Losing 1/3 of my download speed with my new router, any ideas on how to fix?

I recently replaced a dying D-Link router with a Cisco/Linksys RSV4000. I'm really happy with the device but it seems when my cable modem is plugged in to it I lose 1/3 of my download speed. When I plug the modem right into my desktop I get 30mb/s down and 5mb/s up, but going through the router I get 20mb/s down. I tried turning off every option in the router to see if that had an effect since at work we can’t use an http proxy with Comcast because their boost service doesn’t work with it for some reason but that didn’t change anything. I never had this problem with the old D-Link.

Brian Surowiec

Posted 2009-08-18T05:18:23.133

Reputation: 275

Answers

The fix for this was turning off IPS, turns out there's an underpowered CPU in this POS so the 800Mb/s throughput they claim is BS. Here's a link with some more info about it http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r18508174-RVS4000-Speed-problems-explained

Brian Surowiec

Posted 2009-08-18T05:18:23.133

Reputation: 275

check the MTU that you get when connected either way.

the wrong MTU will change your throughput negatively.

Also, your machine may incorrectly do a path mtu discovery whne the cisco is helping.

And the dratted thing my be screwing your TCP window size.

check the MTU usiig ipconfig /all on windows, ifconfig on *ix

check the window size using ethereal or wireshark while web browsing or downloading.

Tim Williscroft

Posted 2009-08-18T05:18:23.133

Reputation: 675

I'm not sure how ipconfig /all helps in finding the MTU as it's not listed for me (Win7x64). I did find this command though, netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces, which tells me I'm set to 1500. Another webpage said you can ping with a set packet size untill it fails and that's how big it is, which gives me 1472 then. Manually setting either value in the router didn't change anything though, still missing 1/3 of my download speed. – Brian Surowiec – 2009-08-19T04:05:43.513

try to set it to 1400 on your pc. – Tim Williscroft – 2009-08-19T04:57:13.083

Set it to 1400 on both the router & the desktop and still nothing. I'm thinking it's time to call Linksys or Cisco about this. – Brian Surowiec – 2009-08-20T01:08:43.710