Slow wired upload speed vs Linux on same hardware

Dawid Oosthuizen 26 Reputation points
2020-09-09T05:18:31.053+00:00

Intel® Ethernet Controller X550-AT2, 10G network interface on ASRock Rack ROMED8-2T with AMD EPYC 7232P processor.
Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, 2004.
Latest Windows updates and Intel drivers installed as of 09/09/2020.

This machine is a dual boot, the above Windows version, and Ubuntu 20.04.
When doing a speed test, I get good performance from Ubuntu, but very poor uploads from Windows. This is on the same machine, the exact same hardware.

The WAN link is 1000Mbps down, 50Mbps up.

This is the Windows speedtest result:
23320-windows-10-speedtest.png

This is the Ubuntu speedtest result:
23325-ubuntu-2004-speedtest.png

I have tried to tweak the adapter's advanced driver settings in Windows, such as disabling LSO, etc. No luck, performance remains poor.

I've also noticed it on another PC running Windows 10 Pro, and a laptop running Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, both give the same poor upload performance. Whereas my other Ubuntu 20.04 Server machine, and also my phone connected via Wi-Fi, is getting good upload speeds.

I have even taken the Windows laptop and plugged it straight into my incoming WAN connection (bypassing router), and it still gets poor upload speeds.

Incidentally, when the speed test is running, I can see that the upload looks bursty on Windows, like it is only getting chunks of data here and there, while in Linux and on Android it looks the same as the download, the graph is drawn at a consistent high rate and with consistent high values.

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | Networking | Network connectivity and file sharing

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  1. mensa84 6 Reputation points
    2021-02-03T12:25:17.51+00:00

    Which type is your internet connection?
    Mine is 5G, but I am unsure if the problem is related to that. But I still just don't understand, why only some Win 10 users do have that upload problems at some websites...

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  2. Ian Turner 11 Reputation points
    2021-03-23T20:57:02.327+00:00

    Has anyone figured out what might be causing this? I've been having this issue since at least January 2021 on my entire fleet of Windows devices.

    OS affected for me:

    • Windows 10 2004
    • Windows 10 20H2
    • Windows 2016
    • Windows 2019

    All devices are fully updated, firmware included.

    I've tried every suggestion in this thread but I can't get my 2Gbit link past 70Mbps on Windows. Distance is a factor, as I can get 400Mbps to my local telco (which isn't my IPS). Going past a few hundred kilometers it drops to 70Mbps. The initial burst goes to 200, but drops quickly.

    I've tweaked:

    • Limit reservable bandwidth
    • AV
    • Safe mode boot
    • Domain and non-domain computers
    • autotuning
    • Interrupt Moderation
    • Receive Side Scaling
    • TCP Congestion Control

    I've tried the following hardware:

    • Dell Optiplex 7040
    • HP Elitebook 840 G5
    • HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10
    • HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10

    These OS' are fine:

    • ChromeOS
    • Android
    • MacOS
    • iOS
    • Linux (CentOS, HyperV)

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  3. Paulo 1 Reputation point
    2021-04-29T00:36:42.17+00:00

    I'm surprised Microsoft are unable to fix this problem. If I use the app https://www.speedtest.net/apps/windows or the cli https://www.speedtest.net/apps/cli the upload speeds over seas are all fast and good. But if I use any web browser in windows going to the speedtest.net website, the upload speed on overseas servers is just slow. This is a known problem with windows.

    https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=190&topicid=275899

    Please Microsoft developers fix this issue. This problem or bug has been around for a very long time.

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  4. Christian Funke 6 Reputation points
    2021-06-14T22:05:58.583+00:00

    Hi,

    let me add also some hints from my side - I've found this articel by googling around for nearly the same problem.

    I'm having a Desktop having an Intel X520 Adapter - 2x SFP+ 10 GB connections connected to a Switch.

    In the context of upgrading my Internet Modem to a FritzBox using Vodafone Kabel 1000/50 connection, was all working out fine testing it on my Mac. But once I've checked it on my Windows System I've noticed wired upload limit of 4mbit.

