Wired devices behind Google Wifi router are slow.

[Mordanthanus]

My Setup:  I have 4 Google Wifi pucks, one of them acting as the router, which is connected directly to my cable modem.  The router puck also has a cable coming out going to a 48 port 1GbE Cisco switch, which allows me to connect non-wifi devices to the internet.  

The issue:  I am only addressing speed issues with wired devices here.  I have tried rebooting and resetting the router puck, as well as changing it out with one of the other pucks and making it the router.  Google Home reports that I am getting 400-450Mbps speeds, which is what Spectrum is providing...  so I know that speeds into my network should be normal.  I have verified data transfer speeds between devices connected to the switch and all appears normal, my primary desktop being one of them.  Running a speedtest (speedtest.net) from my primary desktop gives me 98Mbs at best...  even with all other devices disconnected (PC connected directly to the wired port of the router puck).

Questions: Is Gen1 Google Wifi expected to be this slow with routing?  Is the LAN port on the puck Fast Ethernet as opposed to Gigabit Ethernet?  Is anyone else seeing this behavior?

[MichaelP]

Hello @Mordanthanus 

The LAN Ethernet port on Google WiFi supports gigabit Ethernet. Any time I see Ethernet speeds just under 100Mbps I immediately suspect cabling issues (with port issues a distant second). I would try replacing the Ethernet cable you're using to connect your switch to the Google WiFi LAN port. I would also consider trying to connect it to one of the other ports on the switch.

Beyond that, I suspect that switch is a smart/managed switch. So, you may want to check the management interface on it to see if there are any clues in there, including ensuring autonegotiation is enabled.

In addition, I know some Cisco switches can do some really strange things with spanning tree protocol that may disagree with how Google WiFi uses that. If you don't have any of your secondary Google WiFi pucks connected to the switch as well, this shouldn't be a problem. But, if any of those are wired into the switch, I can almost guarantee it will cause problems. If this is the issue, unfortunately, Cisco switches may be the most difficult to get working properly due to their own "unique" spin on what should be a standard spanning tree protocol implementation. Most smart/managed switches will work if you just disable STP, but some may also require not blocking STP packets when STP is otherwise disabled. From what I have heard, these steps don't work on Cisco switches. Can you try swapping out that switch for a simple unmanaged Ethernet switch? Even just a $20 5-port switch you can return would be worth a try as an experiment here.

[olavrb]

I've also read about people experiencing that CAT6a cables makes Nest Wifi jump down to fast ethernet/ 100mbps, where a CAT5e cable restored it's performance to gigabit. Worth trying.

[MichaelP]

That's a good thought, @olavrb – Cat6 cables are far stiffer than Cat5, and this could lead to some of the pins making insufficient contact in the tight space available underneath the Google WiFi unit.

[TurtleTG]

I just switched out all of my 5e to 6a. Are you saying this could be the reason to slow speeds all over my house? 

[olavrb]

I'd just try a 5e cable between Nest Wifi and the switch, just in case that "fixes" it.

[EdwardT]

Hi folks,

@olavrb and MichaelP, thanks for the help!

@TurtleTG and Mordanthanus, how's it going with your Google Wifi? Still need our help?

Thanks,

Edward

[TurtleTG]

Much better with the Cat5E. I thought all of my existing cables were only Cat5. Upon further inspections of the old cables, I was surprised they were all Cat5E. Really sped up the wired network. 

Thanks everyone for the support. 

[EdwardT]

Hi TurtleTG,

Thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear that you're getting better results with the new cables. Please observe it for now and let us know if anything comes up.

Thanks,

Edward

[EdwardT]

Hi TurtleTG,

I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any trouble from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,

Edward

[Jeff]

Hi everyone,

Just one quick final check in here since activity has slowed down. We'll be locking the thread in the next 24 hours, but if you still need help, I would be happy to keep it open. If there's more we can do, just let me know.

Thanks,
Jeff

[Mordanthanus]

Hello all,

Update on current status...  I disconnected the CAT6 cabling I ran from the router to the switch and ran a pre-made 100' Cat5e cable in its place.  I also replaced the pre-made  1' Cat6 cable from the cable modem to the router.  I didn't think this would make a difference...  and it didn't.  I ran CAT6 because of the extra shielding and higher speeds to start with.

If I remove everything from the network completely...  only the cable modem, router (puck), and my laptop.  Laptop connected wired to the puck.  Google Home reports 485Mb download, 22Mb upload.  Actual speeds at the laptop are 98Mb down and 20Mb up.  My laptop shows a 1GbE connection to the puck, but the actual throughput is crap.

[Mordanthanus]

Just to add, this is the same speeds I see on my desktop...  so it's not just my machine/drivers/voodoo/etc.  Also, rather than have to rebuild my entire network config, I used one of the satellite pucks and set it up as a temporary router.  So different pucks, different cables, and different machines all show this behavior.

