Poor Wifi Speeds when connected communicating on LAN

CTU
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Poor Wifi Speeds when connected communicating on LAN

Hi

 

I have a current setup that includes MS425 (stacks), M225 (stacks) and MR36 WAPs, as well as a Windows Cluster, Windows Server, and standalone servers. Connections between servers are either LACP/Team (2 x 10Gb), or individual RJ45 (1 x 1GB).  Stacks are done via stacking cables, with LACP links to other stacks (eg 3 x 10Gb copper SFP connections)

 

When on RJ45 connected LAN, we have good performance, but as soon as we go wireless, we are getting very poor transfer speeds (this is particularly noticeable on file access to windows servers, but does seem to affect other things - eg Group policy, DNS, Pings - one thing we don't get complaints over is internet speed).

 

As an example, transferring a 300Gb file from LAN -> Wifi, will give us a transfer rate of 2/3 Mb a sec.  

 

Transfering the same file, from LAN to LAN will get us 100Mb+ speeds.This is similar when using Client > LAN > Virtual Server, Client > LAN >Clustered Physical Server (LACP), Client > LAN > Stand alone server (Single Connection).

 

If I do two file transfers from Wifi -> Wifi on the same AP (for example a laptop to laptop) then it's around 30Mb a sec (which is what I would expect).

 

As soon as the Laptops are on different APs (even though connected to the same switch) then the rate falls to 2/3Mb a sec.

 

I've turned off meshing, I've had Meraki look at config (and recommended a firmware update as well as increasing the base speed to ignore wireless B), I've created Access policies with unrestricted (instead of normal), Fixed IP addresses, access via IP rather than  DNS names.

 

Basically, it's quicker to download a file from SharePoint, than it is to access a local server and download the same file.

 

 

20 REPLIES 20
PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Try setting the WiFi power saving scheme to maximum performance.

powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa-5279-450e-9fac-8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6-58d6-4636-95bb-3217ef867c1a 0
powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa-5279-450e-9fac-8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6-58d6-4636-95bb-3217ef867c1a 0
CTU
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powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa-5279-450e-9fac-8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6-58d6-4636-95bb-3217ef867c1a 0
powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa-5279-450e-9fac-8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6-58d6-4636-95bb-3217ef867c1a 0

I have tried this, and this has no effect.

 

My Laptop (that I have tried this on) works fine at other sites.

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Does Wireless health have anything to say?

 

Are you using 5Ghz (I would disable 2.4Ghz altogether)?

 

Have you increased the minimum bit rate to 12Mb/s for the SSID (or WiFi in general)?

 

Is your AP deployment dense?  If so, use 20Mhz for your channel width.

PhilipDAth
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Kind of a big deal

Have you updated the WiFi driver on your machines?

CTU
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Have you updated the WiFi driver on your machines?

 

Wifi drivers are as up to date as can be - either manufacturer (usually dell) or via direct downloads from driver websites (eg intel).  The same Laptops do not have the same issues at other sites.

 

Are you using 5Ghz (I would disable 2.4Ghz altogether)?

 

Some devices need a further range of 2.4ghz - we have tried Per SSID 2.4 o 5 config (to see if it one or the other).  Band steering is off on all SSIDs.

 

Is your AP deployment dense?  If so, use 20Mhz for your channel width.

 

Channel width is set to 20

 

 > Have you increased the minimum bit rate to 12Mb/s for the SSID (or WiFi in general)?

 

Minimum Bitrate is 12 - 54 (802.11b is not supported)

 

ww
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Ssid  is in bridge mode?

How did you test speed between 2 clients on 2 aps?

Are you able to test wifi to lan with iper3?

And clients on Wifiap1 to wifiap2 with iperf3

CTU
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I've tried SSIDs in bridge & not bridge mode.

 

Iperf3 has been used, but I didn't record specific data

 

1) Client 1 on Wifi AP1, Clien2 on Wifi AP1 (eg both connected to the same WAP) = Good Speeds (eg 30Mb +)

2) Different Aps (so WAP1 > LAN > WAP2) slow speeds (8Mb at most)

3) Wifi to LAN = Slow speeds (8Mb at most)

 

General "internet" speeds are good, but it may be that the slower internet is expected by users (eg Teams works fine on wireless)

ww
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

What speed do you get from client to ap using local ap page: ap.meraki.com

 

What speed give that same ap on the dashboard using dashbord throughput  test at live tools

 

CTU
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ap.meraki.com - usually gives 25-30.

 

(I've replaced a Rukus system that was quite old, which didn't seem to have these issues - it may be that these issues  were there but we just blamed it on "old & poor wifi")

CTU
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Dashboard through put says "test failed" on same AP.

ww
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Can you try again.

And what about other ap also failing test?

The ap switchport is set to link negotiation: auto?

CTU
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"test Failed" is happening on Switches, + other WAPs.  This  I think is a recent issue, as we've had slow access since July (we investigated many other things before the Wifi as we assumed the issue was server-related -a the one thing we've never had issues with is Meraki Wi-Fi!).  

 

The link is set as :

 

Link negotiationAuto negotiate (1 Gbps)
CTU
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Hi,

 

I've put some comaprisons together - Server Internal Copy, Server to Server over LAN, Laptop to Server over LAN, and finally Laptop to Server over Wifi.

