topic Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications in Broadband

Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

RTT4321 — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 11:40:12 GMT

Hi, I'm suffering very slow upload speeds for data I'm backing up from a Macbook, to iDrive. I'm measuring 5-6Mbps on Ookla, but seeing about 0.3Mbps upload.

I've been in a long dialogue with iDrive, who did modify their networking approach for Macs, which prevented uploads stalling, but they say that there's nothing now on thier side restricting bandwith (unduly).

Instead, they've told me to look at my router in terms of "proxy settings, Firewall settings and web security". Whilst relatively proficience with computers, I've never understood networking and hoped for some advice. Also, whether any settings in the router would have this effect, as I understood that they were set up to not block by default?

My router is a Sky ModelSR203

Firmware Version7.04.0004.R

DSL Firmware VersionA2pvfbH043p1.d26u

iDrive provide this info for their app:

Server addresses

72.15.236.194
72.15.236.195
148.66.234.47
148.66.234.51
198.24.55.68
wsn24s.idrive.com

Port numbers

443
4437

Executables for Mac OS

idrive_ver_001
IDrive
IDriveDaemon
IDriveMonitor
IDWebManagement
IDSyncDaemon
idsync_ver_001

Any advice appreciated!

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

TimmyBGood — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 11:54:16 GMT

@RTT4321

There's nothing inherent to the networking on a Sky Broadband Hub which should prevent or slow cloud backups: that's largely going to be down to the local wireless environment and the very asymmetric nature of domestic broadband. Seeing '5-6Mbps on Ookla' suggests you are on rather poor FTTC, which has a maximum outbound speed of 20Mbs on an 80Mbs inbound circuit.

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

RTT4321 — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:18:21 GMT

@TimmyBGood thanks for your quick reply. Is your comment "rather poor FTTC, which has a maximum outbound speed of 20Mbs on an 80Mbs inbound circuit" saying I'm not on optimum network infrastructure, but that it shouldn't be sufficiently poor to cause this problem? In other words, it shouldn't be the router? If so, any additional thoughts on where to look next? thanks for your help.

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

Chrisee — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:44:13 GMT

@RTT4321 if you can post your hub's stats it should be possible to see if the issue is the broadband connection see Sky Hub statistics

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

TimmyBGood — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:29:49 GMT

@RTT4321 wrote:

Is your comment "rather poor FTTC, which has a maximum outbound speed of 20Mbs on an 80Mbs inbound circuit" saying I'm not on optimum network infrastructure, but that it shouldn't be sufficiently poor to cause this problem?

In that absence of actual faults, FTTC speed is almost entirely a product of copper cable distance to the local fibre cabinet. As @Chrisee said, the Hub stats should demonstrate this.

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

RTT4321 — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:39:27 GMT

In the meantime, Sky technical recommended that I set up a new 'Address reservation' for that laptop under "Advanced > Lan IP Setup" , plus a new "TCP/UDC" service with start port 443 and end port 4437 (ports supplied by cloud backup provider), which I will try....

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

RTT4321 — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:41:56 GMT

@Chrisee @TimmyBGood hub stats, many thanks:

Router Statistics

System Up Time: 01:18:19

Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collision Pkts Tx b/s Rx b/s Up Time WAN MER 3105495 2191492 0 6982025 699024 01:16:05 LAN Up 53167 684 0 35335 82 01:18:19 WLAN (2.4 GHz) Up 68939 16559 0 36386 2165 01:13:32 WLAN (5 GHz) Up 2851797 3500100 0 1304162 7082475 01:13:34

Broadband Link Downstream Upstream Connection Speed 39997 kbps 8285 kbps Line Attenuation D1(16.4 dB) , D2(44.0 dB) , D3(66.9 dB) U0(5.2 dB) , U1(33.1 dB) , U2(50.8 dB) Noise Margin 3.3 dB 6.1 dB

Poll Interval:

Seconds (at least 3s):

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

Chrisee — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:58:29 GMT

@RTT4321 I can see you are having trouble posting the stats for some reason but I did see the stats post briefly.You are on Openreach's 40/10 profile and are connecting st 40Mb/s down and 9Mb/s up which looks to be roughly the max your linecwill support as the downstream noise margin is 3.3dB which means your line is working well.

9Mb/s is ample for cloud back-ups assuming you are not using that bandwidth for other traffic like a video call and your file sizes are not huge. Back-ups of video files would inevitablly take a long while as the max upload can handle 4GB per hour assuming my mental arithmetic is correct.

Partial fibre lines are a great improvement over the old ADSL services but modern applications like cloud back ups tend to require speeds of a full fibre connection.

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

RTT4321 — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:05:33 GMT

Thanks, yes, for some reason each time I post them, they disappear. Also, yes, as I mentioned above I'm satisified my infrastructure is ok as the internet is generally working ok. It's more a question of ports, services etc per my other post. Any thoughts?

Re: Slow uploads using iDrive cloud backup applications

Chrisee — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:22:47 GMT

@RTT4321 you quoted a 0.3Mb/s upload in your first post depending on when that test was run either you have a dodgy connection from the Mac to the hub or something is using the balance of the upstream bandwidth. I use icloud backup-up myself and have never needed to fiddle with ports etc.

@TimmyBGood any ideas?