LAN Connection Speeds and Port Usage?

[CPL2]

I want to achieve a 2.5Gbps LAN connection speed with all my devices but I have a bottleneck that I'm unable to resolve.

I'm running a DS1522+ with the E10G22-T1 network module which is connected to a managed 2.5Gbps switch. I've also connected one of the 1Gbps ports to the switch since the additional network module doesn't support WoL. The unit works great and wakes up properly when accessed, but won't use the 2.5Gbps network module for any data transfers.

I logged onto the switch to confirm the connections and to run some dianostics and everything is good. When I run a backup to the destination NAS which is connected to the same switch with a 2.5Gbps port, the blinking port lights for the DS1522+ indicate the only port that is being used is the 1Gbps port. The 2.5Gbps port is idle and the bytes received and sent according to the switch confirm it's not being used. On the backup destination NAS, DSM confirms the 2.5Gbps port is working properly and so does the switch.

Using DSM 7.3.2 I've bonded the 2.5 and 1Gbps ports on the DS1522+ and although it now shows more activity, I'm not sure if this is the best way to do this. I haven't had a chance to test if bonding will affect WoL but I assume it will work properly.

Plus, even though the switch now indicates more activity with the 2.5Gbps port, is the data actually transferring at that speed or is it just showing me that? I've noticed that the data transfer speed during a backup aren't any faster after bonding the two ports.

This isn't just about backups since I have a router that is 2.5Gbps capable and I want the faster 2.5Gbps network module to be constantly used for all access to the NAS. Did I get it right with bonding, or are there other settings in service order, traffic control, or static route that need to be set?

Thank you.

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[Rusty]

Doing LAG with 1G and 2.5G will complicate things in terms of speed. Also, if the client on the other end is not 2.5G you will for sure not get that speed.

With LAG only a single lane will be used with your first client, in that case there is a chance that your LAG lane will be 1G and not 2.5.

So splitting it apart would be best as you will have a dedicated IP address for 1G and 2.5G interface.

Now, how are you actually utilizing this setup with another 2.5G client?

 

[CPL2]

So from your reply, bonding is a Synology DSM term for doing the same thing as creating a LAG with a switch? Is that correct?

At the moment, all my devices are connecting to the DS1522+ using the IP address of the 1G interface. I haven't tested using a device that is 2.5G capable (my wife's computer) and signing on using the IP address of the 2.5G interface to see what happens. If this works then I'll change all my devices to use the 2.5G interface but then I'm not sure if WoL will work properly. But, I know that WoL works properly with these two ports bonded and signing on using the IP address of the 2.5G interface.

Also, how would can I force Hyper Backup to exclusively use the 2.5G port during a backup to another NAS running Hyper Backup Vault?

 

[Rusty]

So from your reply, bonding is a Synology DSM term for doing the same thing as creating a LAG with a switch? Is that correct?

DSM has one type of LAG implementation, yes.

Well, considering you haven’t used the actual port explains why you are not seeing traffic and speed will never reach 2.5 from a 1G client

Configuring a hyper backup task using a 2.5G ip as the target should do the trick.

Waking up a machine with wol will work as the package on a specific port is sent to a specific nas ip address, so as long as the device is reachable on that address it will all work.

 

[CPL2]

Well, considering you haven’t used the actual port explains why you are not seeing traffic and speed will never reach 2.5 from a 1G client

Well it's a work in progress as I just recently upgraded the router and switch and now I'm getting into details.

Configuring a hyper backup task using a 2.5G ip as the target should do the trick.

In Hyper Backup when creating a new backup task using the wizard, I can select the IP address of the network port of the destination NAS, but on the source NAS where I'm creating the task, there's no place to enter or set the IP address of the 2.5G network port so I'm assuming it just defaults to the 1G port. Sure, HB will run without any problems, but it won't use the 2.5G network port to send data to the destination NAS.

Waking up a machine with wol will work as the package on a specific port is sent to a specific nas ip address, so as long as the device is reachable on that address it will all work.

With both the 2.5G and 1G network ports bonded, I tried to wake up the machine using the IP address of the 2.5G port and WoL failed so I deleted the bonding.

If I set a computer to access the DS1522+ using the IP address of the 2.5G network port, then WoL will fail. But, if I set the computer to access using the IP address of the 1G network port, then WoL will work but then access speed is restricted to 1G. How do I wake it up using the 1G port, and then seamlessly perform data transfer using the 2.5G network port without reconfiguring anything?

My problem is the E10G22-T1 network module I installed since it's connected to a complete 2.5G network and is fully operational but just seems to be ignored. I guess I should have waited a year and bought the DS1525+ which comes with 2.5G network ports that support WoL ...

