Why are MLAB speed test results slower on Fingbox than MLAB on a laptop over WiFi?

nyul

The Fingbox is connected to a modern 1Gbps (Netgear) switch. All switch ports are 1Gbps and the connection LEDs confirm the Fingbox port is transmitting at 1Gbps. The switch is connected to a Google Nest WiFi (configured as a LAN router, not a bridge) which is connected to a 1Gbps ethernet-via-fibre broadband service (Hyperoptic, UK).

Fingbox day after day shows the down speed as 490-510Mbps.

However, using an old 2014 MacBook Pro over WiFi to the router/WAP, MLAB tests show 710-730Mbps. If the laptop had an ethernet port I suspect it may be even faster via cable.

Why is the Fingbox MLAB result so much lower than the MLAB result on a laptop when the Fingbox has the faster, wired connection?

Karl_From_Fing

Hey @nyul
May I ask you for a screenshot from the same device of you testing the results of the speed tests and the inconsistencies please? Additionally tagging @Chris_MLAB to see if he can provide any further insight here!

Chris_MLAB

@Karl_From_Fing I am no longer with M-Lab.
Please contact [email protected] or post to their public discussion group for assistance.

Karl_From_Fing

Hey @Chris_MLAB
Thank you for letting me know, wishing you success!
@nyul
Please provide me the screenshots and I can find another contact for M-labs.

nyul

@Karl_From_Fing

This first screenshot is on a 2014 MacBook Pro over WiFi (about 2m distance from the Nest WiFi WAP/router). I tried several others and got similar results (one was 745Mbps, another 730Mbps).




This next screenshot is a Fingbox test performed (triggered from the Android app, cabled to the 1Gbps switch wired to the Nest router) a minute or two after the Macbook test above. I tried others immediately after a browser speed test and the results were similar.



And this last screenshot is a series of recent Fingbox speed tests. The peak Fingbox figure is 510Mbps, and the MacBook MLAB browser speed test peak was about 745Mbps, 46% higher. Obviously, measurements will vary over time and sometimes by a lot, but the disparity appears to persist. It also seems that the Fingbox figures are more stable (or throttled in some way) whereas the MacBook/browser speeds vary more, but peak much higher.


I have not been able to speed test through the switch with another device (other than the Fingbox) to confirm it is not throttling bandwidth, but hope to be able to do that in a week or so and if so I will comment with the result. The switchis a Netgear GS316 (unmanaged 1Gbps 16-port).
https://www.netgear.com/uk/business/wired/switches/unmanaged/gs316/ 

Karl_From_Fing

Hey @nyul
Thank you for the in-depth response, but would it be possible for you to supply screenshots from the same device doing speed tests consecutively? I would love to see the different results from the same devices at a very similar time if that's okay. 

nyul

@Karl_From_Fing Screenshots below. The Fing app ones are on the Fingbox wired via the Netgear 1Gbps switch into the Nest router. The purple web browser ones are from the MacBook Pro over WiFi to the Nest router/WAP.

For these results at least, a) the Fingbox results consistently average quite a bit lower than those over WiFi, even though it is on Ethernet to a 1Gbps service rather than WiFi, and b) the Fingbox upload speeds are 5-10x those MLAB measures in the laptop browser.

Honestly, I have so little faith in MLAB testing at this point I'm likely to ignore it. Speedtest.net and the speed testing the Nest router does are at least relatively consistent, and quite usable.

nyul

I meant to say, the above test results were performed in an alternate/interlaced way, e.g. Fingbox test, then WiFi browser test, then Fingbox, etc. The 16 tests were performed over the same time period, not 8 and then 8.

