I can't get my network to work in Gigabit

RouterOS General
1

Hello everyone,

I’ve been using my Mikrotik HEX s for a while now and I’m very happy with it, but I don’t know where to turn to get my gigabit network working. I am starting to lose my mind.

Premise: I have all the hardware in my network in Gigabit (everything is wired with category 7 and 7a cables that should easily be able to handle a speed of 10Gbps). In this case that I’m describing, my HEX S is connected directly to my Windows 11 desktop with one of these cables (and not even that long). My PC’s network adapter is a Realtek Gaming 2.5GbE Family Controller, with speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps.

The problem is that I can’t get above 100Mbps on any of my devices. I also have an Ubuntu 22.04 computer connected directly to the HEX s (although there is a Goalake POE308G switch in between, but still connected to the 1000Gbps uplink port). It too reports 100Mbps as speed. In fact, I have the orange LED flashing on all my devices.

Autonegotiation is currently active on both the router and my devices. However, if I remove the options below 100Mbps on the HEX s (leaving only 1000 half and full upwards) it simply will not connect. On the other hand, if I force the card speed to 2.5Gbps and disable autonegotiation on the router by setting the speed to 1Gbps, the speed shown on Windows changes to 10Mbps!



Here’s the output of /interface ethernet print detail

0 R  name="ether1" default-name="ether1" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1596 mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:0D orig-mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:0D arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto loop-protect=default loop-protect-status=off loop-protect-send-interval=5s loop-protect-disable-time=5m auto-negotiation=yes 
      advertise=10M-half,10M-full,100M-half,100M-full,1000M-half,1000M-full,2500M-full,5000M-full,10000M-full full-duplex=yes tx-flow-control=off rx-flow-control=off speed=1Gbps bandwidth=unlimited/unlimited switch=switch1 

 1 RS name="ether2" default-name="ether2" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1596 mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:0E orig-mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:0E arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto loop-protect=default loop-protect-status=off loop-protect-send-interval=5s loop-protect-disable-time=5m auto-negotiation=yes 
      advertise=100M-half,100M-full,1000M-half,1000M-full,2500M-full,5000M-full,10000M-full full-duplex=yes tx-flow-control=off rx-flow-control=off speed=1Gbps bandwidth=unlimited/unlimited switch=switch1 

 2 RS name="ether3" default-name="ether3" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1596 mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:0F orig-mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:0F arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto loop-protect=default loop-protect-status=off loop-protect-send-interval=5s loop-protect-disable-time=5m auto-negotiation=yes 
      advertise=10M-half,10M-full,100M-half,100M-full,1000M-half,1000M-full,2500M-full,5000M-full,10000M-full full-duplex=yes tx-flow-control=off rx-flow-control=off speed=1Gbps bandwidth=unlimited/unlimited switch=switch1 

 3 RS name="ether4" default-name="ether4" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1596 mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:10 orig-mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:10 arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto loop-protect=default loop-protect-status=off loop-protect-send-interval=5s loop-protect-disable-time=5m auto-negotiation=yes 
      advertise=10M-half,10M-full,100M-half,100M-full,1000M-half,1000M-full,2500M-full,5000M-full,10000M-full full-duplex=yes tx-flow-control=off rx-flow-control=off speed=1Gbps bandwidth=unlimited/unlimited switch=switch1 

 4  S name="ether5" default-name="ether5" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1596 mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:11 orig-mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:11 arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto loop-protect=default loop-protect-status=off loop-protect-send-interval=5s loop-protect-disable-time=5m auto-negotiation=yes 
      advertise=10M-half,10M-full,100M-half,100M-full,1000M-half,1000M-full,2500M-full,5000M-full,10000M-full full-duplex=yes tx-flow-control=off rx-flow-control=off speed=1Gbps bandwidth=unlimited/unlimited switch=switch1 poe-out=off poe-priority=10 power-cycle-ping-enabled=no power-cycle-interval=none 

 5 XS name="sfp1" default-name="sfp1" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1596 mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:12 orig-mac-address=74:4D:28:02:DC:12 arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto loop-protect=default loop-protect-status=off loop-protect-send-interval=5s loop-protect-disable-time=5m auto-negotiation=yes 
      advertise=10M-half,10M-full,100M-half,100M-full,1000M-half,1000M-full full-duplex=yes tx-flow-control=off rx-flow-control=off speed=1Gbps bandwidth=unlimited/unlimited sfp-shutdown-temperature=95C

The Windows PC we’re talking about is connected to ether2. I’m using ether1 as WAN, connected to a Ubiquiti LiteBeam 5AC Gen2 LBE-5AC-GEN2 (not relevant in this case).

