Increase lan speed with AI-Mesh

[no_brakes]

I run an Asus Ai-mesh network, with the latest firmware on nodes and main router.

My AImesh nodes are connected with ethernet cables, in a Gbit network.

If I connect my NAS as the picture show, I get 60-70 Mbyte/sec between NAS and Plex media pc. If I connect the NAS directly to the main router i get full speed, est. 105 Mbyte/sec. I have replaced cables etc, and it seems pretty clear that it is the AI-node that reduces the speed. WHY? Is it the AI-mesh system that slows down the traffic? Is there any settings to fix this. 25% decrease in network speed on my LAN is quite big.

Is there a setting in LAN config that will optimize this? Any thoughts why the speed decreases?

If needed I will change my node to wire AP instead, and see if that helps, then I know for sure if it is Ai-mesh or actually the router. But I dont really see that the router itself should be the issue.

 

[drinkingbird]

I run an Asus Ai-mesh network, with the latest firmware on nodes and main router.

My AImesh nodes are connected with ethernet cables, in a Gbit network.

If I connect my NAS as the picture show, I get 60-70 Mbyte/sec between NAS and Plex media pc. If I connect the NAS directly to the main router i get full speed, est. 105 Mbyte/sec. I have replaced cables etc, and it seems pretty clear that it is the AI-node that reduces the speed. WHY? Is it the AI-mesh system that slows down the traffic? Is there any settings to fix this. 25% decrease in network speed on my LAN is quite big.

Is there a setting in LAN config that will optimize this? Any thoughts why the speed decreases?

If needed I will change my node to wire AP instead, and see if that helps, then I know for sure if it is Ai-mesh or actually the router. But I dont really see that the router itself should be the issue.

Try moving the uplink to the LAN port instead of WAN. But keep in mind with daisy chained switches the second will never be as fast as the first, shouldn't be that big of a difference though.

Only setting that might help is jumbo frames, maybe it is enabled on the main but not the node?

 

[no_brakes]

Thx for input!
As I have understood, Ai-mesh backhaul is connected this way, it does not work otherwise. Main router LAN port goes into WAN port of the AI-mesh-node.

I will try jumbo frames!

 

[no_brakes]

Just saw that my drawing is not correct
Attach, corrected version 1.0

 

[drabisan]

For Plex 60MBps should be more than enough.
What if you copy a large file from NAS to PC, over SMB?
67U is a pretty old model. Like EoL by now. Maybe a full line rate is a bit too much.

 

[no_brakes]

If I copy a file in this network topology, I get about 55-60MB/s from the NAS to PC, about 70-75MB/s in other direction.
If I connect NAS to main router, so PC and NAS use same router, I get about 80-85 from NAS to PC, and 105-108MB/s in other direction.
Could be that 67U can not handle the speed, but even a 10 year of gbit switch (almost for free), should be able to handle full network speed. Seems as I need to make 67U into AP node instead, and test and see if its the "ai-mesh system" that slows down the router

 

[drabisan]

A switch is just a switch and technology to reach 1G didn't change at all in the past 20+ years.
But a router can be overloaded.
I don't know of a way to check CPU load on AiMesh node (but I cannot say I digged enough), ssh to the node and use top to see how loaded your node is when you don't do any traffic and when you're doing as much traffic as possible.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Make sure the wireless backhauls are disabled (Ethernet Backhaul Mode enabled) and the wired backhauls are 1GbE connections.

OE

 

[Smokindog]

Test that physical link with another pair of devices. Do the test device to device, no switches or routers and use the cables you currently use to connect the routers.

Just because you get an "electrical connection" of 1Gb doesn't mean you get a data throughput of 1Gb. One of the most classic examples shows up using a CAT5 cable. Although it many times is no issue, it can be limiting based on length and/or quality. You'll still see a 1Gb indicator (electrical) but bandwidth may be reduced.

 

[ColinTaylor]

67U is a pretty old model. Like EoL by now. Maybe a full line rate is a bit too much.

As far as I know the RT-AC67U is just a marketing name for a 2-pack of the RT-AC66U_B1. So in theory it should be capable enough.

 

[Tech9]

This hardware has a history of lower LAN throughput in AiMesh configuration:

RT-AC68U as AiMesh node cuts half LAN speed

Hi All. I have two devices AiMesh setup with stock firmware (upgraded to the latest version) - AX88U as the main router and AC68U as a node. There is wired connection between them. The device connected to the main router shows ~920 Mbits/sec in iperf3 test. The same device connected to the node...

www.snbforums.com

My suggestions:

- wired AiMesh LAN-LAN port experiment... if it works (never tried, but may work; AiMesh node is an AP when wired)
- routers in AP Mode with LAN-LAN connection (I've noticed lower throughput when WAN port is used, on multiple routers)