Moving data on my network killing it

[Andybtsn]

Hi all,

Trying to work out if this is my router and lack of qos or if I have some dodgy switches.

If I move some files from my PC (upstairs) to my NAS (downstairs) the network will die to the point no one can use the internet until the data has moved.

I also just put a Sky Q mini box upstairs, if we rewind/fast forward, my PS5 will lag a lot. The main Sky box again is downstairs.

Where do you think the issue lies?

I just use a tplink vdsl router, it doesn't appear to have qos

 

[Andybtsn]

TP-Link TD-W9970 router
Quite a lengthy cat5 around the house to ensure every device physically connected.
Around 3 1gb switches on the network
NAS is a WD MY Cloud if you needed to know

Upstairs connected to the switch is a PC, 2 x PS5s, Work Laptop, Sky Q mini box.
I never suffer lag from poor internet for the record, I play only online games and its perfectly fine UNLESS I move data from my PC downstairs, or like I mentioned start rewinding/fast forwarding on the Sky Q mini box where its communicating with the main box in the lounge downstairs.

Hope that is enough info

 

[Andybtsn]

Look in your router settings, look for bandwidth control. If it hasn't got QOS it's literally sucking your whole connection so it will slow everything else on the network to a halt.

Yeah been looking in there, just no idea what numbers to put in!

 

[Andybtsn]

What are the switching bandwidths of your router and of your switch?

How do I find this?

 

[Andybtsn]

How many ports does each switch have? What's the models of each switch? Are they managed switches or unmanaged switches?

Switching bandwidth is the aggregate input and output bandwidth of all ports. So a 48 port gigabit switch would have 48Gbp/s and 48Gbp/s out, that leaves us with only 96Gbps and apparently, 80GBps would likely be the stacking port rate.

Ah well these are just small unmanaged switches, probably around 6 ports at best. 30 quid jobbies. Because the internet connection had always been good I've always managed to get away with them. If I plan on keeping the Sky box up here is it worth upgrading them? Or the router?

 

[Andybtsn]

Sounds like you have 2 switches connected together, with PCs on either end. This means you will saturate that 1gb link when you transfer data from your upstairs PC to whatever is on the other end. This will leave no bandwidth for your other upstairs devices.

I'm not sure on the solution, we have so many devices that need to be on the network and in a big house with many rooms, the switches allow that

 

[Andybtsn]

Cheers for the help gents

Funnily enough I was just looking at routers, I managed to take out two switches of the equation including one that was connecting my Unifi to the router via a gigabyte switch. When taking the switch out and connecting the unifi straight to the router its now connecting at 100 FDX so I started looking.

I'm happy trying a new router and then I'll come back here if the problem persists.

Anyone have a recommendation for one? I have 2 Ubiquity's for Wi-Fi so don't need anything special, just as many 1gb ports as possible it seems.

Cheers,

 

[Andybtsn]

You already got some nice kit, I certainly would throw in a gigabit router as a replacement anyway if money isn't a problem.

Who is your ISP? What is your connection? i.e adsl/fibre/cable e.t.c

I'm out in the sticks so only get 35/7 fibre, it's an old house, thick walls hence the need for everything to be physically connected. The Sky Q boxes are all connected via ethernet, it was terrible when using WIFI, even the ones downstairs.

To the above, understood the ports on the router are 100mbs, hence my original questions in the OP about a router change. The switches left are all 1gb, I may have had my numbers messed up too, there are now 3 left, one in the lounge, one in the dining room and one upstairs.

Let me get a router in for tomorrow and see if I can improve things.

I really appreciate all your help. If anyone can point me in the direction of a good router that will save me some work

 

[Andybtsn]

Who is your ISP? What is your connection? i.e adsl/fibre/cable (virgin) e.t.c

Plusnet fibre 35dl/7ul

Your fibre is only 35MB, so getting a router with gigabit ports isn't necessary. I ran a setup with a 100MB router for a few years - my internal network was still running at 1GB, with multiple unifi ap's, cameras, NAS etc etc. As long as your internal devices do not go via the router to communicate with other internal devices, changing the router is not going to solve your problem.

I can isolate the switches/devices from the router but I will need one so the internal network can connect to the outside world, how do I ensure that this isn't the bottleneck on the network?

 

[Andybtsn]

Can't you just have a gigabit switch as your "hub" and have a single connection from it back to the router? That means your network devices can talk to each other via gigabit and only internet traffic uses the 100mbps router link. Of course this only works if you have a single LAN and no VLANs, needing to traverse the router.

A router with more than one port is typically just a built in switch anyway

It would make sense but we have multiple rooms with multiple devices.

Lounge
TV
Sky Q Main Box
Xbox
Fire Cube

Dining Room
TV
Fire Cube
Sky Q Mini Box
PS4
NAS

Upstairs
PC
Work Laptop
Wife Work Laptop
PS5 x2

Then there's my kids rooms with various things.

I know it's all 1st world problems but imagine the amount of cables going to one central point. If if I was building a new house it would be possible but even the singular cable going around the walls is a nightmare to hide.

 

[Andybtsn]

Ok, so this is how it currently looks:

 

[Andybtsn]

From the diagram you just need to move the NAS so it's on the same switch as the PC. The rest of it should be good enough (even if it isn't ideal).

The NAS I can manage, it's more when the wife is watching Sky Q upstairs and starts rewinding/fast forwarding it causes my PS5 online games to lag.

Not sure the TV where we stream films from the NAS will behave if I move it upstairs.

 

[Andybtsn]

@Bouton Aide following guidance in this thread to stick a switch there so there is a 1gb connection going to the unifi/other devices, otherwise it's 100mb from the routers ports?

 

[Andybtsn]

Guys!

I have identified the issue, there was a small switch purely to to extend a cat 5, I have no idea how long its been there but the switch is not a GB one, its a tplink thing you would get for £10 from Argos.
I have removed it and started doing some tests when moving data to the NAS, no lag in games and the network is not getting saturated like before.
It was in the room we call the games room that we are gutting at the moment, I don't think I'd ever have found it unless I started this thread and understood what could cause the bottle necks, so I appreciate the help. No expense needed neither

Thanks all!

 

[Andybtsn]

I don't see this in your diagram? where was it lol

Yeah it wasn't in there I pulled some units out to get to the cabling and found the offending item.