Do you have any ideas? I don’t know what to do anymore
Screenshot 2024-03-02 110750.png
Screenshot 2024-03-02 110619.png

2

A doubt.
In the screenshot you posted you have
10 Mbps(2 entries, Full and Half duplex)
100 Mbps (as above)
then it “jumps” to:
2.5 Gbps

Shouldn’t it have also a setting to force
1.0 Gbps Full Duplex
?

3

Hi Jaclaz,

Thanks for the answer.
Yes there is, is the first option but it’s cut from the list (it’s ordered alphabetically).

However, if I select that value it stays at 100 Mbps anyway

Thanks
Screenshot 2024-03-02 185329.png

4

Hmmm.
Power Saving?
Should be off, otherwise it may limit to 100 Mbps.

Check also the driver version you have, AFAIK there are - at least for some Realtek cards - some drivers that have Power saving disabled and some that have it enabled by default.
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/latest-realtek-lan-driver-win11.9226/page-2

In theory if you turn off auto-negotiation on both PC and router, and force both to 1 Gbps it should work, otherwise the cable (even if good quality/brand and short) may be defective (or the contacts in the ethernet receptacle) 1000 uses all 8 wires, while 100 only 4, it happened to me that one of the contacts in the socket was (slightly) oxidized and devices could not connect at 1 Gbps.

5

May I ask you what cable have you tried ???

6

New laptop end of last year, wasn’t able to get more then 770-780 using internal iperf testing.
Downloaded latest Realtek drivers for it and now it’s humming nicely at 950Mbps.

So yes, definitely check the drivers.

Other equipment also reports 100Mbps ?
If not, check that port. Do you have a usb ethernet adapter to test ?

7

Hi all, I’m trying to reply one-by-one:


  • So, firstly, this is the cable I used: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07ZVLDCYX. There’s this one and another 7a cable for the Windows PC I’m testing. I mean, a cable could be, but in all 4 ports?


  • All the devices connected to this router are declaring 100Mbps (I also tried the bandwidth test and yes, it is around 90Mbps). I have a Windows PC (the one I’m trying to solve first), a Ubuntu 22.04 Desktop, a FritzBox 4040 Wireless router and a Ubiquiti CPE used for WAN. All these devices have 1000Mbps (at least) options, and all of them are running at 100Mbps


  • If I set up a value above 100Mbps on the router (using it in manual mode or excluding 10 and 100 Mbps autonegotiation options on the Hex S), the device simply doesn’t connects. If I set up an higher value of 100Mbps on devices (while on the router autonegotiation is on with all the 10/100/1000/… options enables) it connects at 100Mbps.


  • All the driver’s adapters are up-to-date

I have an USB/LAN adapter and a Mac Book. I could give it a try but honestly I’m not expecting a different result

Thanks!

8

And what does /interface ethernet ether2 once show?

9

And what does /interface ethernet ether2 once show?

With the monitor command you mean? This is the output:

name: ether2
status: link-ok
auto-negotiation: done
rate: 100Mbps
full-duplex: yes
tx-flow-control: yes
rx-flow-control: yes
advertising: 100M-full,1000M-full
link-partner-advertising: 10M-half,10M-full,100M-half,100M-full

The link-partner-advertising is strange tho. My PC should advertise up to 2.5Gbps (and at the moment I set a manual value of 1Gbps). More strangely, these are the same values for ALL the interfaces. Seems like the Hex S is not capable of seeing the correct values.

10

Have you tested with a pre-made patch cable? If you don’t have a portable device, then take the hex to the PC and verify that the link is still 100Mbps when using a known good cable.

The cable you linked is solid conductor for punch-down installs

Cavo di installazione rigido in rame CAT7 // S/FTP a doppia schermatura PIMF // LSZH senza alogeni // 1000 MHz // 10 Gbit // AWG 4 x 2 x 23/1
Attenzione: cavo di installazione LAN CAT7 rigido per connettori LSA, non per crimpare // certificato GHMT e testato
Cavo di posa in rame rigido per connessioni LSA: prese di rete, pannello patch, moduli Keystone, ecc.

