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    WAN & LAN @ Gigabit but Limited to Sub 100Mbps

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • ?
      A Former User @samyboyz
      last edited by

      @samyboyz search for your NCI model on google

      S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • S
        samyboyz @A Former User
        last edited by

        @silence NCI? MY NIC's an Intel Dual Gigabit Lan controller..It's not 10/100 and is connected 1000 as you can see in the picture.

        ? V 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • JKnottJ
          JKnott
          last edited by

          I would suspect hardware. I used to use an old HP compact desktop computer to run pfsense, until it died. When I replaced it with the computer described in my sig, I got a significant improvement.

          Here is a speedtest I did a while ago on my 500/20 connection. I don't always get that fast, but one I did recently was over 870 down. So, pfsense can definitely handle the speed.

          PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
          i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
          UniFi AC-Lite access point

          I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • ?
            A Former User @samyboyz
            last edited by A Former User

            @samyboyz said in WAN & LAN @ Gigabit but Limited to Sub 100Mbps:

            MY NIC's an Intel Dual Gigabit Lan controller..It's not 10/100 and is connected 1000 as you can see in the picture.

            So, set the negotiation to 1000.

            0a5f3e94-eb28-4251-82ed-6e14e48fb07d-image.png

            JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • V
              viragomann @samyboyz
              last edited by

              @samyboyz
              I would consider to replace the old PC anyway due to its power consumption.

              stephenw10S S 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @viragomann
                last edited by

                @viragomann said in WAN & LAN @ Gigabit but Limited to Sub 100Mbps:

                replace the old PC anyway due to its power consumption

                Yeah those Pentium Ds were hungry beasts!
                Also that's very old, it may fail for numerous reasons at that age.

                But it should pass 120Mbps easily. Many years ago now I ran a Pentium 4 based device and that could pass ~300Mbps. The Pentium D is significantly more powerful (in both respects!).

                95Mbps does feel a lot like something linked at 100M though. Do you have the modem and test client connected directly to those two NICs in the screenshot?

                Steve

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                • JKnottJ
                  JKnott @A Former User
                  last edited by

                  @silence

                  Don't lock it at any one speed, unless you can do both ends. Mixing fixed speed and auto negotiate is a bad idea.

                  PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                  i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                  UniFi AC-Lite access point

                  I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    Yup that^
                    Also link negotiation is required for Gigabit even if some hardware allows you set 1G fixed.

                    Steve

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                      netfly @stephenw10
                      last edited by

                      @stephenw10 said in WAN & LAN @ Gigabit but Limited to Sub 100Mbps:

                      Yup that^

                      what do you mean with that?

                      JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • JKnottJ
                        JKnott @netfly
                        last edited by

                        @netfly

                        He was referring to my comment where I said to not mix locked and autonegotiate connections. Normally, you use auto, unless you have a need to use a fixed speed. One reason I have experienced is when connecting to fibre media converters.

                        PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                        i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                        UniFi AC-Lite access point

                        I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          Exactly. You should use autodetect for speed and duplex everywhere unless you have a vert good reason not to. Like some other device is already set at a fixed speed and cannot be changed.

                          Steve

                          JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • JKnottJ
                            JKnott @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10

                            Does anything use half duplex these days? IIRC, full duplex is mandatory for Gb and above.

                            If I do an archaeological dig in my junk closet, I may be able to find a 10 Mb hub that's half duplex. It's the only piece of hardware I've owned that was.

                            PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                            i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                            UniFi AC-Lite access point

                            I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              Mmm, been a while since I saw any 10base2. 😉

                              However 100M-Half-Duplex is a common fall-back link for devices if negotiation fails so you do, relatively, often seen that.
                              IMO there no good reason to be using a fixed speed anywhere either but some ISPs still supply stuff configured for 100M fixed that cannot be changed.

                              Steve

                              JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • JKnottJ
                                JKnott @stephenw10
                                last edited by JKnott

                                @stephenw10

                                I started out with 10base5 and hand wiring¹ Ethernet controllers on prototype boards for Data General Eclipse computers. We also had some DEC VAX 11/780 computers on the network. As I mentioned I've had to use fixed speeds with fibre to copper media converters.

                                1. I'm probably the only one here who has hand wired an Ethernet controller.

                                PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                                i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                                UniFi AC-Lite access point

                                I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • S
                                  samyboyz @viragomann
                                  last edited by

                                  @viragomann Yes, it's costing me lots more in electricity, i just ordered a Qotom i3 for like $319 Canadian Dollers, can't wait to install it :)

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                                  • V
                                    viragomann @samyboyz
                                    last edited by

                                    @samyboyz
                                    I think, this was a good decision.

                                    I've a Qotom i5 with 4 NICs, bought it 4 years ago. I've installed LInux on it and run pfSense on the top of KVM alongside a cloud VM and an LXC.
                                    Measured its power consumption over a 3 days duration, it took about 7 W average.
                                    So I guess, you will have a cost return after about 2 years. :-)

                                    JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • JKnottJ
                                      JKnott @viragomann
                                      last edited by

                                      @viragomann

                                      I guess your's is similar to mine (see sig). I also tried to measure the power, using apcupsd and concluded it was only a few watts. However, I installed only pfsense on it, as I don't think firewalls should be doing anything else.

                                      PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                                      i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                                      UniFi AC-Lite access point

                                      I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                                      V 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • V
                                        viragomann @JKnott
                                        last edited by

                                        @jknott said in WAN & LAN @ Gigabit but Limited to Sub 100Mbps:

                                        I guess your's is similar to mine (see sig).

                                        i5-4200U, 8 GB RAM, 120 GB SSD, 2 TB HDD. The i5 is really powerful enough for all my home use and on the other hand, the U models are very energy-efficient. However, they might have a small delay to throttle up.
                                        I have the operating systems on the SSD and the HDD is for data store. So the HDD can go to sleep when no data are requested, which additionally saves power.

                                        Yes, you're right. I know the risk of running a firewall virtualized alongside other VMs. But this is for home use, I'm well familiar with virtualization and the host and VM are well maintained. And I like to have the things compact and tidy. 😊

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                                        • S
                                          samyboyz
                                          last edited by

                                          I just installed the Qotom i3, only had a 2GB memory module so threw it in, getting same speed as the old HP, 95Mbps while getting 115/120 at the Model, connection says 1000 for WAN & LAN so still wondering what might be causing the loss

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • stephenw10S
                                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                            last edited by

                                            How are you actually testing the speed?

                                            S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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