Network Performance (2) - Is Gigabits Network Fast?

Date: Aug 21, 2011

The Network Flow tools in the Resource Monitor admin tool from Synology provides some info that drive us to think about our network.

Compare of WiFi Vs. LAN

Test 1.  GI transfered a movie file which is 939.4MB over the WiFi using my iMac.  And then, I transfered it back.  Then, I transfered another bigger file to the Synology, and then, I transfer it back.  My iMac is connecting to the synology via a cat6 cable and it is connecting to my switch at 1000Mbps port speed.  The file transfered at top speed of 60000KB/s (about 468.75Mbps).  OK, that is fast.  The 1GB file is transfer less than 1 min.  This is really fast.  You need to have very good cabling system at home, with cat6 cables, and Gigabits switch in order to do so.

Test 2.  If you turn off the Ethernet port, and launch your WiFi port.  Now, you get WiFi speed for the file transfer.  As you can see, the highest I can achieve is 10000KB/s (about 78.125Mbps), comparing it to the Gigabits network 468.75Mbps, that is a huge difference.

As a conclusions, in order for you to implement a Gigabits network, you have to have the router that has gigabits switch port, and a gigabits switch, as well as your network port on your PC must support Gigabits too.

But, the incoming Internet from Singtel is only 50Mbps at max, so, why do you need a Gigabits network at home?  This is for your NAS.  So that you can transfer file much faster to and from the NAS.  i.e. If you backup your iTunes on the NAS/Synology.