Chiefplumber

@nyul You are not alone in your observations and this condition has been the same since FingBox was initially released.  I have FingBox connected to a Foundry gigabit switch and then through a Cisco ASA 5550 (high speed firewall) to the 1gbit ISP link.  FingBox reports 500-600 mbps download and I can pull a full 1gig from a wireline Ethernet connected 2012 Mac mini connected to the same switch.  I have no clue how the FingBox connects to the MLab test network but the speed tests are always low.  BTW, the upload speeds reported are similarly low.

gregraven

It's not just MLAB results that differ. Speed tests through our Fingbox show about half the download speed (comparable upload speeds) of our Netgear Orbi, or Speediest app, or any of the other measurement tools I have.

Pop

Same here. I have 1G Fiber service and the Fingbox reports much lower. Evidently it hits the MLAB server in Dallas and I can use several other speed tests from Dallas and get dramatically higher results. I now just ignore the Fingbox results. They in no way reflect what I get in the real world. I am moving data regularly to a Dallas data center for backup and web services and I would be on the phone with my ISP demanding a refund if I were getting the Fingbox reported speed.  

Pete1

I am experiencing similar issues. My Fing box which is connected to a 1GB switch shows download speeds around 93 Mbps while my Ero 6 Pro which is in bridge mode and connected to my 1 gigabit switch consistently shows over 400 Mbps, often 450 to 500 Mbps.

Gadget

I have same issue and have posted about it before.  Ookla: 598/31, Fing: 175/29.  I have done these repeatedly over a period of weeks, running them at the same time and I always get very similar results.  Fing has a lot of great features and if my Fingbox died, I would replace with another but the speed test is completely unreliable.

claudiolr

Same issue for me. Fingbox 535/151 Ookla 929/177. I agree, test is unreliable.

Pop

I assume after all this time with no response that the problem is not significant to the Fing folks...

Michal_From_Fing

Hi @Pop We are currently working on this issue. It is really hard to recreate on our end as it seems to quite random if it comes to this particular problem.

gregraven

You must have a great ISP. I've tried the Fing version of speed testing in many locations, and in every instance Fing reports lower speeds than other speed-testing tools. Far from being random, it never varies that Fing results are lower than others in my experience.

Chiefplumber

I completely agree with all the other comments in this thread.  I have a 1g fiber connection and all other speed tests from a wire connected device will report 900mb+ download and 800+ upload speeds.  Fing continuously reports between 400 and 600mb download and upload.  The speed tests run 6 times a day and are all fairly consistent.  My network is very stable and supports high throughput for multiple users (Foundry gigabit switch, Cisco ASA firewall).  I grabbed the Fingbox when it was released on indiegogo and I can say that the reported speeds have increased over the years (marginally).  Initially, the speeds were in the 400mb range and now are in the mid 500's to 600.  Actually, I assumed the issue was a horsepower limitation in the Fingbox, that it just can't drive the wire as hard as my Mac's, PCs or other devices.  I am happy to help Fing diagnose this since the Fing speed tests are useless as they stand.

Pop

I was in the Fing app Friday and saw the Speed Performance numbers so I did a few tests. I am in the Austin area so I selected three different Dallas servers for speed tests. I got about the usual results from the OOKLA app to the three different sites:

Rural Telecom Dallas: Download=939.76, Upload=454.63

Netprotect Dallas:      Download=940.68, Upload=523.42
Frontier Dallas:          Download=943.03, Upload=685.42
That's pretty consistent and the ping result for all three was 8ms.

Fing reports 214.1 Download and 179.1 Upload. Obviously this is WAY off. I could understand a small variation but this example is what I usually see from Fing all the time.

Pete1

I believe this problem has been going on for quite some time now, possibly as long as a year. I have been ignoring the Fing speed test results as they are way off. I believe the issue started with an update to Fingbox. I remember getting good results in the past and then suddenly the bad results started and continue today. I wish I could remember the exact date the issue started.

Karl_From_Fing

@Pete1
@Pop
@Chiefplumber
@gregraven
I have created (separate) support tickets for you's on this issue to troubleshoot further and see if we can expedite the troubleshooting process on our end. 

MIBSWE

Silence as usual from Fing!