Slow transfer speed - help needed

What network card do you have in your PC?

OK...

First, the internal Ethernet cables (including the computer) should be connected to the LAN sockets on the broadband router (not the WAN socket).

Second, you should be using a minimum of Cat 5e (as opposed to just Cat 5) and you should make sure the cable isn't damaged.

Cat 5 is theoretically capable of 100mbps (i.e. about 10mBytes / sec) maximum.  If the cable is damages the network devices will realise this and slow down to 10mbps, which corresponds to your slow speed.

Network card is Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller

In the immortal words of Peter Gabriel, "Don't give up..."

Check your cables check that they are in the right ports on the router.

Check the settings on the router's firewall, check that you're not being subjected to a sustained DDoS attack.

If that's OK, buy a switch to put between the NAS, the NDX and the computer.

You should be able to rip your CDs directly to your NAS without first storing on your computer. Select your drive in Db poweramp. It usually takes about 5 minutes per CD.

That won't fix Toon59's problem, in fact as it'll slow down the writing from DBPoweramp, it may cause even more problems.

You're right - that doesn't fix my problems. I did try that a few days ago but, as you say, it massively slowed down the write process - so I abandoned it. I have no idea what's causing the blockage so I'm slogging on with 1 mb/sec transfers. 500 CD's so far has taken 10 days! When I transfer files from 1 folder to another on the NAS it's no problem : >50 mb/sec

Thank you for trying to help me though.

1 thing - when I first installed the NAS out of the box, the first couple of file transfers were lightning fast but then it slowed right down and has been that way ever since. 

Technology eh? You can't live without it and you can't live with it.

Support ticket with Naim ?

Have you tried connecting the NDX and nas via a switch? You could then plug the computer into the switch and take the router out of the equation. Using a switch is best practice in any event. 

I rip my CDs to my laptop, and then copy them over wireless to the nas. I do the ripping in the same room as the router, so it's got a good clear link. 

It it might be worth replacing the bright box with something decent - the best place for the bright box is in the WEEE bin at the tip. 

I did think about a switch but, as you say, I think the router is the weakest link in the chain. I'm nearly done with my CD's now so the problem is nearly over. I could raise a ticket with Naim I suppose but the pain has passed now. This is my first experience of Naim products and I'm loving the NDX but the techniness needed to make it work is beyond normal mortals like me. Option 2 : just stream from Tidal - problem solved

You should get a switch in any event. The little Netgear gs 105 is ideal, and costs less than £20. It will make the network more stable, and keep the Hifi away from other network traffic. 

Have you checked your NAS? I had a similar problem and discovered the CPU on my NAS was running at 100%. On mine just did the classic turn it off and turn it back on again! If you are using Windows I would recommend using robocopy (robust copy) over drag and drop.

Toon.

Are you using back up software to copy the files to the NAS or are you manually copying.

Your Cat 5 cable is probably fine.  Cat 5 and Cat 5e have the same bandwidth (100 mHz) and both support gigabit ethernet.  Cat 5e has slightly better crosstalk specs but most Cat 5 cable also meets these specs.  Having said that, if the cable is damaged, that could cause a problem.  Also, as Huge said, the NAS and NDX should be connected to LAN ports, not the WAN port.  Have you put all three items (NAS, Router and NDX) at the same location, connected by short ethernet cables?

Whats the download speed from the NAS to your PC is it as bad? Anything from EE is usually a disaster nut 1meg a minute would indicate a serious issue with the NAS I reckon, assuming that your PC rips a CD in short order.

 Presumably you are connecting to the NAS via SMB, i.e. a mapped network drive or similar? You arn't trying to upload via a web interface or something are you?

BTW I use a Windows batch file .bat extension with following content

robocopy /S /MOVE C:\temp\MP3\ \\NAS\music\MP3\
robocopy /S /MOVE C:\temp\FLAC\ \\NAS\music\FLAC\
pause

Thanks for all the offers of help folks - I have tried and tried with all the remedies suggested (except for the switch idea) and it's still just 1mbps :-( 

However - all my CD's are now done and safely on the NAS with the NDX playing them perfectly so the pain is over.

So - Hungryhalibut - regarding the switch - what is it's purpose and what does it switch between? where does it fit in the chain? and how do I install it? Do I have to switch it to a certain setting every time I use the NDX or is it a "set and forget" thing? Sorry for all the questions but I'm not a networking scientist. £20 sounds like a do-able investment

While I have a PhD in behavioural ecology, my knowledge of networking is sadly at a more basic level. The swich connects to the router. The streamer and server then connect to the switch. Signals can thus go to the streamer without going anywhere near the router. So if people are using computers or phones for other stuff, this has no impact on the Hifi. A separate switch does switchy stuff better than the the switch that is built into the router. You just fit it and forget it; it works out what to do by itself. The main benefit is that it makes everything a lot more stable. 

Well sold - looks like PC World are gonna get £20 from me. Will update. Thank you

Is it a constant download speed or does it start high and then drop down?

So I have the switch. Not sure I've connected it correctly though. Accessing the NAS from the PC is much faster but file transfer still slow. Can you just confirm if the NAS AND the PC AND the streamer should all be connected to the switch or just the NAS? The diagram with the Netgear switch is unclear.

Connections most likely to solve your problem:

NDX -> Switch

NAS -> Switch

PC -> Switch

Switch -> Broadband Router LAN port

Broadband Router WAN port (ADSL or Cable) -> Telephone Line or Cable TV

I really think it's unlikely to be your Network.. It sounds likely an issue with your NAS.. as said above what is the NAS and what sort of disks does it have, although I can't think of any disk that would be so slow..

When you read from the NAS is it faster? Are there any stats on the NAS such as bad data or packets? 

Have you tried connecting to your NAS from a different PC, is it at all different?

On the NAS can you change the file protocol to something different like SMB or AFP.. then reconnect the PC, is there a difference?

its funny how people always blame the network on throughput issues, when in my experience so often it's not the cause of the issues..

Simon

Thanks - sounds logical. All 3 now into switch BUT telephone cable will not connect to WAN port as it's not a RJ45 connection - only a small telephone connector into a dedicated DSL port on router - see photos. Is this where my problem lies?