Unbalanced wireless transfer speeds from HTPC to WHS/Xbox.

[jhatfie]

Could use some insight if anyone might be able to help me pinpoint a root cause for my issues.

Here is my setup:
Wired:
Motorola SB6121 Modem >> Asus RT-AC66U dual band AC router >> Trendnet Gigabit 4 port switch >> (Connected to both Windows 7 gaming rig, Ooma Telo and WHS).

Wireless:
5Ghz AC >> Linksys WUMC710 AC bridge >> HTPC
2.4Ghz Wireless N >> Xbox360, Laptop, Roku, Son's gaming rig, tablets, etc.

Problem 1:
Wireless transfer from HTPC to Windows Home Server peak at 10-11 MB/sec. Note that my WHS and my Win7 Gaming rig are both on the same physical switch, but the same exact wireless file transfer from my HTPC to Windows 7 gaming rig hits consistent 35-40 MB/sec, 4x faster. Wired transfer of same 4GB test file directly from gaming rig to WHS tops at around 100MB/sec so it is not a problem with the WHS writing to disk, defective port or wiring. So the question is, what could possibly be bottle-necking my file transfer from HTPC only to the Home Server?

Problem 2:
I use my Xbox 360 as a media center extender, using the onboard wireless it seems to throttle the stream from my HTPC to the point of it being not useable, however Netflix HD content, Hulu, streaming HD from Home server works perfect. Using the MC extender bandwidth test that is built it, the throughput becomes pathetic at like 100k/sec. Using a Trendnet Wireless N bridge and plugging into the Ethernet port on the Xbox360, the issue goes away, MC live TV streaming is then perfect. I know it should not be a bandwidth issue, I tested the network usage of streaming the live HD stream and it is only about 1-1.2MB/sec. Any idea why my HTPC does not seem to like working with the Xbox360 onboard wireless?

FYI - I have tested a Netgear R6300 with the same results as the Asus AC66U.

 

[thiggins]

Problem 1: How about trying a wired transfer from HTPC to WHS, i.e. get the wireless link out of the way?

Problem 2: I think I have seen in other threads that the built-in Xbox 360 wireless is single-stream N. But that still should provide high enough throughput.
My guess is there is some incompatibility between the draft 11ac wireless in the router and the older Xbox 360 adapter. Is the problem on 5 GHz or 2.4? Can you try switching bands?

 

[jhatfie]

Problem 1: How about trying a wired transfer from HTPC to WHS, i.e. get the wireless link out of the way?

Problem 2: I think I have seen in other threads that the built-in Xbox 360 wireless is single-stream N. But that still should provide high enough throughput.
My guess is there is some incompatibility between the draft 11ac wireless in the router and the older Xbox 360 adapter. Is the problem on 5 GHz or 2.4? Can you try switching bands?

1: I am actually going to try that next, just have to find a window when my wife is not recording some program to I can relocate it for a few minutes. Trust me, this feat is harder than it sounds, she records way too much TV.

2: Problem with the Xbox 360 is on 2.4Ghz. I am not able to test 5Ghz with the internal 360's wireless. The Wireless Bridge I am using as a work around is dual band, but both bands work perfect with it. Currently it is set to 2.4Ghz.

 

[thiggins]

Trust me, this feat is harder than it sounds, she records way too much TV.

That could be a clue right there. Are you running the transfer test while recording is going on? Contention for the drive could be knocking down filecopy rates.

 

[jhatfie]

That could be a clue right there. Are you running the transfer test while recording is going on? Contention for the drive could be knocking down filecopy rates.

Tests originally were performed when no recordings were going on that I recall and no one was streaming recordings. The test file was on my primary 240GB SSD, where the recordings are going to my 2TB storage drive. But either way, I tested transfers to my Windows 7 PC at the same time and they were hitting 35-40MB/sec while the same test file to my WHS was in the 10-11MB/sec range.

Another test I may try is to physically hook up my wifes laptop to the same Wireless AC bridge that the HTPC is connected to and attempt the same transfer to the Home server.

 

[thiggins]

Sorry I missed that in the earlier posts.

 

[jhatfie]

Well I had time from one test last night. Hooked up my wifes laptop to the same wireless bridge that the HTPC is connected to and proceeded to initiate the same file transfer to the Home Server. It was only able to hit about the same 10-11 MB/sec. I will next take the laptop and hook it up to the switch where the Home server and Windows 7 rig are connected and initiate the transfer from the HTPC to the laptop, to see what speeds I get. Will it be the 35-40MB/sec I see to my gaming rig or the 10-11MB/sec of my WHS. Should find out tonight.