Translated to English by Google
CAT7 Rigid Copper Installation Cable // PIMF Double Shielded S/FTP // Halogen-Free LSZH // 1000 MHz // 10 Gbit // AWG 4 x 2 x 23/1
Attention: Rigid CAT7 LAN installation cable for LSA connectors, not for crimping // GHMT certified and tested
Rigid copper laying cable for LSA connections: network sockets, patch panel, Keystone modules, etc.

11

Well, that cable is not for crimping, which doesn’t mean that it cannot be crimped, but that it may not work right when crimped (that may depend also on the type/quality of the plug and of the crimping tool).
Apart from that, it seems like a rigid cable, not suitable for flying/loose patch cables.
But 1 Gbps needs only a CAT5e cable, in practice any pre-made patch cable manufactured in the last several years is not the older CAT5 and is already CAT5e.
You surely have one around for a test.
Since you have available also a notebook, you can also try connecting it to the desktop and see if the Gb light of the interface lights up (connection speed is independent from IP settings).
Male rj45 LSA connectors (not crimped, but rather punch-down, like common building wiring sockets) do exists, but they cost an arm and a leg (several euro apiece), I don’t think you are using those?

12

Well, you’re right. Damn, this is a lesson of carefully reading what you’re buying I suppose.

Yes, indeed, I used normal crimping connectors and as I didn’t have any problem (like other billions of cables I did) I didn’t think about the connectors.

Thank you anyway!

I will now buy these guys here: https://amzn.eu/d/cJCPqkl. Damn how they cost. And use a pre-made short cable too connect to the router.

Thank you all,
Have a nice day

13

Well network terminations/connectors/plugs and crimping them have always been a PITA, in my experience, CAT7 should be worse.

Maybe it is just me, but the combined effect of crimping a cable only once every while and using common (not professional/high end) tools and connectors) makes me often have “bad” crimping, and have to redo it.

And - in my little experience - some cables are really tough (talking of 6/6A cable, again 7 will likely be worse due to the added shielding), I still remember one with the cross shaped plastic separator between wires that was almost impossible to bend.

It would be interesting to know what the actual issue was, maybe grounding? (but it should not be needed for 1 Gbps, particularly on short distances?).

It is more likely that you had an issue with the plug having too large holes for the wires, that make them not being perfectly centered and thus possibly not making good contact with the plug blades when crimped, the possible issue is explained here:
https://www.crxconec.com/en/faq/CRXCONEC-faq-04.html

What I suggest everyone is to buy a small cable tester, you can find (chinesium) el-cheapo ones that work however quite well, at least for continuity on all wires, and new ones check also the grounding, they can be found for 15 Euro or less (the usual issue is that they use a 9V battery, that invariably - when you will need it - will be not working, I have seen new ones with a rechargeable battery, but never had one of those, so cannot say if they are better).

14

There are two types of crimp RJ45 connectors. More common are connectors for stranded cables, their contacts have “blades” which, when being crimped, cut into stranded wire cores. The other connector type is for solid cables, their contacts have “fork-like blades”, which tear the wire insulation and press against solid wire core. Fork-like feature makes sure that wire is cought between two blades and crimping connector pushes both blades against the wire, guaranteeing a contact.

When using the common connectors (for stranded wires) on solid cable, the “blade” may slip on the side of solid wire (or rather pushing the wire to a side), not even tearing off the insulation. Thus contact between wire and pin may not be done.

Been there, done that. :wink:

https://www.cableorganizer.com/learning-center/articles/rj45-plugs-boots.php

15

That orange cat7 cable I’ve never seen on any land based installations. But I see it all the time when I’m working onboard ships. But then only used with Keystone connectors in patch panels. Perhaps it’s mostly used for industrial installations?

16

Besides the colour, that specific cable is clearly adsvertised as “not for crimping, only use with LSA” (though “special” crimped plugs may exist), so the OP mistake was to choose that cable and use “common” plugs on it.

On ships the cables need to be specifically approved/certified for marine use (by organizations like ABS or DNV-GL or similar), so maybe some manufacturer use orange for those, and it is just a coincidence.