 

WFWIL-CLHV02 (server)
1) File transfer speed (Hard Drive copy)

     1.3GB sec

 

WFWIL-CLHV02 to WFWIL-CLHV03 (Server to Server) (On core stack 1)
(Both servers with 2 x 40Gb links, LACP across 2 x switches in 3 switch stack)

1) File Transfer Speed
500MB a sec
2) iperf 3 Transfer
0.00-10.00 sec 4.62 GBytes 3.97 Gbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 4.62 GBytes 3.97 Gbits/sec receiver

 

BKCCTU to WFWIL-CLHV03 (laptop to server via LAN)

(1Gb Cat6e to Core stack 2 ( 2 x 10Gb) to Coretsack 1)
1) File Transfer speed
90MB a sec (should we expect higher, I think on a 1Gb link this is about right)

2) iperf 3
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 708 MBytes 594 Mbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 708 MBytes 594 Mbits/sec receiver

 

BKCCTU to WFWIL-CLHV03 - (laptop to server via Wifi, only device connected to AP)

(Meraki MR36 to CoreStack 2 (2 x 10Gb) to Core Stack 1)

1) File Transfer
5.76 MB sec

2) [ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 4] 0.00-10.01 sec 41.2 MBytes 34.6 Mbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.01 sec 41.1 MBytes 34.5 Mbits/sec receiver

ww
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

5.76 MB is around 45 Mbit

While testing 

What output do you get at cmd > netsh wlan show interfaces

 

You client is 1x1 or 2x2, on 2.4ghz?

CTU
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I'm not on that site at present, and I didn't record  details of the wifi connection.

 

This is the same laptop at a different site (connecting to older equipment - the comparison isn't exactly the same) which is what I would more expect to get.

 

ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 70.6 MBytes 59.2 Mbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 70.5 MBytes 59.1 Mbits/sec receiver

 

 

CTU
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Netsh Output :

 

Name : WiFi
Description : Qualcomm QCA61x4A 802.11ac Wireless Adapter
GUID : 
Physical address : 
State : connected
SSID : 
BSSID : 
Network type : Infrastructure
Radio type : 802.11ac
Authentication : WPA2-Personal
Cipher : CCMP
Connection mode : Profile
Channel : 100
Receive rate (Mbps) : 173.3
Transmit rate (Mbps) : 173.3
Signal : 98%
Profile : 

 

BandChannelModeMax bitrate

5 GHz
100 (20 MHz wide)
802.11ac

 


[ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 4] 0.00-1.00 sec 5.12 MBytes 42.8 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 1.00-2.01 sec 5.00 MBytes 41.9 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 2.01-3.01 sec 5.38 MBytes 45.0 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 3.01-4.00 sec 4.88 MBytes 41.1 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 4.00-5.01 sec 4.38 MBytes 36.3 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 5.01-6.00 sec 4.88 MBytes 41.4 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 6.00-7.00 sec 5.12 MBytes 43.1 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 7.00-8.01 sec 5.50 MBytes 45.9 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 8.01-9.00 sec 6.25 MBytes 52.5 Mbits/sec
[ 4] 9.00-10.01 sec 6.25 MBytes 52.3 Mbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 4] 0.00-10.01 sec 52.8 MBytes 44.2 Mbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.01 sec 52.6 MBytes 44.1 Mbits/sec receiver

iperf Done.

ww
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Thats 2x2. My test was around 110Mbit at 2x2 20mhz. but dont remember if i used multiple streams.

 

Do you get higher speeds using:

iperf3 -c x.x.x.x -P 3 

 

Or 

iperf3 -c x.x.x.x -R -w 256M

CTU
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I've treid these two items - I don't know if they are faster or not?

 

iperf3 -c x.x.x.x -P 3 

 

 

[ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 4] 0.00-10.01 sec 28.4 MBytes 23.8 Mbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.01 sec 28.2 MBytes 23.6 Mbits/sec receiver
[ 6] 0.00-10.01 sec 28.4 MBytes 23.8 Mbits/sec sender
[ 6] 0.00-10.01 sec 28.2 MBytes 23.6 Mbits/sec receiver
[ 8] 0.00-10.01 sec 28.1 MBytes 23.6 Mbits/sec sender
[ 8] 0.00-10.01 sec 27.9 MBytes 23.4 Mbits/sec receiver
[SUM] 0.00-10.01 sec 84.9 MBytes 71.1 Mbits/sec sender
[SUM] 0.00-10.01 sec 84.4 MBytes 70.7 Mbits/sec receiver

 

Or 

iperf3 -c x.x.x.x -R -w 256M

 

[ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 49.0 MBytes 41.1 Mbits/sec sender
[ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 49.0 MBytes 41.1 Mbits/sec receiver

 

CTU
Comes here often

I've been responding with the results from the client for these - I've only just looked but this is a bit strange, is this expected on the server-side?  (it seems to report correctly on the client side)

 

[ 5] 0.00-10.03 sec 0.00 Bytes 0.00 bits/sec sender
[ 5] 0.00-10.03 sec 29.6 MBytes 24.7 Mbits/sec receiver
[ 7] 0.00-10.03 sec 0.00 Bytes 0.00 bits/sec sender
[ 7] 0.00-10.03 sec 29.3 MBytes 24.5 Mbits/sec receiver
[ 9] 0.00-10.03 sec 0.00 Bytes 0.00 bits/sec sender
[ 9] 0.00-10.03 sec 29.9 MBytes 25.1 Mbits/sec receiver
[SUM] 0.00-10.03 sec 0.00 Bytes 0.00 bits/sec sender
[SUM] 0.00-10.03 sec 88.8 MBytes 74.3 Mbits/sec receiver

CTU
Comes here often

I'll answer my own question with a quick google search ...

 

"For various reasons having to do with the ordering of messages on iperf3's control channel, the server cannot print summary statistics from the client side. This is a known issue (there are various issues in the iperf3 issue tracker around this problem such as #560 and #314). It's not particularly easy to fix because a solution to this problem would involve changing the ordering or semantics of iperf3's control messages which, unfortunately, aren't particularly well documented. We (ESnet) would be happy to entertain possible fixes."

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