Slow download, normal upload, sending TX pauses though flow control off

[Ignitionnet]

So the switch in the RAXE500 I have here seems to be malfunctioning.

The router is being used as an access point,the issues persist whether used in AP mode or as a router. It is unable to achieve high download speeds and sends tons of TX pause frames to the switch it's connected to, even with flow control deactivated.

So issues are:

1) Download speeds wired and wireless way lower than expected.

2) RAXE500 is sending flow control frames even with flow control disabled.

3) RAXE500's switch shouldn't be having any trouble with the requested throughput - upload wise it handles upwards of a gigabit easily.

QoS is, of course, disabled, and shouldn't be relevant here as all traffic is LAN to LAN.

As you can gather from the speedtest it's connected on the single (why?) multigig port. Issue persists regardless of port.

https://www.speedtest.net/my-result/d/14af469b-04ae-4929-a501-c2994177e1d9

Firmware V1.0.12.96_2.0.45

[Ignitionnet · Accepted solution]

Some more work has proved beyond doubt that there's a pretty big issue with how the device handles links of different speeds. This is really not good for a device with a single 2.5G port, 4 1G ports and WiFi that's easily capable of over a gigabit.

So I pulled it out of the network and replaced with an older Netgear that has the exact same issues but that's another story.

Connecting it via a cable to the network via the 2.5G port, and a gigabit port to the computer causes slow download due to pause frames sent by the router on the 2.5G port to the actual router handling the Internet connection.

Connecting via a cable to the network via the 1G port and 2.5G port to the computer causes slow upload due to pause frames sent by the router on the 2.5G port to the computer.

Connecting to the computer and the network via 1G ports all is fine.

Connecting to the network via the 2.5G port and using 6E WiFi causes slow download, correct upload - the WiFi is slower than the 2.5G port so pause frames are being sent down the 2.5G port by the Netgear.

Router mode, having the Netgear NAT which I don't want it to do, all is normal. The device doesn't work properly as an access point and can't handle different speed ports via its switch making LAN to LAN transfers problematic and access point mode pointless.

I'm taking this up with their Gearhead support tomorrow which should be exciting.

[Ignitionnet]

Not sure a garage door repair service is really what I need to fix my router: reported as spam.

[Ignitionnet]

Wow. Professional, major company and they ignore spam reports for 3 days. 

Shouldn't be too surprised the software isn't up to scratch.

Having tried with two different bits of kit the issue is clear: the router is inappropriately sending flow control pauses and killing throughput even though it's been switched off.

I switched it off for a reason: TCP and other things can handle congestion control.

Case opened with the support team. Doubt it'll go anywhere but stranger things have happened.

[michaelkenward]

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@Ignitionnet wrote:

Wow. Professional, major company and they ignore spam reports for 3 days. 

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Er? What was that?

[FURRYe38]

What is the Mfr and model# of the host router the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended. Are you using the 1Gb LAN port or the Multi Gig Port for the connection to the main host router? 

Any LAN switches in the mix between the RAXE and host router? 

What devices are you speed testing with? 

Wireless and wired speeds same across all devices? 

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@Ignitionnet wrote:

So the switch in the RAXE500 I have here seems to be malfunctioning.

The router is being used as an access point,the issues persist whether used in AP mode or as a router. It is unable to achieve high download speeds and sends tons of TX pause frames to the switch it's connected to, even with flow control deactivated.

So issues are:

1) Download speeds wired and wireless way lower than expected.

2) RAXE500 is sending flow control frames even with flow control disabled.

3) RAXE500's switch shouldn't be having any trouble with the requested throughput - upload wise it handles upwards of a gigabit easily.

QoS is, of course, disabled, and shouldn't be relevant here as all traffic is LAN to LAN.

As you can gather from the speedtest it's connected on the single (why?) multigig port. Issue persists regardless of port.

https://www.speedtest.net/my-result/d/14af469b-04ae-4929-a501-c2994177e1d9

Firmware V1.0.12.96_2.0.45

---

[plemans]

What modem/gateway is it connected to? 

Why are you testing LAN to LAN but then posting a speedtest? 

If you're testing speedtest you should be going wan port---->lan port (wired pc)

And do you have the 2.5gig port setup as wan port? 
Or a 1 gig with lan port aggregation (because you're hitting over 1 gig speeds on the speedtest). 

What firmware is on the router? 

[Ignitionnet]

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Responses inline: thanks!

@FURRYe38 wrote:

What is the Mfr and model# of the host router the NG router is connected too? Mikrotik CCR2116-12G-4S+
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended. Are you using the 1Gb LAN port or the Multi Gig Port for the connection to the main host router? The 2.5G link is error-free apart from the flow control pauses coming from the router.

Any LAN switches in the mix between the RAXE and host router? Yes. I'm seeing the inappropriate flow control arriving on one of them, however it also impacts directly connected hosts if Ethernet port speeds aren't the same. As in straight across the router between ports.

What devices are you speed testing with? Several.

Wireless and wired speeds same across all devices? Yup.

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[Ignitionnet]

Responses inline - thank you.

