Not using full capacity of upload speed

I have a 40/10 FTTC connection (cos I'm 555m from the box) and am uploading to an off-site backup where they have a 75 meg ish download. So you'd (I'd) think I could use all my 10 megs upload to er, upload.

According to my backup app and my router I'm only using a third of my available speed. App varies but is around 333 KB/sec at the moment: the router's graph shows somewhere around 3000 kbit/sec.

The router says my attainable throughput is 13268 kbit/s. Why can't I saturate my upload?

Thanks!

If speed tests show the upload hitting the 8 to 9 Mbps region, then its not your connection but probably the backup site throttling uploads

NOTE 333 KB/sec )Kilo Bytes per second is 2664 kilo bits per second and once overheads of TCP/IP are added explains why router is showing 3000 kbit/sec

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

If speed tests show the upload hitting the 8 to 9 Mbps region, then its not your connection but probably the backup site throttling uploads

It's often been mentioned here that heavy uploads can play merry hell with latency, could the backup app be trying to avoid that (in case someone wants to go gaming etc)?

In which case it might have a setting where it can be changed.

It might, some apps do have a throttle option so they can coexist with other people using a connection, so worth a check.

The �attainable� figure in your router is the sync you might get if on an 80/20 connection, though assuming you are sync�ed at something like 9999kbps I�d expect 12Mbps in practice.

It is nothing at all to do with throughput, other than sync obviously limits that.

It�s quite normal not to be able to saturate your upload on backups. Especially to the mass market cloud stores like Dropbox, google and Microsoft.

The destination server is probably running QOS on all connections so as to provide an �adequate� service to all uploaders. Given that there are now many home users with 500Mbps or higher upstream capability they need to avoid being swamped. There could even be some limit pre-set in the app you are using.

If you're using one of the big commercial backup services (e.g. IDrive, CrashPlan, Carbonite) then you can choose to throttle.

If you are using something you have set up yourself, don't forget encryption has a bit of an overhead as well.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

If speed tests show the upload hitting the 8 to 9 Mbps region, then its not your connection but probably the backup site throttling uploads

Yes, a TBB speed test is showing 8.2 average bursting at 9. So we're happy here!

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

The destination server is probably running QOS on all connections so as to provide an �adequate� service to all uploaders.

It's not a commercial cloud backup site, just another 'off site' server under my control.

I wonder if there's a QOS setting in my Fritz!Box router which I should look at. I doubt the backup software is throttling me but I'll have a look there to.

I am using a VPN connection and the backup is also encrypted. Would that account for anything substantial?

Knowing its not a commercial service, do people think I ought to be getting a quicker upload? (I'm sending some Very Large files so doubling the speed would actually make a real difference, I'm not just trying to save a couple of minutes!)

Thanks again.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

I am using a VPN connection and the backup is also encrypted. Would that account for anything substantial?

Everything will take a few percent. If you are using a VPN for general browsing, AND using a site-to-site VPN between your location and your off-site location, then disable the general browsing one and see.

What is the upload of the remote site? Is it capable of sending the ACKs back fast enough?

Knowing its not a commercial service, do people think I ought to be getting a quicker upload? (I'm sending some Very Large files so doubling the speed would actually make a real difference, I'm not just trying to save a couple of minutes!)

If your off-site is on a different broadband FTTC connection on a different ISP, then it is quite possible that you aren't getting the 8Mbps throughput between the ISPs, as most ISPs would optimise their network for the big content usage (e.g. streaming video), rather than files between people.

I've not tried this in a long time, but when I was on Plusnet FTTC, I was able to pass files, over a site-to-site VPN with my parents, also on Plusnet FTTC, and max out my upload, which was the slowest part.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

If you are using a VPN for general browsing, AND using a site-to-site VPN between your location and your off-site location, then disable the general browsing one and see.

What is the upload of the remote site? Is it capable of sending the ACKs back fast enough?

The VPN is router to router, the speed test I gave earlier (8.2 average up) was from another machine on the LAN not connecting through the VPN.

The other end has a 76/20 connection.

If your off-site is on a different broadband FTTC connection on a different ISP

No, both are Zen FTTC connections

I've not tried this in a long time, but when I was on Plusnet FTTC, I was able to pass files, over a site-to-site VPN with my parents, also on Plusnet FTTC, and max out my upload, which was the slowest part.

That's what I want to do and by the sounds should be able. Something somewhere...

If you manage both sides of the link you're in a way position to troubleshoot this than randoms on a forum.

Could be a few different things. VPN usually a good place to start.