Fast upload, Slow download

So the network is set up like this.

Desktop-based semi-server running Win7 Pro x86, gigabit wired with Cat5e. (Athlon x2 @ 2.6GHz, 2GB DDR3, 5400rpm hard drives hooked up with SATA II).

Router is a D-Link DIR-655 A4.

Other computer is the laptop in my signature, connected with an Intel 6200. Wireless has been optimized for N @ 300mbps. InSSIDer gives my signal -50 Db.


Normally, I move files from the desktop to the laptop, and I get, I don't know, in the range of 5.5 MB/s on a good day. However, I had some files on my external drive that I wanted to move to my server, so I started a file transfer from my laptop to the server... and I was peaking at 16 MB/S, with an average of about 13.5 MB/s. (Measured with Teracopy).

So, puzzled, I started to transfer copy files I had just uploaded to my external, and I was maxing at 5 MB/s. Files in question were about fifty.mkv videos in the 250GB range.

I have no idea why my upstream-downstream behavior is like this. I've gone into settings for all three points of contact--desktop, router, and laptop--and everything seems optimized, but obviously not.

Any clues? Any more information I should include?

 

have you tried wired connection and not using the external, just to see if it really is the wireless that is the problem ?

 

When wired to the router directly I'm getting 40+ MB/S. I've transfered to and from both of my laptop drives (SSD and Samsung) and the same symptoms are present.

EDIT: Scratch that. When uploading, while wired I'm indeed getting around 40 MB/s. However, when moving from my server to my laptop's internal HDD, I'm getting 16-20 MB/s.

With that information, I'm even more puzzled.

 

Hmm, weird. Laptop running Windows 7 also? Sounds like the laptop is the problem. When copying files open task manager and resource manager in Windows and check utilization there. Check the cards advanced section in device manager and make see if jumbo frames is on (LAN).

For the wireless are you using 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz to transfer files?

 

I'm using 2.4GHz, as that's all the D-Link supports. The environment is relatively "quiet" in terms of wireless noise so I don't think signal strength is a problem. I actually stood next to the router with my laptop and while DB strenghth rose, my throughput did not.

I tried copying files back and forth, and resource usage was low (less than 5%CPU on the laptop, about 10% the desktop end. RAM usage was similar).

For those curious, the desktop motherboard is an Asus M4N68T-M V2. I've updated the chipset drivers to the newest nVidia ones, and no dice.


As for jumbo frames, where would I go to check that? I'm not getting that option in my laptop's wireless settings or my desktop's LAN settings.

 

Jumbo frames is advanced settings. Still it's weird though as it still shows so much less bandwidth compared to the desktop.

Have you tried plugging in the desktop directly to the laptop - with them being new enough they'll cross over themselves so they can talk.

 

Left is my wireless, right is my desktop's wired LAN.

I enabled jumbo frames on my laptop's wired LAN, just for the heck of it. No increase in wireless throughput. I'll try wired in a bit.


Still, so odd that I can move files to the desktop quickly, but retrieving files is so much slower. Argh.



EDIT: Tried wired after enabling Jumbo Frames on my laptop's wired LAN. I saw no difference in transfer speed. (40-ish MB/s laptop->server, 20-ish MB/s server->laptop)

 

Hello

It's pretty common for routers to be faster at upload than download for some reason (that's from a router point of view- for your notebook it is download) but it doesn't seem to be more than 20% faster than download.
So not only does it happen the other way around for you but also on an entirely different scale.
Since it happens both for wired and wireless connections the main suspect is the router.

D-Link DIR-655 is fast thanks to its CPU but it isn't stable nor consistent and has a firmware written by blind monkeys- which causes a lot of problems. Just take a look at D-Link's own support forum.
Number of threads about this router there is incredible and these are not happy stories either (mind you some threads get deleted regularly).

Normally I would recommend updating firmware on the router but it's not that easy with D-Link- one thing is that they may cause more problems the other that D-Link has removed some features that caused problems with firmware update.
Their way of fixing things- remove the feature that causes problems.

So if you're willing to follow up on that- I'd try to update firmware if possible and if not (or you have the latest one now) maybe consider buying a new router.
(I know buying a new one is normally not a solution but with 655 it seems to be)

 

All righty, thanks for the info. I've had the latest firmware for the longest time now, so I guess that's not the issue.

I'll wait and see what new routers come out. I mean, the DIR-655 is perfectly serviceable in any other application. I can stream video just fine. I have no drops in games. Internet is rock solid. But just the damned file transfers.

(This was partially the reason I asked about that Asus router in the other thread).

 

Have you tried FTP file transfer?

 

Yes, with Filezilla. And that's doing like 200 KB/s.