Main PC refuses to use direct connection to my server even when its network is specified

[sam_86314]

So I have a bit of a weird setup with my system. I have my main home network that's connected to the internet on 192.168.1.0/24, and I have a separate direct network exclusively between my main PC and my home server on 10.10.10.0/24. The directly connected network is 10Gb while the main network is 1Gb. For the last few years, I haven't had any issues with this setup.

But recently, I've started running into an issue where even when I specify connecting to 10.10.10.2 (my server's address on the fast network), my PC will insist on using the slower main network even though the server has a completely different address there (192.168.1.251). This happens with file transfers and my weekly backups, and it's especially frustrating when my backups and copies run at 900Mb/s instead of 2-3Gb/s.

In this screenshot, "Ethernet" is the 10Gb connection on 10.10.10.0/24, and "Ethernet 2" is the normal 1Gb connection on 192.168.1.0/24. You can also see in the Macrium window that I specified that it connect to 10.10.10.2 instead of just using my server's hostname. But for some reason, it's still using the slower connection on a completely different network than I specified.

If I stop any file copies and disconnect my server or my main PC from the slow network, it goes back to the faster connection when I resume. But then, if I reconnect to the slow network during the transfer, I can watch my transfer speeds suddenly drop to 1Gb after a bit, and we're back to using the slow network.

Anyone know why this keeps happening and how I can stop it? I would think that specifying the faster network would cause it to, oh I don't know, use the faster network.

EDIT: Did a quick test while running the backup...

I paused the backup and physically disconnected the slower network, and upon resuming, it goes back to the faster network at about 3-4Gb/s

But then when I reconnect the slow network (without pausing the backup), it eventually stops using the faster connection and goes back to the slower one. You can even see it on the Task Manager graphs.

 

[Veseleil]

Since you've mentioned it was working fine earlier, did you make some changes to the OS, perhaps an update? Otherwise I'd say it's typical Win BS, as I have a specific case, where my PC's are connected through a network switch (LAN), but my internet is sourced from a smartphone tethering. It causes a lot of strange issues I won't waste time explaining. Very bad experience overall each time I need to connect 2 PCs for a LAN gameplay or w/e.

 

[sam_86314]

Since you've mentioned it was working fine earlier, did you make some changes to the OS, perhaps an update? Otherwise I'd say it's typical Win BS, as I have a specific case, where my PC's are connected through a network switch (LAN), but my internet is sourced from a smartphone tethering. It causes a lot of strange issues I won't waste time explaining. Very bad experience overall each time I need to connect 2 PCs for a LAN gameplay or w/e.

I can only assume a Windows update changed something then.

 

[R-T-B]

This is probably smb multichannel trying to be smart, if your host is a windows machine anyhow (yes I've been in this same boat, fun eh?). Disable it if necessary for your scenario:

Manage SMB Multichannel

Use this topic to use SMB Multichannel for increased throughput and network fault tolerance.

learn.microsoft.com

I have it disabled in my network serverside and though it does limit single client file transfers to a single thread, most modern machines can still pull 10gbps no problemo (this includes the more decent atom cores).

Also, ensure you are addressing the server by it's fast ipv4 address and not something else. Easiest way is just to setup the share using the fast IPv4 rather than server name.

 

[evernessince]

This could very well be a windows prioritization issue.

You can try prioritizing your 10 Gb connector by going into control panel > Network connections > right click your 10 Gb adapter > properties > properties > Internet Protocol version 4 (properties) > advanced > uncheck automatic metric and set it to 10. You can repeat this process for your other adapter, except set automatic metric to 20.

You can view how window's prioritizes a given network / adapter by typing "route print" into command prompt.

 

[R-T-B]

This could very well be a windows prioritization issue.

You can try prioritizing your 10 Gb connector by going into control panel > Network connections > right click your 10 Gb adapter > properties > properties > Internet Protocol version 4 (properties) > advanced > uncheck automatic metric and set it to 10. You can repeat this process for your other adapter, except set automatic metric to 20.

You can view how window's prioritizes a given network / adapter by typing "route print" into command prompt.

That also may work, forgot about priorities/metrics.

In my previous case it was not enough, but always should try facilities like this if you can before blindly turning features off. So do so.

 

[DaemonForce]

I have only ever had this issue when running redundant network controllers and running file transfers to the host name instead of a specific IP.
Make sure you are using the fast IP for these transfers and it should be fine. If there's some kind of net load balancing or priority gacha, no idea.
It might help to disable the slower network controllers or just boot WinPE and load the fast network controller drivers before doing backups.
Macrium is supposed to have those features available.

 

[sam_86314]

This could very well be a windows prioritization issue.

You can try prioritizing your 10 Gb connector by going into control panel > Network connections > right click your 10 Gb adapter > properties > properties > Internet Protocol version 4 (properties) > advanced > uncheck automatic metric and set it to 10. You can repeat this process for your other adapter, except set automatic metric to 20.

You can view how window's prioritizes a given network / adapter by typing "route print" into command prompt.

This seems to have done the trick. Changed the metric and reconnected my server to the slow network, and the backup is still using the fast one.

Never mind, gave it 15 minutes and it still dropped back to the slower adapter. Disabled Multichannel to see if that helps in the future.

 

[evernessince]

This seems to have done the trick. Changed the metric and reconnected my server to the slow network, and the backup is still using the fast one.

Never mind, gave it 15 minutes and it still dropped back to the slower adapter. Disabled Multichannel to see if that helps in the future.

Try disabling and enabling both adapters from the Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections page. Windows may not be respecting the updated values.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Cables and their connectors are cheap, flimsy, easily damaged but critical network devices. I would temporarily swap cables to see what happens. And note port go bad too. Try different ports.

 

[sam_86314]

Cables and their connectors are cheap, flimsy, easily damaged but critical network devices. I would temporarily swap cables to see what happens. And note port go bad too. Try different ports.

I don't think it's a hardware issue since it'll go right back to using the fast network if I unplug the slow. I'm sure it's just Windows networking being stupid.

If anything, the slow network should be the one having issues since I use SFP+ for the 10Gb and regular ethernet for the slow one.

I've adjusted metrics and disabled multichannel, so if I don't end up testing it, I'll know if it's fixed this weekend.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I don't think it's a hardware issue

The point I was making is cables are cheap - meaning it costs little swap to in different cables for testing. Yet they are critical network devices. And I will add, their operation is not binary. That is, it is not like they either work, or don't work. A damaged cable can appear to be in perfect condition yet still cause errors. And such problems can be intermittent too - making them even harder to troubleshoot.

You may be right and it may not have anything to do with the cable, its connectors, or ports. But it cost very little (maybe $0.00 if on hand) to swap in and find out. Then, at least, you have eliminated the cable from the equation and then you can say "I know it's not a hardware issue". Or at least not a cable issue.