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Got 3 GB connected, but very weird issue with 2.5GB ethernet download speed.

maxsquared

Casual Member
Hi all,

I've upgraded to 3 GB last Wednesday, every since I am starting to get this weird issue with 2.5 GB ethernet download speed, not sure anyone have faced the similar issue or is there anything I can do to make it work.

I've tried a Belkin ethernet adapter and a Plugable ethernet adapter, both 2.5 GB, and both exhibit the same issue, and here are the issues:

I can get full 2.5 gb upload speed fine, but download speed, it seems capped at 500mbps. I've tried thinkbroadband.com/download, MS Office download and Windows download, all have the same issue.

Now here is the weird thing, when I use wifi 6e on my MacBook, I can get full 1.5 gb download and upload
As well as if I plug my ethernet to a gigabit switch, I can get the full 1 gb speed both download and upload..... The download speed with the gigabit switch is faster than with a 2.5 gb port. What's more bizarre is that I can get full speed with speedtest.net and fast.com speed test with the 2.5 adapter

To eliminate it's not my network gear, I've directly connected to the router, even tried the modem, all the same....

Called Community Fibre a few times, and they said it could my 2.5 gb adapter, but it doesn't make much sense, because these adapter are all widely and well used and the chipset is the most common chipset that's out there.... And also, why would speedtest website getting full speed?

Anyone has any experience or knowledge in networking? Would be able to share some lights that anything I can try or do?
 
What is your network setup? Give details. Wifi6E is the supplied router?
ifconfig on the Mac with the Eth attached?
 
What is your network setup? Give details. Wifi6E is the supplied router?
ifconfig on the Mac with the Eth attached?
I am running an Eero Max 7, wifi on technicolor is just too slow. But as I mention to eliminate my own network I've tried to connect to the modem directly with my MacBook, and it's the same result.

Edit: BTW in terms of ifconfig, is it safe to post MAC address and IPv6 address online?
 
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Can you please post:

  1. Full model and specs of your MacBook
  2. Full model Belkin ethernet adapter and other Plugable ethernet adapter
  3. What specific port do you use when you plug your ethernet adapters?
  4. Have you tested with a desktop PC using a built-in 2.5 Gbe port or a PCI-E 10Gb network adapter?
  5. Try with this Anker 2.5Gb Type C network adapter which I know for a fact that can achieve the claimed speeds on my MacBoo Pro M1 Max: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B097N5WJY9/
  6. Please repeat all your tests using the Desktop speedtest App rather than your browser and post back results. Browsers always add overhead
  7. If you have any other multi-gigabit devices perform tests internally in your network using https://iperf.fr/ to confirm you can route that traffic locally. It's very easy to setup, you run one as the server and the other as the client and test.
My gut feel is that your hardware is not able to push enough data.
 
@maxsquared are you sure you are using a USB3 port? Those smell like USB2 speeds.
Also check the duplex settings for the network interface, they should be at the full advertised speeds and full-duplex. If they are on "autonegotiaton on" then try to force it to 2.5 Gbps if you see the option.
 
Can you please post:

  1. Full model and specs of your MacBook
  2. Full model Belkin ethernet adapter and other Plugable ethernet adapter
  3. What specific port do you use when you plug your ethernet adapters?
  4. Have you tested with a desktop PC using a built-in 2.5 Gbe port or a PCI-E 10Gb network adapter?
  5. Try with this Anker 2.5Gb Type C network adapter which I know for a fact that can achieve the claimed speeds on my MacBoo Pro M1 Max: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B097N5WJY9/
  6. Please repeat all your tests using the Desktop speedtest App rather than your browser and post back results. Browsers always add overhead
  7. If you have any other multi-gigabit devices perform tests internally in your network using https://iperf.fr/ to confirm you can route that traffic locally. It's very easy to setup, you run one as the server and the other as the client and test.
My gut feel is that your hardware is not able to push enough data.
Here is my setup
1. Two MacBooks: MacBook Pro 14 M1 Pro; MacBook Pro 14 M2 Pro, also tested wifi 6e wifi with
2. Plugable: Plugable 2.5G USB C and USB to Ethernet Adapter here and Belkin: Belkin USB Type C to 2.5 Gb Ethernet Adapter here
3. Initial through a port at back of my studio display then tried directly to the port on my MacBook. The router side, I've tired though a QNAP switch, then directly to the Eero, then directly to modem.
4. I don't have any other/windows computer unfortunately, so won't be able to test it.
5. AFAIK, the Anker one use the same Realtek chip as the Belkin and Plugable.
6. Speedtest itself works fine on both apps and browser, only when downloading from a website - Windows 11, Office 365, Xcode, Thinkbroadband download and etc. That's why this is super weird.
7. I will try that thank you.

