MX65W, what speed should I be getting?

[Pipeline]

Hi

I have a MX65W connected to a 1Gb Fiber Internet Service, I have a PC connected to port1 and when I do a Speed Test I am only getting around 250Mb, removing the MX65w and connecting straight into the ISP CPE I get +900Mb. 

Any advice on what to check would be very helpful. 

Cheers

[jdsilva]

MX65 topped out at 250Mbps, so you're right where you're supposed to be. 

https://documentation.meraki.com/MX/MX_Overviews_and_Specifications/MX64_and_MX65_Overview_and_Speci...

[Pipeline]

I thought that was only for the FW (and less for the VPN). It that the highest thought put possible for the MX65W?

[jdsilva]

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@Pipeline wrote:

It that the highest thought put possible for the MX65W?

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Yes.

[Pipeline]

Then why have a 1Gb Internet port?

[jdsilva]

Because the next smallest Ethernet port is 100Mb, and that's too small. 

[Pipeline]

I am not sure I follow, 

All the ports on the on the MX are 1GB 

[Pipeline]

Is there a way to fully disable the FW?

[BlakeRichardson · Accepted solution]

@Pipeline wired ethernet ports come in 10Mb, 100Mb, 1Gb and 10Gb speeds. The MX65 has a maximum throughput of 250Mbps which is why the port is a 1Gb port. The 250Mbps is a hardware limitation there is no way around this.

If you want faster speeds you need a higher model MX.

https://meraki.cisco.com/lib/pdf/meraki_whitepaper_mx_sizing_guide.pdf

[CptnCrnch]

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@Pipeline wrote:

Is there a way to fully disable the FW?

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Just don't use the WAN ports. Your MX will be a (good looking) switch then 😉

[Pipeline]

Not withstanding the excellent humor, I am getting the sense from the feedback that the midrange MX products are not fit for purpose for clients with 1Gb Wan circuits. 

[jdsilva]

@Pipeline You need to adjust your expectations. No where ever has Meraki claimed its lower end MX models can handle 1Gbps, this was your own unreasonable expectation. Further, proper sizing would show that the MX65 is spec'd for 50 clients, and 1Gbps is utter overkill for 50 clients in all but the most exceptional corner cases. What you should be doing is sizing your internet throughput to the actual needs of your users, and then looking to the correct size MX. Your approach of sizing the MX to the throughput you just happen to have is wasteful financially to your organization both in your costs to your ISP and in the costs you pay for hardware.

[Pipeline]

@jdsilva 

Our clients are in a FTTH rich area and 1GB circuit cost in on par with lower speed cable offering, so 1Gb services, it make good sense for our clients. 

Cisco need a small Branch access router that can keep up with ISP service capabilities not the other way around. 

The my statement remains appropriate,  small branch MX products are not fit for purpose for clients with 1Gb WAN circuits. 

[jdsilva]

MX65 is not midrange. It's the smallest MX Meraki makes. 

[Pipeline]

I do apologize @jdsilva I will go back and edit that. 

[Pipeline]

@jdsilva changed to reflect Cisco's marketing - "small branch"

[cmr]

@Pipeline the MX65 is from a pre FTTH era and was discontinued about a year and a half ago.  The replacement MX68 is a bit better managing 450Mbps, but obviously still not 1Gbps.

I agree that low end devices certified for faster circuits are needed, but personally for our corporate sites, it would be a nice to have as we usually overrun the user counts long before the bandwidth limits.  Even for home users we've found almost none where the 50Mb limit of the Z3 is a problem.

There are plenty of other areas where I would prefer the developers focused, hardware wise more than 2WANs would be my No.1 for MXs and an MS350-8P would be great for switches.

[Pipeline]

@cmr 

I think there are several Meraki Customer Councils at Cisco in which they collate feature requests and roadmap them. If your dedicated to Meraki then your Rep should be able to get you an invite. 

Until they have an affordable 1Gb Small Branch Router we will have look else where. 

[KarstenI]

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@cmr wrote:

There are plenty of other areas where I would prefer the developers focused, hardware wise more than 2WANs would be my No.1 for MXs and an MS350-8P would be great for switches.

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Oh, I join you in dreaming ...  🙂

[DarrenOC]

Hi @Pipeline , whilst you may feel frustrated that the device you have procured can’t handle a 1Gbps circuit those that endeavour to answer yours and others queries aren’t employees of Cisco or Meraki.  We’re engineers like yourself who give up a little bit of time to help others.

Please contact your Meraki AM or Cisco partner through which you purchased the device to air your concerns.

[Pipeline]

@DarrenOC I am appreciative of the feedback and the help in getting a resolution to the issue. There is no implied frustration on our part, we have discovered that small branch MX products are not fit for purpose for clients with 1Gb Wan circuits. 

Thats been helpful to our work. 

[KarstenI]

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@Pipeline wrote:

Is there a way to fully disable the FW?

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You could replace the device with a cross-over cable. Full gigabit speed and no firewall applied. 😉