High LAN performance, yet limited internet bandwidth.
High LAN performance, yet limited internet bandwidth.
You have multiple devices connected to your router, but only one is receiving the full 940Mbps connection. The newer machine shows speeds up to 940Mbps in tests, while the older one averages around 330Mbps. The differences seem linked to hardware and configuration issues rather than just cable swapping or adapter changes. It’s possible factors like network congestion, firewall settings, or outdated drivers are affecting performance. Checking for bandwidth limits, updating firmware, and ensuring proper routing might help clarify what’s limiting your connection.
Checking your setup for speed tests. Provide details about your network hardware and the older computer's specs.
The CPU utilization on the A8 PC during that test was interesting—sometimes it becomes the limiting factor.
940Mbps fits well with gigabit connections. The AT&T Fiber posts I see usually offer around 960 Mbps for their fiber service. Comcast using coaxial cable typically provides speeds in the high 800s to mid 900s. Remember, your router must handle NAT, which consumes CPU resources and can lead to marginally slower performance. For older computers, I’m not entirely certain, but you’re definitely seeing full speeds on at least one device. Local transfers won’t need to go through NAT since they pass directly through the router’s built-in switch. This means you can achieve maximum speeds, though hardware such as hard drives can still impact performance—your computer might slow down while waiting to write data to the disk, which explains why you’re only getting 112 MB/s instead of the expected 125 MB/s for Gigabit Ethernet.
The setup is limited to wired connections with no WiFi devices. The Netgear Nighthawk X6 AC3200 is currently the slower machine, though cables were changed without improving speeds. The system appears to be an older Optiplex from around 2012, possibly an Optiplex JASLION model. CPU utilization reaches 50-60%, suggesting heavy load. It seems the slowdown might stem from the hardware itself rather than network configuration. I also ran safe mode with networking on the slower machine, which still capped at 330Mbps. It’s possible the Gigabit adapter was intended only for local transfers, not high-speed internet.