Hi!Im experiencing a really weird issue with my Orbi system. I have latest firmware on my router and satellites (2.5.1.8). My following installation looks like that:- Nokia fiber modem -> Orbi RBR50 -> Gigabit switch -> Raspberry PiI have a Pi 3B and a new Pi4. Both of them gets the same issue both on wired network or wireless. They doesnt get more than 40-60Mb. If i remove the switch and connect directly to the router, the issue is there. But if i connect the raspberry directly to the modem, i get almost 500Mb (My fiber speed). So... something on my Orbi is "limiting" the speed my raspberry gets. I've tried differents sd-card with different OS on raspberry, but both o them with different installations gets always the same issue. I had some issues with my TV distributor that needs IGMP enabled, but i have also tried to disable this and the issue persists. Problem is that i get some "buffering" issues on my raspberry :(

I, also, have a Raspberry Pi 4B connected to Orbi. Mine is "headless", so I connect using SSH or VNC.(The Pi 3B does not have "real gigabit", so maximum network throughput with a 3B cannot match a 4B.) Spectrum modem --> Orbi --> Gig Switch --> Pi The Pi 4B is capable of "speed". iPerf3 on the Pi registers 946mbs, which is about the limit of gigabit ethernet. That, of course, is between computers running on the Orbi LAN. How to test "speed" in terms of the internet? Booted into the Desktop graphical environment, connected with VNC and ran tests using Firefox and Chromium with speedtest.net and fast.com Chromium always reports faster "speed" than Firefox, every time.Fast.com always reports faster speed than Speedtest.net, every time. Speedtest.net Fast.comChromium 118-130 180-240Firefox 85-101 110-210 My Spectrum contract is for 200mbs, and my desktop/Android phone regularly report higher (236 this morning). My tentative conclusion is that it is not the Orbi "limiting" the Pi, it is the graphical interface on the Pi. I think Speedtest.net floods the screen with so many ads that it consumes more Pi resources than Fast.com, and that Firefox consumes more resources than Chromium. This could all be clarified by using a non-graphical speed measurement tool. Perhaps someone knows of one? The problem to be solved is "buffering" on video playback. I would investigate different video software or different video resolution.

It could be a possibility... But i always used the same speedtest plugin in Kodi. And i get full speed from my provider (Around 500Mb) Just when i dont use the Orbi. So... Im pretty sure that something is going on the re...

I did more tests on speedtest.net and notice that my Pi 4B starts out at "full speed" for about 10 seconds (above the 200mbs I pay for), and then the speed falls off sharply and ends up quite a bit less, but still in the neighborhood of 100mbs. My Windows computer does not exhibit this phenomenon. It stays at a pretty constant rate throughout the test. Android phone & tablet the same. I struggle to comprehend how the Pi could be treated "differently" by the Orbi from Windows and Android devices. The Pi does respond to heat by dropping the clock rate. I am not confident how to measure for that effect while doing a speed test. I did install Kodi, but "nothing happened" when I started it from the graphic desktop. Maybe it senses there is no HDMI connection on my "headless" Pi? There are numerous posts on the forum questioning the Orbi's ability to deliver "full speed". Orbi was submitted to the FCC back in 2016, when 100mb speeds were rare, and I do not remember anyone offering gigabit to residential customers. Perhaps another test is to connect a computer to the switch and test speed with it. Does it achieve higher speed than the Pi? (Mine did.) Sorry not to be much help.

When i use a computer connected to the switch i get Around 500/500. The only way to get Around 500 is to connect the Pi directly to the Nokia modem. If it goes directly to the Rbr50, i get Around 40Mb. Thats a big difference. Same cable used for both tests.

Found a way to observe Pi cpu speed, and looks like that is "not it."watch -n 5 vcgencmd measure_tempwhere n is the number of seconds between observations. (I used 2). My Pi was at 49c when idle and "climbed" to 52c doing speedtest.net (55c for Firefox). The Pi 4B does not throttle clock speed until the CPU temperature goes over 70c. I cannot measure GPU temperature since my Pi is "headless".

Orbi limiting Raspberry Pi Bandwidth

17 Replies

CrimpOn
Guru - Experienced User
Feb 16, 2020
I, also, have a Raspberry Pi 4B connected to Orbi. Mine is "headless", so I connect using SSH or VNC.
(The Pi 3B does not have "real gigabit", so maximum network throughput with a 3B cannot match a 4B.)

Spectrum modem --> Orbi --> Gig Switch --> Pi

The Pi 4B is capable of "speed". iPerf3 on the Pi registers 946mbs, which is about the limit of gigabit ethernet. That, of course, is between computers running on the Orbi LAN. How to test "speed" in terms of the internet? Booted into the Desktop graphical environment, connected with VNC and ran tests using Firefox and Chromium with speedtest.net and fast.com

Chromium always reports faster "speed" than Firefox, every time.
Fast.com always reports faster speed than Speedtest.net, every time.

            Speedtest.net   Fast.com
Chromium    118-130         180-240
Firefox      85-101         110-210

My Spectrum contract is for 200mbs, and my desktop/Android phone regularly report higher (236 this morning). My tentative conclusion is that it is not the Orbi "limiting" the Pi, it is the graphical interface on the Pi. I think Speedtest.net floods the screen with so many ads that it consumes more Pi resources than Fast.com, and that Firefox consumes more resources than Chromium.

This could all be clarified by using a non-graphical speed measurement tool. Perhaps someone knows of one?

The problem to be solved is "buffering" on video playback. I would investigate different video software or different video resolution.
- Duarditoh85
  Aspirant
  Feb 16, 2020
  It could be a possibility... But i always used the same speedtest plugin in Kodi. And i get full speed from my provider (Around 500Mb) Just when i dont use the Orbi. So... Im pretty sure that something is going on the re...
  - CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Feb 16, 2020
    I did more tests on speedtest.net and notice that my Pi 4B starts out at "full speed" for about 10 seconds (above the 200mbs I pay for), and then the speed falls off sharply and ends up quite a bit less, but still in the neighborhood of 100mbs. My Windows computer does not exhibit this phenomenon. It stays at a pretty constant rate throughout the test. Android phone & tablet the same.
    
    I struggle to comprehend how the Pi could be treated "differently" by the Orbi from Windows and Android devices. The Pi does respond to heat by dropping the clock rate. I am not confident how to measure for that effect while doing a speed test.
    
    I did install Kodi, but "nothing happened" when I started it from the graphic desktop. Maybe it senses there is no HDMI connection on my "headless" Pi?
    
    There are numerous posts on the forum questioning the Orbi's ability to deliver "full speed". Orbi was submitted to the FCC back in 2016, when 100mb speeds were rare, and I do not remember anyone offering gigabit to residential customers. Perhaps another test is to connect a computer to the switch and test speed with it. Does it achieve higher speed than the Pi? (Mine did.)
    
    Sorry not to be much help.

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Orbi limiting Raspberry Pi Bandwidth