Ye, I may try a iperf, hopefully this could eliminate the incompatibility of the adapter. But ye, feels like if 1 GB is stable, and 3 GB is slow for downloading, then may as well I just revert back.
 
@maxsquared are you sure you are using a USB3 port? Those smell like USB2 speeds.
Also check the duplex settings for the network interface, they should be at the full advertised speeds and full-duplex. If they are on "autonegotiaton on" then try to force it to 2.5 Gbps if you see the option.
USB 3.0 for sure, as shown in upload speed, Mac automatically recognise it as 2.5 GB, then I tried to force the 2.5 GB manually, however, it doesn't stick with the change.
 
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6. Speedtest itself works fine on both apps and browser, only when downloading from a website - Windows 11, Office 365, Xcode, Thinkbroadband download and etc. That's why this is super weird.
So when you go to speedtest.net you get 3Gb but when you do anything else you only get 500Mb? - If that's correct it would indicate something outside of your home and something further up the chain on Community Fibres side.

Did you try other speedtest servers from the selector to test outside of Community Fibres own network? (as I believe they host a speedtest node and it will be recommended by default when running the speed test).
 
Here is my setup
1. Two MacBooks: MacBook Pro 14 M1 Pro; MacBook Pro 14 M2 Pro, also tested wifi 6e wifi with
2. Plugable: Plugable 2.5G USB C and USB to Ethernet Adapter here and Belkin: Belkin USB Type C to 2.5 Gb Ethernet Adapter here
3. Initial through a port at back of my studio display then tried directly to the port on my MacBook. The router side, I've tired though a QNAP switch, then directly to the Eero, then directly to modem.
4. I don't have any other/windows computer unfortunately, so won't be able to test it.
5. AFAIK, the Anker one use the same Realtek chip as the Belkin and Plugable.
6. Speedtest itself works fine on both apps and browser, only when downloading from a website - Windows 11, Office 365, Xcode, Thinkbroadband download and etc. That's why this is super weird.
7. I will try that thank you.

Ye, I may try a iperf, hopefully this could eliminate the incompatibility of the adapter. But ye, feels like if 1 GB is stable, and 3 GB is slow for downloading, then may as well I just revert back.
Ye it couldn't have been the USB adapter, and the reverse is the same, both the Plugable and Belkin on each side:
SCR-20240112-rorg.webp
 
So when you go to speedtest.net you get 3Gb but when you do anything else you only get 500Mb? - If that's correct it would indicate something outside of your home and something further up the chain on Community Fibres side.

Did you try other speedtest servers from the selector to test outside of Community Fibres own network? (as I believe they host a speedtest node and it will be recommended by default when running the speed test).
That is correct.... And also what's weird is that both WiFi 6e and connection via 1 GbE switch can achieve the highest speed.

Ye I've tried fast.com and I can get max speed on that too
 
For reference, this is on wifi and 1 gb switch:
1705090894037.webp


And this one is via 2.5 adapter:
1705090927078.webp


It would be good to know if everyone else can achieve full speed when downloading as well.
 
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I have the same macbooks and the plugable ethernet. Ill do it in the morning.
i never had a problem with this 2.5g.

apple os updates push the line to the limit for you? Not app store updates.
Glad to hear I think I may have to call up CF.

Haven’t had Apple OS update just yet.

On a separate note. I’ve hit a full speed on one of the 1 gb downloads on port 8080. Then it never happened again.

Ordered a new fibre cable and will see if it’s that tomorrow. But still if I can hit speed test full speed I don’t understand why download is capped.
 
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I have re-read all your posts and I am starting to think there is nothing wrong in your setup. Initially you may have caused some performance issues connecting your adapters via the studio display but I see that all your speed tests look normal now. With regards to some downloads only hitting 500mb that's generally expected. Most websites limit how much download bandwidth a single connection can use and even how many concurrent connections are allowed (typically 3). Unless you know for sure the website/service you are consuming data from actually supports speeds over gigabit, which most don't, then you shouldn't expect a single source to be able to maximise your 3Gb connection. I am afraid that if you were expecting to improve download speeds by jumping from 1Gb to 3Gb you are going to be dissapointed as not many things out there can use the extra bandwidth. There are however several things that will benefit from multi-gigabit speeds like Cloud backup services, uploading/downloading data from the Cloud or Cloud hosted websites and any sort of services which already can handle very large files at speed (Steam being one I can mention). Busy households can also greatly benefit from multi-gigabit speeds as they can almost guarantee that no single device/user can saturate the internet connection (ie little Jonny getting the last Fortnite update makes your Zoom session choppy)

In other words you got to have certain use cases to be able to take advantage of your 3Gb speed. Having said that and like I covered in my multi-gigabit deniers thread you and only you know what's best for you so I am not going to start saying what you should and shouldn't get.

