Slow network file transfer (under 20KB/s) on newly built x64 Win7

Question

I am getting <20KB/s for local network file transfer.

If I transfer a very small file (less than 100KB) it would start quickly then slow down to <20KB/s. all subsequently network file transfer would be slow, a reboot is needed to reset this. If I transfer a large file it would be stuck on calculating for a long time and then begin with <20KB/s immediately.

This is a newly built desktop running Windows 7 x64 SP1. Realtek gigabit LAN from the motherboard (ASRock Extreme3 gen3). Problematic speed is observed on the private LAN, both through ethernet and WiFi. The Router is D-Link DIR-655. Remote Differential Compression is off. Drivers are up-to-date from ASRock's website.

I have tested network file transfer to and from another Windows 7 laptop and a MacBook Pro, so I am fairly certain it is the desktop's problem. The slow speed only happens with one direction also, outbound from the desktop, regardless of whether I initiate the file transfer action from the origin or the destination. Inbound network file transfer and internet speeds are fine, so I don't think this is a hardware issue.

I am getting 74.8MB/s internet upload speed from speedtest.net (http://www.speedtest.net/result/1852752479.png). Inbound network file transfer I can get around 10-15MB/s.

I am hoping this community has some insight for me to troubleshoot this. I don't see anything obviously related from the Event Viewer, and beyond that I just don't know where else to look.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.

Solution 1

I'm not sure if you're still having this problem but I found this post after having the exact same issue.

I have the same motherboard as you and I'm using a 64-bit installation of Windows 7 connected to my home network using gigabit Ethernet.

I managed to find a solution after reading another super user question and some experimentation:

I went to the configuration screen of my network adapter and changed the following configuration settings:

• Large Send Offload V2 (IPv4) = Disabled (was Enabled)
• Large Send Offload V2 (IPv6) = Disabled (was Enabled)

I guess this is a driver issue. I haven't scouted out for an updated driver so I'm not sure if there is a newer version (and whether this issue is fixed).

This has solved this frustrating problem for me. I hope it helps you.

Solution 2

Check link speed and duplex under the network adapter settings. Change to auto negotiation if anything else is selected. This took me 6+ hours of troubleshooting. This site finally had me looking in the right place.

Solution 3

The following settings worked for me after a couple of configurations and tests. I tested both small files and big files. I also tested extracting a zip file (SysinternalSuite.zip) directly on the File Server. It definitely seems to be a driver issue. Last but not least, I unplugged my network cable from my Thunderbolt 27" Display, which also made a huge difference in performance. Seems like my Apple setup doesn't like the Windows Kernel...

MacBook Pro 17" Mid-2011 (i7 2.2, 16 GB, 750 GB, ATI)

Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet

• Ethernet@WireSpeed = Disable
• Large Send Offload (IPv4) = Disable
• Large Send Offload v2 (IPv4) = Disable
• Large Send Offload v2 (IPv6) = Disable

Comments

[Admin]

I've seen similar behaviour on a couple machines, and it pointed to the NIC driver, or card itself. It's strange that you're seeing the same issues on Wi-Fi and Ethernet, though. Perhaps the motherboard chipset drivers need a look? Have you tried a USB-dongle Ethernet connector? That solved the problem on my laptop.

[Mangoshake]

Turns out it was a driver issue. The ASRock driver was just not working for me, however after I searched for and installed the NIC's reference driver directly from Realtek, everything started working again. I now have about 15MB/s both up and down. It is not gigabit LAN like it is supposed to be, but at least usable in the normal sense for home networking.

[David Richerby]

The question specifically asks about Windows 7. Does your suggestion work for Windows 7?