I've considered changing to a different mesh product.  However, I am fully invested in the Google Home/Google Wifi infrastructure.  I have Home Minis in every room, all of my TVs work with Assistant, as well as my garage door and my Nest thermostats.  Initially, I thought I could control more of my Wifi functions via Assistant, but those features are still not available...  and I wonder if they ever will be.  But changing to a different mesh brand would require extensive work on my end to restructure the network.

[Griffsoswift]

Mordanthanus, Did you ever get your issue resolved? I am experiencing the same problem and have completed the same troubleshooting steps as you.

[KMF0823]

I am having a similar issue with wired devices (one iMac and one PC) slowing down. This was not the case previously. I had Spectrum out today and they did swap out the cable between the cable model and the Google Wi-Fi that I am using as the router. Speeds from the modem are in the 450-500 range. I have not changed anything on the setup.

With Speedtest I'm getting in the 90's on the wired devices (PC and iMac) With Wi-Fi when I am in close proximity to the router, I'm in the 450-500 range. I have Netgear swithces. Any advice?

[MichaelP]

Hello @KMF0823

As I mentioned below, any time I see wired devices performing in the high 90 megabits per second range, I suspect the cabling or Ethernet switch. Since your WiFi speeds are higher, the cable between your primary Google WiFi (router) and modem is fine, so I'd focus on the cable used to connect your switched network to the LAN port on the Google WiFi. To isolate the issue, I'd connect a device (PC or iMac) directly to that LAN port and test it. If it only manages ~90Mbps, replace the cable. If it is in the 450-500 range, put one of your switches in between and test again, etc.

[KMF0823]

Michael - I'll give this a try - seems like the most sensible way to begin isolating that issue! Start with the simplest fix before jumping to the most complex.

[Mordanthanus]

I did end up finding a solution to this issue... based on a suggestion from MichaelP, I turned off Spanning Tree protocol altogether on both of my Cisco switches. I was experiencing the slowness even when they were not plugged in, but I turned it off anyway as I don't use it. Whether this was the actual cause, I don't know.

I powered off everything connected to my network... cable modem, all the pucks, switches, computers, etc. I unplugged all cables from the pucks. I left everything off for about 15 minutes and started powering and connecting things one at a time, while testing speeds with my laptop as I connected everything up. Finally got everything plugged back in and I never experienced the issue again.

The problem could have been STP, and I suspect it was. But I had issues like this before Google Wifi was a part of my network and rebooting and reconnecting everything cleared it then too.

[KMF0823]

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated. I'm going to give Michael's test a try first. I don't know how to get into the configuration on my Netgear switches or how to even tell what the settings are on them. I'll post after I give the other suggestion a shot.

[Griffsoswift]

I found that one of my PoE switches was causing the slow down. Replaced and speeds are back to expected.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey everyone, 

Thanks for the help, @MichaelP and 

@Griffsoswift, awesome — glad to hear that your issue is fixed. 

@KMF0823,\ chiming in to see if you still need assistance with this. Let us know if you have additional questions ― we'd love to help.

Best,
Mel

[KMF0823]

I tried what I thought the most straightforward test would be. I checked all my cables and found that some were CAT 5 and not CAT 5E so I swapped them out.  Turned off and unplugged everything. Turned devices on serially. 

I need to get my hands on a laptop (I have a MacBook Air with no Ethernet connector) that I can plug into the Google nest directly and then at the routers. There are wires from the router, which is upstairs, to the basement, which is where the wired devices are. It appears that is also CAT 5E but not positive. 

I get close to 500mb wireless at the Google Wi-Fi puck that is the router. Wireless speeds of about 200 upstairs and close to 200 wireless in the basement. Wired in the basement are still around mid 90’s. My switches are Netgear Gigabit switches. 

Any suggestions?

[olavrb]

What exact switches? Model?

If smart/ managed, turn off conflicting features like loop detection (STP for instance).

• https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleWiFi/comments/qpurq8
• https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleWiFi/comments/ghkqnz/comment/fq9uwnx/

Also check your cables going to the basement. When it's capped at close to 100mbps / "fast ethernet", it could indicate cable problems.

[Jeff]

Hi all,

I just wanted to jump in real fast to see if you saw olavrb's reply and possible explanation and to see if you still needed some help on this or if you were able to get it sorted out. If you are still needing some help, just let us know and we'll be happy to continue helping.

Thanks,
Jeff

[KMF0823]

Jeff - I haven’t been able to do everything that was suggested and I am away from home for a few more days. I’ll let you and the others know how things are progressing. 

I would like to add that the support and effort put forth to help a “cyber stranger”  are impressive and much appreciated. 

[AbigailF]

Hello KMF0823,

Thanks for letting us know. We'll keep this thread open while we wait for your update.

Best,
Abi

[Dan_A]

Hi folks,

I wanted to follow up and see if you still need help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,

Dan

[Dan_A]

Hey there,

We haven't heard from you in a while so we'll be locking this thread if there is no update within 24 hours. If you need assistance or want to discuss topics, feel free to start a new thread.

Regards,

Dan