Internet speed / networking issue. ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero / GT-AXE16000 / Zenwifi ET12

[Khybersghost]

I am trying to troubleshoot a networking issue affecting my down speed. I have two desktops that are getting pretty different speeds internet-wise. Now, the speeds are both good but one is getting about 1.2gb/s and the other is getting 2gb/s pretty consistently. I am not an IT person, so I would really help any insight anyone could provide. 🙂 

ISP rated to be 2gb/s down / 100mb/s up

The newer PC is an AMD 5900x with 64gb of system memory and an RTX 4900 for the GPU. It's getting the 1.2gb / s. The other machine is older, i7-5960x with 32gb system memory and a RTX 2080ti for the GPU. Windows 10 on both machines. 

My main router is a ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000. I have a ethernet conduit run to a small detached office  from the 10g port. It connects to a another router there, a ASUS ZenWiFi Pro (ET12). I have a single unmanaged 2.5gb ethernet switch attached via the 2.5g port on the router.

Each machine has the same PCie ethernet card (TP-Link 2.5GB PCIe Network Card (TX201)

Each machine is using the same updated drivers

Each machine is using the same type and length (Cat 😎 of ethernet cable 

I've tried disconnecting the other machine as well as swapping the ports they are occupying on the switch without issue. 

As far as I can tell, there aren't any bandwidth eating background applications / services running on the slower machine. 

[jzchen]

It may be due to the TX201 driver:

Slow TX201 adapter - Home Network Community

In the lower left corner there is a "Windows" icon.  If you right click it, about 5 items from the top go to Device Manager.  Left click the ">" to the left of Network Adapters.  Then right click on the TP-Link TX-201 line.  Should show similar to the image but for your TP-Link TX201 instead.  You can uninstall and reinstall the driver and hope it works better.  (Sometimes this works)...

[Khybersghost]

Thanks for the reply. I updated the drivers (or at least I thought so) but I will check this again to be sure!

[Khybersghost]

Checked device manager and reinstalled with drivers. No change. I did notice that the device shows up twice each time I reinstall it. Not sure if that is related to the issue. It only shows up once on the other machine. 

[jzchen]

I don't suppose it's this driver:

https://static.tp-link.com/upload/software/2022/202206/20220623/TX201(UN)%201.0%20Windows%20driver.r...

It shouldn't show up twice that is weird.  Maybe chipset driver issue...

[Khybersghost]

That's the one. I tried uninstalling / reinstalling without success. 

[jzchen]

Any "!" in the Device Manager?  Chipset drivers up to date?  One card shouldn't show up twice....

[Khybersghost]

Nope. I expanded all the other device groups and no " ! " anywhere to be seen. 

This is what I see with the network adapters. 

[jzchen]

I looked up the motherboard specs and it has built in 2.5 Gbps Ethernet.  Pull out the TX201 and try the built in Ethernet port.  Now it makes sense there are 2 2.5 Gbps devices.

From specs:

LAN

ASUS LANGuard

Realtek® RTL8125-CG 2.5G LAN

Intel® I211-AT

[Khybersghost]

Ok. I pulled the card. I was getting poor speeds without it so I was questioning the ethernet port speed on the motherboard. The second adapter is now gone but the speed is not improved, its much worse in fact. About 700mb/s. 
Also, I really appreciate the help.