Routers degrading my connection

[Megamorph]

I have RoadRunner Premium and get about 7.8 Mbps when connected directly to the modem; however, when I add a router my performance drops to 3-5 Mbps. Over the past few days, I've tried 3 different new routers. They all degrade the connection.

I'm currently using the Netgear WPN824, which I just purchased today. Same story with it too. I don't understand - all the sales people in the stores are under the impression that I shouldn't see any loss in performance with the router, yet I do and it's significant.

 

[sep]

Try a quick test. This will tell you if it's your router or the options/features of the router dragging you down. Put your computer in the DMZ. This will by pass all functions of the router except the basic NAT/Route to your computer.

Let me know.

I think all router degrade to a certain percent, but you should be seeing a 50%+ hit! I seen hits all the time on routers and the more you got going on the more hit would take. That's why I switched to the Airlink 504 ; ).

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: sep
Try a quick test. This will tell you if it's your router or the options/features of the router dragging you down. Put your computer in the DMZ. This will by pass all functions of the router except the basic NAT/Route to your computer.

Let me know.

I think all router degrade to a certain percent, but you should be seeing a 50%+ hit! I seen hits all the time on routers and the more you got going on the more hit would take. That's why I switched to the Airlink 504 ; ).

I disagree that all routers will degrade to a certain percent....
I manage servers in datacenters for performance testing of web sites and apps. Running those directly on the internet versus routed through a linux machine with a customized firewall shows no signs of slowdown. There is no NAT going on (i.e. my box routes from a live IP to live IP's) but I don't see a performance hit. I can still fill a 100Mb/s pipe, as long as the source can handle it (I tested this with a local ftp server before shipping the machines out).

SOHO routers are crap, and I can easily see where they cannot handle a simple 10Mb/s connection because the companies don't build them for performance, the build them for price. If the OP want's to get full peformance, he would use a better firewall, either a mid grade router or a linux/unix based router that runs on a PC.

 

[sep]

Originally posted by: nweaver
I disagree that all routers will degrade to a certain percent....

I'm sorry I didn't clarify my statement. SOHO Routers will degrade to a certain percent.

nweaver - I don't think we're talking about data center equipment or even two or three layered approach. Just asking about SOHO Routers.

 

[Megamorph]

Originally posted by: sep
Try a quick test. This will tell you if it's your router or the options/features of the router dragging you down. Put your computer in the DMZ. This will by pass all functions of the router except the basic NAT/Route to your computer.

sep, what's the DMZ?

 

[vorgusa]

DeMilitariezed zone = DMZ puts your computer outside the firewall. Basically it is just like being directly hooked up to the cable modem but you are going through the router ports.. this will help you know if it has to do with the throughput of the router or the overhead from the firewall part of the router

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: sep

Originally posted by: nweaver
I disagree that all routers will degrade to a certain percent....

I'm sorry I didn't clarify my statement. SOHO Routers will degrade to a certain percent.

nweaver - I don't think we're talking about data center equipment or even two or three layered approach. Just asking about SOHO Routers.

My point was that it's not that routers slow down, it's that SOHO routers are built with shoddy hardware, and if the OP is concerned with performance, using a linux based firewall machine would work well. Smoothwall, IPCop, clarkconnect, etc.

 

[MrEgo]

I can sorta think of a few instances.. but what are the main advantages of putting your machine in the DMZ?

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: MrEgo
I can sorta think of a few instances.. but what are the main advantages of putting your machine in the DMZ?

IN this specific instance, it will narrow down what may be causing the slowdowns, because if you are in the DMZ, it doesn't have to do anything but mangle packets (perform NAT)

 

[Megamorph]

ok, how do put it into the DMZ?

 

[sep]

go in to the router settings and look for Port Forwarding or Forwarding Rules. It has to do with ports or advanced options. In there you'll have to supply the last octet of the local ip address that will be exposed. Example. If my computer was 192.168.0.5 then I would add the 5 to the setting. So find out your ip address of you computer in your network connections.

Let us know.

FYI,
In this mode your computer is somewhat exposed. So if you don't know what your doing then just test this for performance or stability and then take it out.