SSD too fast; archive swamps network tuner

[rgalverson]

I recently upgraded the drive in my HTPC to a fast SSD. I know recorded TV will eventually wear out the SSD, but I'm not worried. However, I find that while a recorded TV file is being copied off the SSD to the server, the Ethernet is swamped (gigabit). The transfer rate is over 100 MB/s, and it seems to cause hiccups in watching live TV at the same time. The tv tuner is a HDHomeRun, so it needs to use the network as well (albeit in the other direction). The effect is even worse if I am watching live TV on our Xbox 360 as an WM extender. Has anyone hit this already? If some Ethernet quality of service setting could prioritize the non-archive traffic, I suspect all would be fine.

TIA

Bob

[crawfish]

Sounds like you're using the router's built-in switch, and you don't even need an SSD to observe this problem; I was using hard drives when I first ran across this problem. The solution for me was to buy a standalone switch, a $25 TP-LINK TL-SG1008D, and plug everything into it. Actually I solved it a few years ago with a cheap D-Link switch, but it died on me a couple of years ago, and I replaced it with the TP-Link. It remains flawless even with SSDs.

[Crash2009]

I recently upgraded the drive in my HTPC to a fast SSD. I know recorded TV will eventually wear out the SSD, but I'm not worried. However, I find that while a recorded TV file is being copied off the SSD to the server, the Ethernet is swamped (gigabit). The transfer rate is over 100 MB/s, and it seems to cause hiccups in watching live TV at the same time. The tv tuner is a HDHomeRun, so it needs to use the network as well (albeit in the other direction). The effect is even worse if I am watching live TV on our Xbox 360 as an WM extender. Has anyone hit this already? If some Ethernet quality of service setting could prioritize the non-archive traffic, I suspect all would be fine.

TIA

Bob

This doesn't make any sense Bob. According to your numbers and you have a GIG network there should be plenty of room in the pipe for all these little transactions.

Xbox 15 mbps for one HD Stream
HTPC from HDHR 3 X 15 for 45 mbps
HTPC to Server File copy 100 mbps
HTPC to 3 Wired Devices 3 X 15 for 45 mbps
HTPC to WIFI.....you don't mention but even if you have a half dozen tablets watching HD Live or Recorded that's only another 90 mbps.

What are you using for a switch, and, is it gig or 10/100
Are any of these devices cabled to the router?
Where is the WAP cabled to?
How about a diagram...use the upload attachment button...its beside Options, down to the left.

[Crash2009]

I was going to suggest the GS-105 but I can clearly see the TP-LINK TL-SG1008D has much better specs for about the same amount of $$

http://www.netgear.com/business/product ... -techspecs

http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/deta ... ifications

GS Buffer=128
TP Buffer=2000

[crawfish]

I recently upgraded the drive in my HTPC to a fast SSD. I know recorded TV will eventually wear out the SSD, but I'm not worried. However, I find that while a recorded TV file is being copied off the SSD to the server, the Ethernet is swamped (gigabit). The transfer rate is over 100 MB/s, and it seems to cause hiccups in watching live TV at the same time. The tv tuner is a HDHomeRun, so it needs to use the network as well (albeit in the other direction). The effect is even worse if I am watching live TV on our Xbox 360 as an WM extender. Has anyone hit this already? If some Ethernet quality of service setting could prioritize the non-archive traffic, I suspect all would be fine.

TIA

Bob

This doesn't make any sense Bob. According to your numbers and you have a GIG network there should be plenty of room in the pipe for all these little transactions.

Xbox 15 mbps for one HD Stream
HTPC from HDHR 3 X 15 for 45 mbps
HTPC to Server File copy 100 mbps
HTPC to 3 Wired Devices 3 X 15 for 45 mbps
HTPC to WIFI.....you don't mention but even if you have a half dozen tablets watching HD Live or Recorded that's only another 90 mbps.

What are you using for a switch, and, is it gig or 10/100
Are any of these devices cabled to the router?
Where is the WAP cabled to?
How about a diagram...use the upload attachment button...its beside Options, down to the left.

Did you even read his post or my reply? Sheesh.

[Crash2009]

We were both replying at the same time. I didn't click Post until 5:54 so I didn't even see yours until I refreshed. I didn't notice the (someone else has posted) warning.

