode is like a pass-though so it doesn't double NAT. I can't replace the ISP router since it has the phone too

 

[vian_siu]

No, if you're running a flat network and an unmanaged switch, don't worry about VLANs.

i think i am using a flat network. Everything on the network is 192.168.1.xxx. How do I know if its not a flat network?

 

[ChrisD.]

i think i am using a flat network. Everything on the network is 192.168.1.xxx. How do I know if its not a flat network?

Yes that's flat.

If the TP Link stuff is not routing, just connect router into 2.5 GbE switch, then connect everything else into that.

 

[vian_siu]

Yes that's flat.

If the TP Link stuff is not routing, just connect router into 2.5 GbE switch, then connect everything else into that.

Is there a problem with connecting to the TP-link first? The main reason for the current setup is cabling but if connecting to from router to TP-Link then switch is a problem I will get get longer cable. I don't think TP-link is doing any route in access point mode.

 

[ChrisD.]

Is there a problem with connecting to the TP-link first? The main reason for the current setup is cabling but if connecting to from router to TP-Link then switch is a problem I will get get longer cable. I don't think TP-link is doing any route in access point mode.

If the TP Link ports are simple switch ports then no, if it's doing anything fancy then perhaps.

 

[Rainmaker]

As I said earlier, it's just cleaner, better network engineering and prevents an extra hop (and an extra set of arp lookups) for your wlan>lan traffic. If you can do it, it's best practice. If you can't, don't lose sleep (but some of us will shudder a little when we think about it).

 

[vian_siu]

After a lot of trial and error, I have changed the setup to the IPS router connecting to the TP-Link and the switch. The rest of the stuff connects to the switch. For some reason, if I connect the TP-Link to the switch instead of directly to the router, the WIFI speed drops to about 100 Mbps up and down, but if it's connected to the router, it can do over 300 Mbps up and down. Does anyone know why that is?

 

[MartinInAyrshire]

I always tend to put a 2.5gbps switch between the ONT and the main router, and then use MoCA or Ethernet in whatever way possible to avoid any 1gb port limitations on any device.

 

[vian_siu]

It turned out my WIFI speed limit was from limit IP address tracking in the settings, which randomises the MAC address. I turned that off, and it can do over 300 Mbps now