home Orbi configuration issue with VPN for work

[00chris00]

Problem Statement:

I am running an Orbi RBR50 and satellite mesh network for home wifi.

It works absolutely perfectly for a range of devices with perfectly adequate speeds - I am really happy with it.

Like everyone I am now home working, and use a work laptop with VPN to access the work network.

By VPN, I do not mean setting up VPN on the router itself. I mean I access the work vpn service.

I have had a complete software rebuild on the laptop, it is 100% stock, the build is identical to all other laptops used by all other employees.

When using the work laptop over VPN, the Orbi completely limits my upload speeds to ~1mbps.

All other devices on the wifi are getting 150 to 300 mbps, no problem at all.

If any other devices do something highly upload intensive, then it is the VPN that suffers first.

I am currently running a 15m ethernet cable around the house from the orbi to the laptop.

This resolves all issues and connectivity is perfect. (But not quite the solution I was after from a mesh network!)

It is therefore not the amount of internet that I can recieve or an ISP throttling vpn issue.

Clearly there is a conflict with the Orbi wifi setup and the secure VPN.

This is what I would like to resolve.

Having scowered the community and knowledge base as best I could, I have copied someone's configuration recommendations to:

- static ip = yes

- enable VPN service = yes

This helped, and I moved from 1mbps to say 20mbps.

But it is still rock bottom, and the VPN still takes the hit first as soon as any other device is using a moderate amount of upload capacity.

My Question:

a) Has anyone else encountered similar VPN + orbi  upload throttling?

b) Does anyone have any good configuration recommendations to resolve this issue?

     Or other workarounds?

The ethernet cable works.

Not ideal, but perhaps plugging another cheap standard router, that is known to play nicely with the vpn, into the back of the orbi could be an option?

[CrimpOn]

Perhaps it would be useful to explore a couple of things.

Most ISPs provide asymettrical speeds.  Speedtest shows mine, for example as 200+ download/12 upload. I cannot upload at 20mb.  The obvious reasons are (a) that most customers "download" FAR more than they upload, and (b) that ISP's would rather customers that are "hosting" pay higher prices.

What does Speedtest show for your service? (Run over ethernet connection and then over WiFi connection).

Since the VPN performs correctly when connected with ethernet, it might be worth looking at the laptop WiFi.  When connected to Orbi over WiFi, what "link rate" is achieved?  (The Orbi "app" shows link rate for each device. This is the one thing that the app does better than the web interface.)

Do not see that static IP vs. DHCP can make any difference.

Do not understand "enable VPN service = yes".

[00chris00]

This is a test. 

[00chris00]

@CrimpOn    test 2

[00chris00]

Hello @CrimpOn , thank you for your reply. 

My apologies, I replied straight away, but now when I look that reply is not there. 

Clearly user error. But I put a lot of time into that reply. This is Attempt 6. (shall try and split the message into smaller chunks)

Good idea re the speed test. I had been quite loose with my terminology, and was in fact referring to link rate. 

[00chris00]

Ok.. attempt 9. Still not letting me post. 

Skipping any possible numbers or tables.

Other devices have download of 35 to 40 Mbps, and upload of 8 Mbps. ping around 30ms.

Work laptop over VPN but wired has: download of 25 to 33 Mbps, upload of 8 and ping of 43ms consistently.

Work laptop over VPN but wifi has: download of 5 to 10 Mbps, upload of 1Mbps and ping of 57 ms.

[00chris00]

Looks like my reply remains posted if I strip out any attempt at making it long or having too many numbers in it.

Link Rates:

Link rates taken from the app under device manager.

For the majority of devices i get link rates of 50 to 400 Mbps.

[I have them all listed, but it won't let my posts get through with that information.]

For my work laptop over VPN and on the orbi wifi, since the configuration setting changes, I now get link rates within that range.

Prior to the configuration setting changes, I was getting link rates of 1 to 3 Mbps.

[00chris00]

Configuration Settings

I really do not know what I am doing here, and could not explain why or if any of the changes made have had any effect.

I made them as a desperate attempt, knowing that I could always revert back to factory settings if need be.

I did:

- set Static IP (I think this was a mandatory pre requisite for the following setting)

  under internet setup  > advanced

- Advanced > Advanced Setup > VPN Service     "Enable VPN Service"

- Advanced Setup > UPnP  off

The effect of these changes was to make the link rate appear better in the app, but ultimately they didn't fix the whole problem. 

[00chris00]

Thank you, that's everything from me, hopefully that answers your questions.

Sorry for the broken up replies.

i am very grateful for any configuration (or other) recommendations you might have to resolve my predicament.