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    gigabit wan download speed much lower than upload

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      What CPU is in that?

      Try running top -aSH at the console while you're testing to see how the load is spread across the CPU cores.

      That's a DHCP WAN connection I assume?

      Have you tested with a client connected directly, without pfSense, and can see the full download speed?

      Steve

      A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • T
        tman222
        last edited by

        Agree with @stephenw10 - if you connect directly to the ONT, do you see full up and down speeds? That would be the first thing to check to make sure it isn't a provisioning or other issue on Verizon's end.

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        • A
          akuma1x @stephenw10
          last edited by akuma1x

          @stephenw10 said in gigabit wan download speed much lower than upload:

          What CPU is in that?

          It's most likely an AMD GX-217GA or GX-415GA or GX-420CA processor in that box:
          https://www8.hp.com/us/en/thin-clients/t620-zero.html
          https://www.servethehome.com/hp-t620-plus-thin-client-and-firewall-vpn-appliance/

          Jeff

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          • L
            lasermole
            last edited by

            The HP T620 Plus is a thin client PC I've been told was great for a small, low cost, low power, silent pfsense box.
            CPU Type AMD GX-420CA SOC with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics
            4 CPUs: 1 package(s) x 4 core(s)
            AES-NI CPU Crypto: Yes (active)

            2Ghz

            I tried a speed test with 2 different laptops gigabit Ethernet directly to the ONT and unexpectedly still got the same speeds, worse on subsequent tests.

            Now I'm questioning my fios service quality.

            Before I used the T620 I'd been using a virtualized pfsense install on esxi but wasn't satisfied with speeds.
            And I'd been using the WAN nic with MAC clone of the Verizon provided Wi-Fi box I don't use anymore.

            Do you think that MAC could impact speeds at all? With provisioning?

            Thanks for the input everyone.

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

              Some providers will massively limit the speeds you can get if you are not connected "properly". Such as having to use the vlan or priority tags on outgoing packets. Though I didn't think FiOS did that.

              I would have them reset the ONT or at least check the connection, there's clearly something wrong there if a laptop sees the same speeds.

              Steve

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              • T
                tman222
                last edited by tman222

                I assume you also tried a different cable just in case? Since you can't get full speed connected directly to the ONT, I think you should call Verizon as something doesn't seem be configured properly on their end, or maybe there is an issue with your fiber signal level/quality, etc.

                I have been using Verizon FIOS gigabit service together w/pfSense for over two years and have always gotten full speeds - there is really nothing special you have to do to set it up (e.g. no VLAN's, priority tags, gateway bridging, MAC cloning, etc.) besides maybe a bit of network hardware tuning for high speeds.

                Hope this helps.

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

                  Worth checking if your WAN connection linked at 1Gb full duplex. Check the Status > Interfaces page for errors.

                  Steve

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

                    @stephenw10 said in gigabit wan download speed much lower than upload:

                    Worth checking if your WAN connection linked at 1Gb full duplex.

                    Given he's seeing 800-800 Mb in one direction, the interface is definitely running at 1 Gb. Also, Gb is always full duplex.

                    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...

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Yup it should always be full duplex and it should always be autonegotiate. But we have seen equipment that doesn't stick to that. Though I agree it would have to be something more like a hardware issue to get such asymmetric speeds.

                      Steve

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                      • L
                        lasermole
                        last edited by

                        Well I've taken another look at speeds directly to the ONT
                        Started with a power reset of the ONT.
                        Then with a new cable and laptop, verified I got 1 Gbps Full Duplex link up.
                        Ran speed test through speedtest.net
                        Got back PING ms
                        7
                        DOWNLOAD Mbps
                        141.84
                        UPLOAD Mbps
                        242.88

                        Then on verizon.com/speedtest
                        DOWNLOAD
                        405
                        Mbps

                        UPLOAD
                        476
                        Mbps

                        both of these are terrible, and indicate something still ins't right hardware wise or provisioning?

                        I guess I need to call Verizon now.

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

                          Um, yeah that looks.... sub-optimal!

                          Seems like an upstream issue.

                          Steve

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

                            @lasermole said in gigabit wan download speed much lower than upload:

                            Then with a new cable and laptop, verified I got 1 Gbps Full Duplex link up.

                            Was that with the computer by itself? Or through pfSense? Try the computer connected directly, to see if the problem is with pfSense or the ISP. It's best to keep things simple while testing.

                            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
                            • L
                              lasermole
                              last edited by

                              Yes the tests were with the laptop directly connected to the ONT with new cable and I got those results...

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

                                @lasermole said in gigabit wan download speed much lower than upload:

                                Yes the tests were with the laptop directly connected to the ONT with new cable and I got those results...

                                Then it's not a pfSense issue. Call your ISP.

                                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...

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                                • L
                                  lasermole
                                  last edited by

                                  Yup, good times with ol Verizon....

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • L
                                    lasermole
                                    last edited by

                                    Just curious what you guys think, but do you think Verizon has reason to dismiss a speed test done directly to their equipment? Dismissing your results, pointing blame at your device. Hence why I'm sure verizon's own speed test is the only one they officially recognize, as it separates "Device" and "Router" in its test. FYI, I don't expect to get 1000/1000, even 800/800 would be fine by me to device.

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                                    • T
                                      tman222 @lasermole
                                      last edited by

                                      @lasermole - do you still have Verizon router/gateway? If yes, it might be worth plugging it in temporarily and run the Verizon speed test to the router. Given what you have described so far, I doubt that even that test will actually see full speed. If it doesn't, I expect them to help your further since the issue is then more clearly somewhere with their equipment.

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                                      • L
                                        lasermole
                                        last edited by

                                        Yes I do still have the router/gateway device. I could hook it up again and try through that to see what speeds I get. I'll let you know what comes of that test.

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                                        • L
                                          lasermole
                                          last edited by

                                          Tried the speed tests again with the Verizon router in place between the laptop and the ONT.

                                          Laptop > Verizon router > ONT
                                          Speedtest.net
                                          PING ms
                                          7
                                          DOWNLOAD Mbps
                                          256.93
                                          UPLOAD Mbps
                                          207.28

                                          Verizon speed test
                                          "Device"
                                          DOWNLOAD
                                          568
                                          Mbps

                                          UPLOAD
                                          382
                                          Mbps

                                          "Router"
                                          DOWNLOAD
                                          949
                                          Mbps

                                          UPLOAD
                                          912
                                          Mbps

                                          I really feel that "router" test is bull. I mean I don't pay Verizon each month to read how fast their devices are, to their network, on a screen...
                                          That is not end user usable bandwidth. And I'm sure they will use that result to silence my complaints and shift the blame to me any way they see fit.

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                                          • T
                                            tman222 @lasermole
                                            last edited by

                                            @lasermole - do you have any other device (besides the laptop) you can test with? What are the specs of the device (laptop) you are testing with? Any third party firewall / AV etc. software running in the background which may be slowing things down?

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