[rgalverson]

Thanks for the help, however I already have gigabit switches (multiple) in my home network. It is a full gigabit path between the HTPC and the server involved in this problem. I think the HDHR4-2US and the Xbox 360 are only 100Mbit links, but the switches ought to isolate the rest of the network from any impact. Also, note that the file copy speed is over 100 MBytes/sec, which is 800 mbit/sec. I'm pretty sure the SSD would do more (like 150 MByte/sec) if the network wasn't slowing it down. I'm a little surprised the file server is not slowing it down, but my newest drive in the server sometimes does get over 100 MByte/sec.

In any case, it is clearly caused by the file transfer, as TV hiccups go away as soon as the transfer finishes. Also, I never had this problem before I switched to the SSD, when file copies were limited to a paltry 50 MByte/sec.

Bob

[crawfish]

Do you have everything on the same dedicated Gb switch, not a router switch? By everything I mean the PCs, HD HomeRuns, and Xboxes.

[Crash2009]

In any case, it is clearly caused by the file transfer, as TV hiccups go away as soon as the transfer finishes.

I'm going to have to disagree with that statement.....The problem reveals itself during the file transfer. You should be able to transfer 7 or 8 times that amount without bothering the TV.

The router question has been asked 4 times now. Are any devices plugged in to the routers switch?

I think you could solve the problem by plugging the HTPC and Server into the same switch.

We should re-name this post....Gig Network with Poor Throughput. You could test this theory with a utility named Pathtest installed on the server, the HTPC, and a wired laptop.

1) Plug the laptop into the same switch as the htpc.....what is the throughput?
2) Plug the laptop into the same switch as the Server....what is the throughput?
3) Run Pathtest from HTPC to Server...what is the throughput?

[Crash2009]

https://www.appneta.com/blog/pathtest-faq/

[crawfish]

In any case, it is clearly caused by the file transfer, as TV hiccups go away as soon as the transfer finishes.

I'm going to have to disagree with that statement.....The problem reveals itself during the file transfer. You should be able to transfer 7 or 8 times that amount without bothering the TV.

You are continuing to confuse MB with Mb. The OP stated the file transfers are at 100 MB/s. That's 100 megabytes per second, and it's at the upper limit of a Gb (gigabit) network.

To the OP: The reason I keep asking about possible use of a router switch is due to their poor performance compared to inexpensive dedicated switches like the one I mentioned in my first post. In addition, you may find it helpful to set NetworkThrottlingIndex to 0xFFFFFFFF. This was suggested to me by SiliconDust after I "upgraded" to Windows 8.1, and I found it restored the flawless operation I had been getting out of Windows 7 with the dedicated switch. In fact, you might want to try it first. The registry entry is described in this very old KB article:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/948066

I did this about 1.5 years ago, and I forgot about it until just now, when I reviewed my notes. I've had no networking issues of any kind since then.

[Crash2009]

Oh, I read 100 MB/s as...100 mbps. I thought the "/" meant "per"

Thanks for the lesson.

[crawfish]

Oh, I read 100 MB/s as...100 mbps. I thought the "/" meant "per"

Thanks for the lesson.

Dude. The "/" does mean "per", and I actually spelled that out in my post when I said, "You are continuing to confuse MB with Mb. The OP stated the file transfers are at 100 MB/s. That's 100 megabytes per second." The "lesson" was in the first sentence.

[Crash2009]

I think I finally get what you are saying....

100 MBps = 800 mbps

You are right. I was not seeing that till now.

[rgalverson]

Well, you guys were right to question the switches. It looks like the culprit is a WD My Net 8 port switch. It has port based QoS, 2 hi, 4 medium, 2 low. Originally, I had stuff plugged in something like this:

HI: Server, HTPC
Med: PC1, PC2, Xbox
Lo: WebCam, HDHR

When a file transfer went from the HTPC to the Server, it looks like it used QoS to halt virtually all traffic from the HDHR to the HTPC. I rearranged the ports to this:

HI: WebCam, HDHR
Med: Server, HTPC, PC1, PC2
Lo: Xbox

Now I don't see the archive traffic swamping everything else. I haven't tried using the Xbox to connect to Media Center during an archive, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that still gets hiccups. I am tempted to toss the WD switch and get one without the silly QoS. 8 port switches are pretty cheap right now.

[stairmand]

Ive got 4 HTPCs running quad HD tuners all with SSDs and have no issues when recording's move to Home server 2011.