Slow download speeds
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Hey all, I'm having issues with download speeds, I have an esxi R620 in a data center so have no hands on available unfortunately. Im seeing very slow speeds on a 100/100Mb static IP connection. Downloads are at 20Mb. I'm using VMXNET 3 adapters for WAN & LAN, pfsense spec is 2 cpu an 4gb ram. Any ideas are welcome
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The most common cause there is that the link is hard set to 100Mb-full and the pfSense end is set to autoselect. In that situation it can fall back to a default connection, probably 100M-Half in your case, and you see dramatically reduced throughput.
When it's running as a VM like that it can be much harder to diagnose because the hypervisor hides the link speed and errors from pfSense.Steve
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@stephenw10 Hi Stephen, really appreciate your response! Whilst waiting, I asked the data center to replace ethernet cables etc just in case. Is there a way for me to force 100mb full duplex without losing connectivity to esxi/pfsense etc?
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You would probably have to do that in ESXi unless the NIC is passed though to pfSense. Which it isn't since it appears as VMXNET.
Doing so may break the connection. Whatever it's connected to may fail to link once auto-select negotiation is disabled. It's impossible to say. However if the other end is already set to 100M fixed the NIC in ESXi should also be.Steve
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I'm not that familiar with ESXi, is that showing it's linked at 100M-FD or it's set to that?
If it was linked at that I'd expect to see ~100Mbps though it. If it;s set to that and the other end of that link is set to auto-select it's probably fallen back to half-duplex resulting in the speed you see.
Steve
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Hi Stephen
Seems as though auto-negotiate is disabled on the esxi and Im unable to select 100Mb in the pfsense gui, only auto select is an option. Maybe I toggle the esxi link speed to 1000Mb????
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@stephenw10 I have it set to that (100Mb, full), the options are:
Auto
1000Mb, full
100Mb, half
100Mb, full
10Mb, half
10Mb, fullShall I try adjusting to auto?
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If whatever the ESXi box is connected to is a 1G link set to auto then that should also be set it ESXi.
If the other end of that link is, for some reason, not set as auto then the ESXi NIC should match.
I would expect to still see some connection if you set it to auto and the other side is set to 100M but that's not guaranteed.
Is there some reason it's set to 100M-FD now?Do you have any out-of-band connectivity to reverse that setting if it fails to link?
I expect that to be set as auto unless there's good reason not to though.
Steve
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@stephenw10 Hi Steve, this is great advice, thanks! Ill ask the data center guys what the port is set to, Im certain itll be auto but better make sure. The reason it was set to 100Mb is becuase when I was tetsing at my office before it was installed at the DC, 100Mb full was the only way i could get connectivity via my WAN port, this must be because thats the setting on my office WAN port.
Thanks for the info!!!
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Yeah, better to be safe. If it fails to link and you have no other access you could be in for a trip to the DC!
If you can query the link status in ESXi that would be interesting. I expect to find it's linked at 100-Half Duplex. That would show the other end is set to auto almost certainly.
Steve
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@stephenw10 Ill let you know how i get on, thanks again!
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@kenttec Hi Stephen, just got this response from DC: "It's set to auto/auto but is coming up at 100Mbps Half-duplex "
Ill set my esxi WAN port to auto and cross my fingers
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All sorted, the esxi WAN port is set to auto and Im now seeing 100/100Mb, thank you soooo much for your help, I didnt lose connectivity for long either, no visit to DC required :)
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Aha, nice!
