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[levinas69]

Hi,

I have a DIR-655 (A1/A2 with 1.21 firmware) working as my "forward" internet router and switch connecting me to the internet.  The household's main server - mainly for media - is attached to a LAN port of the DIR-655.  I have an ethernet cable attached to one of the LAN ports of the 655 running about 35' to the other side of the house.  It connects to the uplink port of a 10/100 switch - the "back" router.  Two XBMCs are connected to the switch. 

The problem is that video playback on *both* XMBC machines "stutters" and "lags", particularly on higher resolution videos.  Remote directories are slow to load, and caching subtitles takes a noticably long time.

Here is where I am in diagnostics:

1. If I connect the XMBC directly to the 655, by-passing the "back" switch then the problem goes away.  Videos play with no stagger and subtitles cache quickly.  This seems to indicate that, at least, that all the cabling is fine.

2. The problem is not the switch itself, however, since I have tried another, different switch in the "back" location.  The same problem occurs.  I have difficulties believing two switches are snaffued.

3. I tried putting a crossover cable in the system since another post suggested that this would help.  No help -- problem worse.

4. Everything connects fine.  Everything is pingable, everything can connect to the internet and file transfers work well enough.  The one thing that doesn't work is video playback.


My guess is that the DIR655 is a bog-standard POS that doesn't like being connected to a cascaded router under a little load.  Has anyone else had experience with this issue?

I am going to try swapping out the DIR655 and replacing it with a Tomato-based WRT54G.  I am betting dollars to donuts that the problem goes away.

Does anyone have any help or advice?

Best,
Jay.

[levinas69]

Oh, I should mention that my video streaming is done with windows networking -- netbios over TCP/IP, samba or whatever you want to call it.  I never had this problem with my old, silly, $20, SMC Barricade.  When it died, I replaced it with the 655 and that's when the problems seemed to start.

[ddaniel51]

I have basically the same setup with the exception that I run a gb switch on the back end.  No problems.

[Sammydad1]

Hi,

I would also go for a gigabit switch for your back-of-the-house unit if yours currently is not Gigabit.

Thirty-five feet is not that long in LAN terms so you shouldn't be seeing the stutters for that reason.

As a thought, what may be happening is that the DIR switch is not talking properly to you "back" switch so it may well be defaulting to 10 Mbps "safe" speed....rather than at least a 100 Mbps setting....

Xbox360 uses 10/100 I think..unless maybe the newest of the new maybe have added 10/100/1000 ethernet ??

Just my 2 cents...

SD1