My UPS throttles my internet

[writhziden]

My UPS: Tripp Lite 1500VA UPS Back Up

My cable modem is unfortunately too far away to power directly from the UPS. As a result, I have the Ethernet going through the UPS device to my system.

With my Ethernet connected directly to my system, I get the following speeds:




Through the UPS, I get the following speeds:




And that's when I'm getting a fairly good connection. Sometimes, the download speed is throttled to 10-20 Mbps.


Should I just get an extension cord for my modem?

 

[Digerati]

You did not say how long this extension cord would need to be, but I generally don't like using them. So if me, I would extend the coax cable running to the cable modem so you can move the modem closer to the UPS. I have never run my Ethernet cables through my UPS so I cannot comment on that. But for sure, that drop is unacceptable and not normal (though I am jealous even of that 140Mbps!).

Hmmm, looking at the image of the rear of your UPS, I see it says for those connections "Fax/Phone/LAN". I find that odd because typically Fax and phone cables use RJ-11 connectors and LAN uses RJ-45. RJ-45 uses 8 wires vs 4 and therefore is a bigger connector. So those must be some sort of universal jacks. I don't like universal things. While they usually work "okay", they often don't work as well as devices designed for a specific task. I see my APC has similar "Tel/Network" input and output connections. But as noted, I don't use them. I can only suggest you make sure you have the cables connected to the In and Out side correctly, and try different cables too.

 

[writhziden]

I was going to go with a high quality, 10 foot extension cord designed for electronics. I'd get a longer coax, but this is an apartment, and the Wi-Fi needs to be as central as possible due to all the interference from neighboring Wi-Fi systems.

 

[Digerati]

but this is an apartment, and the Wi-Fi needs to be as central as possible

Ah, so you have a "residential gateway" device - modem, router, WAP, and Ethernet switch built into one. I understand the need for a central location then. Yeah, then a good extension cord is probably the best option to protect the device with the UPS.

FTR, it seems space on the back of a UPS is never enough to support what I need supported - especially the devices that use large AC/DC power blocks. So I have one of these plugged into a couple of my UPS. Very handy and at only 18", don't add to the rat's nest too much.

 

[Tekno Venus]

Hmmm, looking at the image of the rear of your UPS, I see it says for those connections "Fax/Phone/LAN". I find that odd because typically Fax and phone cables use RJ-11 connectors and LAN uses RJ-45. RJ-45 uses 8 wires vs 4 and therefore is a bigger connector. So those must be some sort of universal jacks. I don't like universal things. While they usually work "okay", they often don't work as well as devices designed for a specific task. I see my APC has similar "Tel/Network" input and output connections. But as noted, I don't use them. I can only suggest you make sure you have the cables connected to the In and Out side correctly, and try different cables too.

I saw that too. I wonder what your device is negotiating at? My first thought was that it might be at 10/100 speed, but since you're getting >100 down, that dispels that. Are you negotiating at half or full duplex?

But yeah, I don't like the look of those Tel/Network jacks - especially if they work with RJ11 and RJ45 like that. I've never seen them used. I don't really see the need for them either - I can see them being used here for DSL connections where internet comes over the phone line for protection for lightning. I don't know much about cable (cable broadband isn't very common in the UK), but I don't see why you'd need to run ethernet through the UPS.

You can run cat5e over 100m, so why not just run one ethernet cable from the modem to the PC?

 

[Tekno Venus]

Also, out of interest, do most UPSs in US have standard plugs on the back?

Here in the UK, almost all our UPSes have IEC C13 and (sometimes) C19 connectors on the back.

 

[writhziden]

I saw that too. I wonder what your device is negotiating at? My first thought was that it might be at 10/100 speed, but since you're getting >100 down, that dispels that. Are you negotiating at half or full duplex?

But yeah, I don't like the look of those Tel/Network jacks - especially if they work with RJ11 and RJ45 like that. I've never seen them used. I don't really see the need for them either - I can see them being used here for DSL connections where internet comes over the phone line for protection for lightning. I don't know much about cable (cable broadband isn't very common in the UK), but I don't see why you'd need to run ethernet through the UPS.

You can run cat5e over 100m, so why not just run one ethernet cable from the modem to the PC?

I'm running at full duplex.

Theoretically, the modem should offer enough protection that a surge would damage the modem and nothing else. The Ethernet should be isolated, assuming it conforms to standards. Since the modem is plugged into a surge protector, I should have another layer of protection, but a surge protector isn't as much protection as a UPS offers. For 100% safety, I'd probably want the modem on the UPS. Even if I'm essentially 100% protected now, it wouldn't be a horrible thing to have my modem available if I lost power, assuming the network itself didn't go down with the power outage.

 

[Digerati]

do most UPSs in US have standard plugs on the back?

For input power for standard home use UPS, IEC C13 are standard.

 

[Tekno Venus]

do most UPSs in US have standard plugs on the back?

For input power for standard home use UPS, IEC C13 are standard.

The UPS in the first post had power sockets for outputs? We have C13/14 outputs on them here too, I don't think I've ever seen a unit like Mike's with standard plugs on the back - or if they do have plugs they only have 1 or 2. None of the units I've seen at work have standard plugs. They've all got IEC outputs

 

[Digerati]

Yeah, I think the issue for you in the UK is mainland Europe. There are just too many "standards" across the entire continent. It is not cost effective for them to produce UPS models for every one of those standards. Plus, your typical plugs tend to be physically much larger which would greatly limit the number of connections on the back of the UPS.

Here in the US (and Canada and most of Mexico) we have one 110-125VAC 3-prong standard. I have the APC Back-UPS XS 1500 on this computer supporting my computer, 2 monitors and all my network gear. You can see by the rear image shot, it uses the NEMA 5-15 connector, the same configuration used in all our standard home 110-125VAC wall outlets.

Note American homes are also typically wired for 240VAC high wattage appliances for our kitchen ovens/stove tops, electric clothes dryers, electric hot water heaters, electric forced air furnace systems, central AC, etc. Furnaces, hot water heaters and central AC units are typically hard wired. Note many homes use natural gas for the furnace and hot water (mine does). Ovens and dryers (if not using natural gas) use much larger connectors than you have over there (based on what I saw when I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall back in the 80s). There have been several standard 240-250VAC configurations used over the years but I believe the most common uses the NEMA 10-30. But these are all pretty much industrial grade and you won't see these on UPS used for normal home consumer electronics (computers, TVs, table lamps, home theater sound, etc.) use.