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CAT 6 Speed Problem

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  • 09-03-2021 10:28am
    #1
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭


    Recently had an electrician install an armoured CAT 6 cable to new home office. Using VM Media 500MB service and achieved speeds of 450MB when initially setup. Speed now has dropped to 90-100MB at the port but still 480MB at the VM router inside the house. Uploads at both locations are 50MB.

    Before I call the guy out to check what's up - is there anything I can check myself and what are the usual problems that cause this drop in speed? Thanks


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  • Options
    #2
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Whatever you are testing with is connecting at 100 Mb/s rather than 1,000 Mb/s?
    Can this be changed?

    Another possibility is that you are misreading the speed ...... I refer to your use of 100MB


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    #3
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭cornet


    I'm using online speed tests with the laptop directly connected to the VM router and then at the CAT6 port in the office. The speeds I referred to are MB/s so initially got speeds of 450MB/s and now down to 90MB/s.


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    #4
    Diggerdunne
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭Diggerdunne


    Yeah I doubt it is a cable issue. It’s more likely a config issue on the laptop port or the VM hub port, but never say never. I would check your Nic card on the laptop and see what it is set to.


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    #5
    0lddog
    Registered Users Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭0lddog


    Negotiating 100Tx rather than 1000Tx ? pair 1 or 4 ( or both ) gone AWOL or a setting at one end to 100Tx could cause this... ( i.e. cable or config issue :p )


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    #6
    Diggerdunne
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭Diggerdunne


    If you had a cable tester you could check the cable and see if all pairs are present. You can pick a basic one up on Amazon pretty cheap. Failing that if you had a multi meter ya could plug in a cat 5 cable and short a pair and then check the other end and work your way thru it, time consuming but will let you know if all pairs are present


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  • Options
    #7
    65535
    Registered Users Posts: 785 ✭✭✭65535


    I had a VPN setup on the laptop here and until I removed it I was getting low speeds also.
    Even though the VPN was not active !


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    #8
    Diggerdunne
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭Diggerdunne


    I suggest to test with a basic laptop with no VPN or anything like that installed and to test at the VM hub and then at the office and see what the difference is


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    #9
    65535
    Registered Users Posts: 785 ✭✭✭65535


    Also the VM installer told me to use the actual Speedtest app and not the online one.
    It is available for windows at
    https://www.speedtest.net/apps/windows


  • Options
    #10
    whizbang
    Registered Users Posts: 1,924 ✭✭✭whizbang


    In all above cases, you are testing your Internet/Broadband speed, and local network speed. You need to separate them for testing first, unless you are so sure your internet speed is always good.


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    #11
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭cornet


    Diggerdunne wrote: »
    If you had a cable tester you could check the cable and see if all pairs are present. You can pick a basic one up on Amazon pretty cheap. Failing that if you had a multi meter ya could plug in a cat 5 cable and short a pair and then check the other end and work your way thru it, time consuming but will let you know if all pairs are present

    Thanks - I think I can get a hold of a tester. Would an issue with a pair cause such an issue? I thought it would be all or nothing with ethernet cable.


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  • Options
    #12
    Diggerdunne
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭Diggerdunne


    Are the patch leads you are using at the VM Hub and in the office are they home made or did you buy them?
    A poor connection could be hit and miss with the bad cable or bad pair. You need to get the cable verified with a tester as first port of call is Layer one and check cable is ok and then we work our way up and see if we can find the issue


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    #13
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭cornet


    Patch leads are purchased so should be fine. It's just weird that everything was fine and now the speed has dropped when nothing changed. As you say the cable tester is the first port of call.


  • Options
    #14
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,164 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    A borderline link can flip between 1G and 100Mb, not unusual. Little bit too much untwist and you're noise susceptible.

    I dont know your sparks but some are useless when it comes to comms, just be aware of that.


  • Options
    #15
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭cornet


    I've ordered a cable tester. Will post back here with any findings.


  • Options
    #16
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    cornet wrote: »
    I'm using online speed tests with the laptop directly connected to the VM router and then at the CAT6 port in the office. The speeds I referred to are MB/s so initially got speeds of 450MB/s and now down to 90MB/s.

    I was more questioning your use of

    MB

    1 MB = 8 Mb

    so 100 MB = 800 Mb

    Speed is specified in Mb/s

    As I thought, it was probably a mis-type to use MB.


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    #17
    sofiane9mm
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭sofiane9mm


    cornet wrote: »
    I'm using online speed tests with the laptop directly connected to the VM router and then at the CAT6 port in the office. The speeds I referred to are MB/s so initially got speeds of 450MB/s and now down to 90MB/s.

    Try an offline testing app like LAN Speed Test


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    #18
    Cat5
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭Cat5


    Cable tester will only test your cable map.. To test it properly you would need a fluke DTX or some such like (very expensive) can be hired for a day but also expensive..
    I would say your problem is in the termination of the cable.. The twist in Cat 6 is very specific and unfortunately (hate to generalize) but not all Electricians know how to terminate it correctly..


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    #19
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭cornet


    Got a network cable tester and light no.7 no lighting up on the sequence. So looks like a termination issue.


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    #20
    cornet
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭cornet


    Sorted. Was just a punch down that needed to be re-punched. Back to normal speeds :)


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