Just did a fresh install of IPFire 2.29 (x86_64) - Core-Update 187. It is up and running with a new fixed wireless ISP.
The technician connected his device to the new wall mounted ethernet port (with cat6 cable) and displayed download speeds over 400 MB as per their specs. Good.
He then provisioned and connected their TP-Link Deco X50 router to that new wall mounted ethernet port (with cat6 cable). We connected a linux desktop to one of the two Gigabit LAN ports (with cat6 cable) and ran speedtest-cli and also got download speeds over 400 MB. Still good.
Then we disconnected the TP-Link Deco X50 router from the wall mounted ethernet port and powered it off. Connected IPFire’s RED port (with cat6 cable) to the new wall mounted ethernet port. Ran speedtest-cli on the IPFire console and got download speeds just over 110 MB! There was nothing connected to the GREEN port on IPFire.
Then we connected the technician’s device to the GREEN port on IPFire. He also got download speeds just over 110 MB.
Then we swapped technician’s device with our linux desktop on the GREEN port on IPFire. Ran speedtest-cli on the linux desktop and again got download speeds just over 110 MB.
So our IPFire is getting about 25% of the possible download speed.
Why?
Please help.
Details on the RED port of IPFire:
ethtool red0
Settings for red0:
Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
Supported link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
1000baseT/Half 1000baseT/Full
Supported pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
Supported FEC modes: Not reported
Advertised link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
1000baseT/Half 1000baseT/Full
Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
Link partner advertised link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
1000baseT/Full
Link partner advertised pause frame use: Symmetric
Link partner advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
Link partner advertised FEC modes: Not reported
Speed: 1000Mb/s
Duplex: Full
Auto-negotiation: on
master-slave cfg: preferred slave
master-slave status: slave
Port: Twisted Pair
PHYAD: 0
Transceiver: external
MDI-X: Unknown
Supports Wake-on: pumbg
Wake-on: d
Link detected: yes
ip a
1: ...
2: ...
3: red0: <BROADCAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc cake state UP group default qlen 1000
link/ether ... brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet ... brd ... scope global dynamic noprefixroute red0
valid_lft 4915sec preferred_lft 4015sec
On ram, DDR2 is really not enough for more than 150mbps switching, and 2gb can become not enough adding services.
On network cards. PCI Gigabit ethernet works with more powerful NIC chips than nice but not fast RTL8169.
Deco X50, as network capabilities and power efficiency simply crush your 2008 CPU desktop computer.
100/110mpbs IMO is on par with your current configuration and… running this hardware for IPFire is using electrical energy in not efficient way.
Consider to replace your computer. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/935vs2496vs3574/Intel-Core2-Duo-E4400-vs-AMD-RX-427BB-vs-AMD-Ryzen-Embedded-V1756B
At this link you’ll find your current CPU compared with an HP t730 thin client’s CPU (2015) and HP t740 thin client’s CPU (2019).
Latter is far more costly, both will use half the watts of your desktop, while delivering the transport capabilities you need. It’s a bit messier shove a 4 port PCIe network adapter in t730…
just to quickly pitch in with a particular hardware recommendation: The IPFire Mini Appliance supports 1 GBit/sec. throughput, even for IPsec (protocol-inherent overhead excluded), and is properly tested, with commercial support available. Plus, purchasing one will do the IPFire project some good…
(Full disclosure: I am not related to or affiliated with Lightning Wire Labs, the company offering IPFire appliances and professional support, in any way.)