    As I've changed Internet devices I was assuming that the Problem comes from that angel - and I've changed the Modem/Fritzbox as well as my UDM Pro (Gateway) and so on all back and forth.
    And then there was one major observation: Testing the connection from PC -> Switch -> UDMPro -> FritzBox as Bridge --> I've got my full 50mbit Upload
    Testing it again with PC -> Switch -> UDM Pro -> FritzBox with UDM as Exposed Host --> I'm getting only 4mbit Upload

    Ok, so I thought it is about NAT Translation; Wrong UDM configuration and so on - and I've researched and tested a full day on that - but hold on - all other devices; PS4; iPhone, Mac, Apple TV and mabBook pro - all devices are working fine and getting 50mbit up using the FritzBox with the UDM as Exposed Host? This was making me 'nervous' and I've starte looking closer into my Windows system.

    So I've kept the setup using the UDM Pro as exposed host on the Fritzbox:

    1. I've connected my onboard Realtec 1Gbit Lan to the UDM Pro integrated switch - and bam - I was getting full 50mbit upload
    2. I've then tested again my 20Gig x520 aggregated connection - and - no, only getting 4mbit;
    3. I've split my aggregated nic again into 2x 10gig connection (both on the same physical x520 nic adapter) and tested adapter 1 - and - no, only getting 4mbit upload
    4. Then tested adapter 2 of the x520 nic - and - boom, full 50mbit upload

    So at that point in time, it was clear one of the two 10GBit Adapter of the x520 card causes by what ever reason that the upload is limited to 4mbit.

    I've exchanged of the adapter wich was able to upload the 50mbit the transiver as well as the fibre cable which was prooven as working - and no diffrence; still the adapter 1 is imited to 4mbit upload.

    Then I rembered that I was already able to get day's earlier also full 50mbit upload; but using the bridge mode - so I've retested it activly again.
    Changing my UDM Pro connecting to the Bridge mode of the FB and having an external IP -> and boom, the adapter 1 is now also showing full 50mbit upload.

    I've changed it now back and forth - and it is fully reproducalbe:

    Using UDM Pro with external IP: x520 Adapter 1 and x520 Adapter 2 both capable of having up to 50mbit upload speed.
    Using UDM Pro as Exposed Host: x520 Adapter 1 limited to 4mbit upload while Adapter 2 is able to upload fully with 50mbit.

    Remark:
    I've tested the upload using wieistmeineip.de - nperf shows alway 50mbit upload, but lies - Trying uploading to google/icloud only come up to 4mbit. So I stick to wieistmeineip.de for continous testing.

    In conclusion: I have no idea what is that causing; amount of hopps, some kind of ttl or something similar - I don't know. As the x520 is somehow working I can't emagine that it is a Windows OS problem - but on the other side, I've checked all possible adapter settings of the x520 adapter 1 and x520 adpater 2 - compared them and so on - all looks identifcal, but behaves diffrently - also unistalling/reinstalling drivers is not making any diffrence.

    As said, I'm not having a idea of the root cause; but maybe someone of you can bring this explanation in a 'more' accurate context and it helps.

    I'll start now enhancing my skills using wireshark and who knows... maybe... I've I'll find something I'll share it here in addition.

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  5. Daniel Scain 1 Reputation point
    2021-10-31T16:05:36.963+00:00

    I've found a solution for me, maybe it works for somebody here. Thanks for all your contributions, I tried everything that was posted here so far, but something else helped me.

    I've been for a few days trying and at some point gave up. I even updated motherboard BIOS and VBIOS. I have also tried older drivers for my network card (Killer). However, I have stumbled upon a windows service "Killer Dynamic Bandwith Optimization" and some other Killer related services. They may have been installed and half-uninstalled in the past. Just killing the all the Killer related Windows Services with Task Manager helped. They were 4 in total. This did the job for me.

    If it works for you, you can edit the services to they don't start up again after reboot, because on my case there was no way to uninstall them.

    I hope this helps somebody in the future.

    p.s.: one thing that indicated my computer was fine was that a Linux running on a VM on the Windows machine could download at very high speeds, but Windows (the host) would be capped at around 1.5mb/s.

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