Comcast 8mb - Great speed w/ modem only. Hook up any router and speed drops 1/3.

[eno]

Trying to figure this one out. I have a Comcast 8mb connection, a Linksys cable modem, Netgear WGR614 V6 router.

Linksys Modem Only
-Download transfer speeds from Microsoft.com @ 950kb-1.1mb

Netgear WGR614 router hooked up w/ Linksys Modem
-Download transfer speeds @300kb-550kb

Linksys WRT54G w/ Linksys Modem
-Download speeds @300kb-700kb



I have tried:
-Latest Firmware
-New Ethernet cables
-Factory Settings
-Disabling SPI packet inspection
-Enabling DMZ on the tested PC[/list]

 

[xtknight]

Try taking the MAC address from the device on which you were getting 8 Mbps and using that on the other devices.

Also report the traceroute to google.com (or any working host) when you get 8 Mbps and when you don't. Maybe you should try that first before changing the MAC.

 

[eno]

Do you mean clone the Linksys Modems Mac onto any current router I am trying to use?

Also when I do that , I am actually running two Netgear routers with a crossover cable so I have a total of 6 ports. Do I need to add the same MAC onto the 2nd router that is running as a switch?

Actually after the first post I just ran the same SP2 download off microsoft.com and the bone stock Linksys WRT54G router started downloading at normal 900kb-1.1mb speeds just like the modem was. What does that mean? That kinda proves that the routers might not be the issue, what is odd is after switching back and forth between router and no router , it was pretty reliable in the results. Router = slow, No Router = fast. But now this last test shows the linksys router to run just as fast as the modem did earlier.

 

[xtknight]

Well the idea was since you were getting 8 Mbps with the PC NIC hooked up to the modem, that you would set the router's MAC to be whatever your PC's was so that it would be an identical situation. (You would have to then change your PC NIC's MAC address.)

As for why it's sporadic...I'm not sure. Is your line fairly stable? Try pinging your router for a while and see if there is very little deviation....

ping -t 192.168.1.1

And try this as well

ping -t www.comcast.net

There could just be some spikes in your connection. Simple ping commands will help you monitor that.

 

[eno]

Well I just cloned the PC's MAC into the netgear without power cycling the modem. Internet worked after that would run downloads of 600-850k. I then went into my options on the NIC and changed its MAC. Retested the download with no speed change. Is that process correct for what you were suggesting?

 

[xtknight]

You may have to restart your modem. Or, the MAC address may simply not be the problem at all.

 

[eno]

Router ping stays at 1ms


Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\eno>ping -t www.comcast.net

Pinging www.comcast.net [216.148.227.202] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=63ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=64ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=49ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=93ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=114ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=54ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=66ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=50
Reply from 216.148.227.202: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=50

 

[eno]

I have tried swapping the router 1 and 2. I just backed up the settings on each and then swapped the settings onto the other in hopes that the router 1 was causing the slow link and by putting router 1 as the switch , just maybe the 2 router I had running as a switch would work better as the router. HAHA, did anyone actually grasp that?

Well still after cloning macs of the PC, the only two ways I have seen good results are with the Linksys router or direct from modem. So I am starting to think now the Netgear routers just plain suck. I might just go buy a 8 port Linksys router if this keeps up.

Does anyone else have any insite to why a netgear router would easily drop my speed in half?

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: eno
Well still after cloning macs of the PC, the only two ways I have seen good results are with the Linksys router or direct from modem. So I am starting to think now the Netgear routers just plain suck. I might just go buy a 8 port Linksys router if this keeps up.

It's not so easy to generalize; the specifics of the model and version matter. I don't see your router listed in this summary, but it might help you pick one with a fast WAN port if you feel the need to get a new router.

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/03/31/hardware_router_chart/page2.html

 

[EatSpam]

What is the speed of the WAN port on those routers? If its only a 10mbps port, that might be the problem. Also, the CPU in the Netgear might be too slow for the data rate.

Don't hook two routers together ... get a switch.

 

[spidey07]

you h@ve prob@bly surp@ssed the "speed" of SOHO ge@r. They re chep nd it shows.

reset to f@ctory def@ults nd try @gin.

@nd don't trust PC sites to h@ve @ny ide@ of properly testing network ge@r.

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: spidey07
you h@ve prob@bly surp@ssed the "speed" of SOHO ge@r. They re chep nd it shows.

reset to f@ctory def@ults nd try @gin.

@nd don't trust PC sites to h@ve @ny ide@ of properly testing network ge@r.

Okay, who stole your "a" key?

In my experience Comcast and Charter seem to be incredibly sensitive when it comes to internal network hookup. Back in the day they completely forbade the use of any NAT device if you used their service; while they don't officially do so anymore, they seem to have a lot of policies in place to make things aggrivating enough to stop the end user from setting up NAT without Charter/Comcast's help or at all. It sounds like you've done all you can with your equipment.

I will say that you shouldn't be using a crossover cable to connect the two routers together; the attached switches make crossover cables redundant, so just use normal ethernet cables. You should also make sure you're connecting the two together WITHOUT using the WAN port on either. Connecting the routers together through one's WAN port or using a crossover cable could be causing most of your problems.

The other thing I'd like to point out is that while a lot of SOHO equipment is crappy, the WGR614 is not that crappy. I use a WGT624 -- close to the same router, mainly just 108g versus 54g -- as my main home router and I lose in the worst of circumstances 20kb/s off of my 2.8M down by using it as my internet gateway. The drop you see in download speed should be in the 0-5kb/s range, NOT the 100kb/s range. (unless the thing is completely shot)

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: spidey07
you h@ve prob@bly surp@ssed the "speed" of SOHO ge@r. They re chep nd it shows.

reset to f@ctory def@ults nd try @gin.

@nd don't trust PC sites to h@ve @ny ide@ of properly testing network ge@r.

Uh oh, time to call an MCSE to replace your keyboard.

 

[cross6]

Originally posted by: spidey07
you h@ve prob@bly surp@ssed the "speed" of SOHO ge@r. They re chep nd it shows.

reset to f@ctory def@ults nd try @gin.

@nd don't trust PC sites to h@ve @ny ide@ of properly testing network ge@r.

yeah,

most $100 bestbuy routers top out around 2-4 megabits of nat/pat throughput

 

[halfadder]

Check your duplex settings. Auto negotiation isn't always perfect.