Managed switch auto detecting SG-3100 as 100mbps

mrdoork

Hello, I recently bought a netgate sg-3100 firewall for my new home that I just moved into. I ordered a 500/500 mbps subscription over fiber. Full disclaimer, this is my first time using pfsense and I am not a network professional. Ok, let me describe my current setup and hopefully someone can give me a few tips on how to proceed.

Ok so I have a media converter installed "by" my ISP, or well it is installed by an external company who provides the physical connection to the house. The media converter has a managed switch built in, and according to a tiny fact sheet I found on their website it will auto select 10, 100, or 1000 mbps depending on the equipment connected. The LED indicator on the managed switch indicates that the connection to my SG-3100 is a 100 mbps one.

I am using cat 6 cable from the media converter right into my firewall, I've tried pulling the power out etc, it seems to initially recognize it as a 1000 mbps link but switches to 100 mbps before I have internet back. I can't log on to check the switch or anything, it's completely managed by a third party.

As for the pfsense config, I just followed the wizard and set up the most basic config I could, everything works fine except the connection is capped at 100 mbps up and down, this is running speedtest directly from ssh on the firewall. I have contacted my ISP but they have yet to respond, I also contacted the third party company directly but they refused to do anything until my ISP tells them to etc..

I did also contact my ISP through chat, and he told me to try connecting a gigabit capable PC directly to the media converter to confirm that the same thing would happen, but I mean even if it would recognize my PC as 1000 mbps that won't help me much I need it to recognize my firewall as gigabit.. Any suggestions?

virgiliomi

@mrdoork:

I did also contact my ISP through chat, and he told me to try connecting a gigabit capable PC directly to the media converter to confirm that the same thing would happen, but I mean even if it would recognize my PC as 1000 mbps that won't help me much I need it to recognize my firewall as gigabit.. Any suggestions?

The point of the test is to make sure that there isn't something misconfigured in the media converter. If your computer with a 1 Gbps capable NIC also links up at 100 Mbps, then something may not be set right in the media converter. If it links up at 1 Gbps, then there may be something up with the SG-3100 (though with it being new, one would hope not!).

If you connect your computer to the WAN port on the SG-3100, does it link up at 1 Gbps? Most PCs will show the link speed somewhere in the GUI.

johnpoz

It could also just be the cable.. For gig to come up multiple things have to happen.. It could be the cable, it could be the negotiation between your media converter port and the sg3100 interface.

So yes connecting a PC that you know is gig and has shown gig connection before, with a cable you know has worked with gig is a valid test. I would do that test with the media convert to your PC and also the PC to sg3100 interfaces. Both its wan/lan interfaces and its switch ports.

Do you have another gig switch, be it smart/managed or even just dumb?

It could be something as stupid as if the media converter is managed that they have the interface set for set for 100 hard coded, etc. Or there is something off with the cable.

Also you sure your running the light correctly… What does pfsense web gui show for the connection speed? When you say

"connection is capped at 100 mbps up and down"

So your seeing low to mid 90's - 100mbps switch/port connection is not capable of actually doing 100.. If your speed test is showing you 100, and not say 95-97 tops say then that could point to a isp cap to your speed and not the actual interface being at 100.. The front page of pfsense should show you what speed the interface is at.