Bandwidth (Upload) Overhead Caused By Hotspot

  • Anonymous December 24, 2011 at 10:43 pm

    Hi all

    a small question on my bandwidth.

    I am noticing that the actual traffic (upload) is almost doubled when using HotSpotSystemn from when using unfettered internet access.

    If I run a max upload FTP, on an unlimited package and no QoS activated, I get roughly 420kbit outgoing on my ADSL modem, but only 160 on my actual connection.

    If I do the same with HotSpotSystem disabled (but otherwise all the same hardware and moden), I also get 420kbit on the ADSL modem, but 320 out of my actual connection.

    The only conclusion I can draw is that somehow HotSpotSystems is adding 100% overhead on the upload traffic.

    Does anyone have any idea what can be the cause, and even more importantly, how I can avoid this?

    Edit: Specific question: I suspect the cause is chilli forwards not just the un-authorized http requests through the tunnel, but all tcp upload, even non http and even for already authorized users. And Chilli is dead software. Would a newer CoovaChilli based router work around this, or would it have the same issue?

    Thanks

    Core hardware: DD-WRT V24 SP2 on a 400MHz TP-LINK WD941ND behind a Fritz 2720 ADSL modem.

    .

    Anonymous December 26, 2011 at 2:55 pm

    I’ll answer my own question:

    Indeed, with CoovaChilli, the upload overhead is gone. So DD-WRT with an old Chilli gives me 160Kb net out of 420Kb raw, and OpenWRT with CoovaChilli gives me 320Kb net out of 420Kb raw.

    Not sure why, but whatever the cause, the CoovaChillli works better.

    Anonymous December 27, 2011 at 1:47 pm

    Hello,

    Can you please tell me what build of ddwrt you were using when you experienced the reduction in upload speed?

    Anonymous December 27, 2011 at 11:01 pm

    Device: DD-WRT V24 preSP2 build 15778

    TP-Link WR941ND 400Mhz atheros 32MB, CPU not heavily impacted during the upload test

    While I have only one DD-WRT to play with, I suspect it is not build related. It seems well known ChilliSpot has not been maintained for years, so I doubt it changes over the builds. Even (somewhere in the knowledgebase) HotSpotSystems wrote that Coova is better.

    Anonymous December 28, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    The 15778 is a build that has given me problems. I use a Wrt54gl and after upgrading to 15778 adn enabling the hotspot I cannot even ping or access the router. Many users have reported the same results also, but the effects vary with router. I did not experience the drop in upload speed with other ddwrt build I was testing with.

    Anonymous December 28, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    Well, unless if HotSpotSystems advises against it, I’m probably going to stick with OpenWRT. The interface is not so nice, and configuring is less easy, but I like the fact I can also authenticate local MAC addresses. Also, I haven’t found any newer DD-WRT build for this router model.

    As to the drop in upload, it may be presumptuous of me, but if all DD-WRT would have it, you would not notice a drop. Did you properly look at raw vs net upload ratio’s, or ratio’s with and without Chilli active?

    Anonymous December 28, 2011 at 3:24 pm

    Currently compatibility with Openwrt is in testing phase, but we welcome any observations from users regarding operation.

    With DDwrt we tested the upload ratio with chilli on and off.

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