PS: One thing you shoudl consider if you are thinking in downgrading from 3Gb to 1Gb is that the 1Gb plan doesn't come with a public IPv4 IP anymore and uses CGNAT. Aside from the fact that CGNAT restricts what you can do with your internet connection (which may not be a problem for you) this in turn adds a little bit of latency to your connection and another failure point. A few months ago there was a connectivity issue with CF which only affected CGNAT customers. So you will need to factor this into your considerations.
 
I have re-read all your posts and I am starting to think there is nothing wrong in your setup. Initially you may have caused some performance issues connecting your adapters via the studio display but I see that all your speed tests look normal now. With regards to some downloads only hitting 500mb that's generally expected. Most websites limit how much download bandwidth a single connection can use and even how many concurrent connections are allowed (typically 3). Unless you know for sure the website/service you are consuming data from actually supports speeds over gigabit, which most don't, then you shouldn't expect a single source to be able to maximise your 3Gb connection. I am afraid that if you were expecting to improve download speeds by jumping from 1Gb to 3Gb you are going to be dissapointed as not many things out there can use the extra bandwidth. There are however several things that will benefit from multi-gigabit speeds like Cloud backup services, uploading/downloading data from the Cloud or Cloud hosted websites and any sort of services which already can handle very large files at speed (Steam being one I can mention). Busy households can also greatly benefit from multi-gigabit speeds as they can almost guarantee that no single device/user can saturate the internet connection (ie little Jonny getting the last Fortnite update makes your Zoom session choppy)

In other words you got to have certain use cases to be able to take advantage of your 3Gb speed. Having said that and like I covered in my multi-gigabit deniers thread you and only you know what's best for you so I am not going to start saying what you should and shouldn't get.

PS: One thing you shoudl consider if you are thinking in downgrading from 3Gb to 1Gb is that the 1Gb plan doesn't come with a public IPv4 IP anymore and uses CGNAT. Aside from the fact that CGNAT restricts what you can do with your internet connection (which may not be a problem for you) this in turn adds a little bit of latency to your connection and another failure point. A few months ago there was a connectivity issue with CF which only affected CGNAT customers. So you will need to factor this into your considerations.

Appreciate for reading all my comments and the input.

That was in one of my hypothesis as well that websites limit the bandwidth.... But only thing that doesn't explain why would WiFi speed nearly triple my ethernet speed and why gigabit speed doubles my ethernet speed.... And it's like this every time. Someone on Reddit on their 3 gb connection tested think broadband file download and hitting 3 gb every time as well, so there must be an explanation.... I don't really need 3 gb tbh, it's for me to fiddle about, even the 3gb downloads 1 gb speed on certain site, it wouldn't bother me, but what bugs me now is that it's actually slower download than 1 gb.

For CGNAT, is there a way to test this? My IP address in terms of public and WAN never changed since the update, and before the update, my WAN address and public IP were the same, I wonder if I've never got put on CGNAT, I mean I have been with CF for many many many years. Wonder if that's got anything to do with this.
 
For CGNAT, is there a way to test this? My IP address in terms of public and WAN never changed since the update, and before the update, my WAN address and public IP were the same, I wonder if I've never got put on CGNAT, I mean I have been with CF for many many many years. Wonder if that's got anything to do with this.
Ah that explains it. The 1Gb plan didn't have CGNAT until recently. So you avoided it that way. Now the only plan that doesn't include CGNAT is the 3Gb hence why you saw no change. Maybe if you downgrade back to 1Gb they might put you in CGNAT. To check whether you are in CGNAT simply compare the WAN IP address your router gets with the one you can find via Google and other sites when you search for "what's my IP address". If they are the same you are not in CGNAT. If you are in CGNAT your router WAN IP address will usually be in the 100.x.x.x address space.
 
I think Im with @GreenLantern22 on this.

I just tested your links. I have a tested 10gbit internal net and the best speed I usually see are not full 3gb.
"Your links": 1Gbyte File port 80: 235mbyte/s. Win11ISO: 140-220mbyte/s
(The speeds above are with both 2.5-USB-Eth and full 10Gbit Eth)
My experience:
Google DCs 100mbyte upload and 150mbyte down.
MS DCs like OneDrive (corporate): 200mbyte max.
Apple APPSTORE update (NOT OS): 150-180mbyte/s
Apple OS update: full.. 300++mbyte/s
Steam Games (tested the free Warzone on Windows PC): 250ish mbyte/s.

Regarding wifi vs eth speed difference: Im not up to date with the TCP/WIFI specs but maybe its some "pacing" issue? wifi slows down the pacing or something and the server is sending more data?
 
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