 

[fredbert]

Which NAS interface have you assigned as the default gateway for the LAN? This can be done either at:

1. Which NAS interface have you assigned as the default gateway for the LAN? This can be done either at:
   
   1. Control Panel / Network / General, and will update the settings applied in...
   2. Control Panel / Network / Network Interfaces, and then edit one of the LAN interafces and make it default.
      1. While you are here on this page, click the Manage button. Then select Service Order. Place the 10 GbE interface at the top.

I would make the 10 GbE LAN interface the default. This means that originating connections from the NAS will use the 10 GbE interface; any connections coming to the 1 GbE interface will still be replied from the interface.

My other trick that I've have some success with is: enable SMB 3 Multichannel Control Panel / File Services / SMB / Advanced Settings (Others). Even if the client device doesn't have two or more interafces, on my Mac Min, I find that it makes a SMB connection to my 2.5 GbE USB interface with the MIni's 10 GbE port. There's also a secondary rubbish connection from the Mac's WiFi interface to another NAS port, if I leave the WiFi on.

 

[CPL2]

Which NAS interface have you assigned as the default gateway for the LAN? This can be done either at:

1. Which NAS interface have you assigned as the default gateway for the LAN? This can be done either at:
   1. Control Panel / Network / General, and will update the settings applied in...
   2. Control Panel / Network / Network Interfaces, and then edit one of the LAN interafces and make it default.
      1. While you are here on this page, click the Manage button. Then select Service Order. Place the 10 GbE interface at the top.

I would make the 10 GbE LAN interface the default. This means that originating connections from the NAS will use the 10 GbE interface; any connections coming to the 1 GbE interface will still be replied from the interface.

Hi fredbert. Thanks for the information.

Using your instructions I edited the LAN default gateway which opens a menu to change the service order. I moved LAN 5 (the 10G module) to the top and now the default gateway has "(LAN 5)" on the end of it. I believe pressing "Edit" on the default gateway line is the same as going to "Network Interface / Manage" and then changing the Service Order which I checked and is the same as I previously set. Now under the "Network Interface" menu I see that the IP address for LAN 5 is shown as "Static IP" when before it was shown as "DHCP". Currently LAN 1 is shown with the same IP address as before but with "DHCP".

So this all looks good but there's no change. Backing up any data using HB still uses the 1G network port. Copying to and from this NAS using Finder still uses only the 1G network port. It's like the 10G lights are on but nobody's home. I confirmed all the data transfers by logging onto the switch and clearing the counters prior to testing anything.

I haven't tried SMB3 Multichannel yet as you suggested but I may get to it later today.

Thank you.

 

[fredbert]

You are probably right about the Service Order being a third way, maybe the best (?), to define the default gateway and the order of using the other interfaces. This isn't explained in DSM Help, as far as I have found.

Have you tried fully disconnecting the NAS from Finder? It might be caching the NAS IP while it is still connected.

You can also connect in Finder using Go / Connect to Server... (cmd k). Then use smb://NAS_10GbE_IP

As for interface network settings:

Some people advocate using DHCP and reserving an IP address in your DHCP server (usually the home router). Others prefer to manually assign network settings. It's down to you but you should have a consistent IP address on each LAN interface. If you use an IP address that is in the DHCP server's assignable range then you must reserve it in the server, even if you statically set it.​

Regarding SMB3 Multichannel, this is only for SMB connections (not HB etc):

DSM web portal is configured to only allow network LAG/bonds or SMB3 Multichannel. It is possible to force both to be enabled by using two DSM browser windows, but it is a pain. There is another way to do it by setting up SMB with multichannel enabled then, using SSH, saving the SMB config file. Then set up the LAG and then copy the SMB config file back and restart SMB service. I use the latter method with a LAG of the 4x1 GbE.​

​

I'm not sure why the NAS's HB task is using the 1 GbE port to make the outbound connection. If the 10 GbE port is default gateway then that should be used. I assume both ports aer on the same IP subnet.

 

[CPL2]

Well, I think you're onto something. I rebooted my Mac then reset the switch counter before using Finder to copy data to the NAS. The 2.5G network port was being used for the copy so I checked the port statistics to confirm and it was heavily used. Then I copied a different folder from the NAS to my Mac after clearing the counter and once again, the 2.5G network port was heavily used.

Once again cleared the counters and ran a backup task and HB only used the 1G network port so it looks like I have a partial fix. I don't think rebooting would make a difference to which port HB uses but I'll test a few things later on today.

You said I should have a consistent IP address on each LAN interface. Although I haven't set an IP address for each LAN interface, I don't think they've ever changed. The shortcut I use and Finder always connect to each NAS, so I don't think that's a problem. But, if they could change in the future and if this will prevent IPs from changing, then I should set static IP addresses.

I'm sure both ports are on the same IP subnet but then again, stranger things have happened. I'm haven't changed anything, just plugged in the NAS to the same switch and that was it. Keep in mind that I don't know a heck of a lot about all this stuff but I'm learning.

Thank you for the information. Things are starting to work properly.