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@plemans wrote:

What modem/gateway is it connected to? Mikrotik CCR2116-12G-4S+ then into provider's ONT

Why are you testing LAN to LAN but then posting a speedtest? It's in AP mode: everything is LAN to LAN

If you're testing speedtest you should be going wan port---->lan port (wired pc)

And do you have the 2.5gig port setup as wan port? No need. AP mode. Connecting through there, yes.
Or a 1 gig with lan port aggregation (because you're hitting over 1 gig speeds on the speedtest). Tried this too, same result. Yes, over 1G is due to using 2.5G port.

What firmware is on the router? V1.0.12.96_2.0.45

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[plemans]

Your RAXE should be connected via its wan port in AP mode. 

I've done it numerous times for testing the RAXE in AP mode. Try that

[Ignitionnet]

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@plemans wrote:

Your RAXE should be connected via its wan port in AP mode. 

I've done it numerous times for testing the RAXE in AP mode. Try that

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Thanks. I have. Doesn't make any difference which port I'm using.

[Ignitionnet]

The RX pauses tell my kit to stop transmitting for a millisecond at a time which kills download throughput. The Netgear can't handle the imbalance between speeds in each direction and responds with flow control pause frames even though it's explicitly configured not to.

It stops doing this the issue goes away. Most folks probably aren't using kit that honors these.

The chain is 8G Internet <> CCR2116 <> 10G via two switches <> Gigabit / 2.5 Gigabit on RAXE.

I expect the flow to bottleneck, however I expect that to be managed, per configuration, by the protocols running over the Ethernet into the AP, not the AP itself.

[FURRYe38]

What is the brand and model of the switches in the mix? 

What CAT# lan cable are you using? CAT6A STP is recommended. 

[Ignitionnet]

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@FURRYe38 wrote:

What is the brand and model of the switches in the mix? 

What CAT# lan cable are you using? CAT6A STP is recommended. 

---

Hi,

No errors on any of the links. The cables are a very short stretch of CAT 7, a 10G DAC, 30 ft of single mode fibre, another DAC. The only cable run over 3 ft is fibre and it's running cleanly.

The switches are combination Mikrotik and QNAP. They are all working as expected. The issue is the Netgear ignoring the configuration and choking the link with heavy use of flow control.

Transfers not going through the Netgear but using the exact same switches and end router as it, plugged in the same switch as it, run fine. It is the common point of failure throughout.

[FURRYe38]

Is the cable UTP or STP rated? STP would be recommended. 

I guess keep in touch with NG support. Ask them about getting them debug logs from your unit while in AP mode. Possible faulty unit as well. Others haven't reported this. 

[Ignitionnet]

The cable is a foot long. No real room for it to acquire interference and, as mentioned, the link is running error-free other than the flow control pause frames the Netgear is generating.

[Ignitionnet · Accepted solution]

Some more work has proved beyond doubt that there's a pretty big issue with how the device handles links of different speeds. This is really not good for a device with a single 2.5G port, 4 1G ports and WiFi that's easily capable of over a gigabit.

So I pulled it out of the network and replaced with an older Netgear that has the exact same issues but that's another story.

Connecting it via a cable to the network via the 2.5G port, and a gigabit port to the computer causes slow download due to pause frames sent by the router on the 2.5G port to the actual router handling the Internet connection.

Connecting via a cable to the network via the 1G port and 2.5G port to the computer causes slow upload due to pause frames sent by the router on the 2.5G port to the computer.

Connecting to the computer and the network via 1G ports all is fine.

Connecting to the network via the 2.5G port and using 6E WiFi causes slow download, correct upload - the WiFi is slower than the 2.5G port so pause frames are being sent down the 2.5G port by the Netgear.

Router mode, having the Netgear NAT which I don't want it to do, all is normal. The device doesn't work properly as an access point and can't handle different speed ports via its switch making LAN to LAN transfers problematic and access point mode pointless.

I'm taking this up with their Gearhead support tomorrow which should be exciting.

[Ignitionnet]

Just to update on where I am with Netgear support having paid for the 'Gearheads' contract.

I'm up to 3 hours give or take with them on this with absolutely no progress whatsoever. I jumped through all the hoops, showed them the evidence but to no avail. I went as far as allowing them remote control so that they could flash the same firmware onto the device and pretended that it might have helped just so that I could get off the call.

AP mode is garbage with the latest firmware. The web GUI doesn't start most of the time, a reboot in maybe 5 before it actually works, otherwise the management IP is pingable but gives an empty page.

The throughput issues make having WiFi6 / 6E pointless if the LAN / Internet connection is faster than the WiFi. The router's penchant for sending flow control frames kills off throughput making it worthless.

The only scenario where things work properly is if the device is in router mode and WAN to LAN. That's it. LAN to LAN transfers between interfaces that aren't the same speed don't work properly whether on router mode or not. Obviously in AP mode there is no WAN.

I have from support confirmed that AP mode is supported so there's that at least.

Next steps: progress further with Netgear support and if they refuse to do anything invoke UK consumer regulation, then initiate court action as device not fit for purpose and I want my money back.