Slow Files Download

[Karore]

Hey everyone

I have purchased some adventure modules for D&D 5E and started to run the updater and every time I do that, I know I'm about to enter a world of pain. To download 3 adventure modules today it took me over 2 hours.

The thing is, I'm at a 60Mbps download connection, wired, and I connect seamlessly to everything on the internet, except to the module downloads in Fantasy Grounds (to be fair, Syrinscape audio pools also take a loooong time to download).

One interesting thing that happened today was that for most of the files in the modules it would follow the same pattern: Start reeeeeeally slow (about 10 minutes until timing out) until it times out and say it is attempting to reconnect in 10 secs. After reconnecting, module download would speed up and finish really quickly.

PS: Found a workaround. Whenever it starts struggling with a download, if I cancel the update, do not leave the update window and click the update button, it moves quickly to where it stopped and downloads are blazing fast. Then I let it run until it start struggling again, do the same and things move fast again.

Update.txt:

Getting packages from FG server
Starting update check
Getting examples from FG server
Getting purchases from FG server
Checking package FantasyGroundsUpdater for updates
(...)
Checking package WOTC5EMTOF for updates
Checking package WOTC5EOOTA for updates
Checking package WOTC5EPHBDELUXE for updates
Checking package WOTC5EPOTA for updates
Checking package WOTC5EROT for updates
updating extensions/Decal_ROT.ext
updating modules/DD The Rise of Tiamat.mod (Here it started to get reeeeal slow)
Update check cancelled.

Getting packages from FG server
Starting update check
Getting examples from FG server
Getting purchases from FG server
Checking package FantasyGroundsUpdater for updates
(...)
Checking package WOTC5EMTOF for updates
Checking package WOTC5EOOTA for updates
Checking package WOTC5EPHBDELUXE for updates
Checking package WOTC5EPOTA for updates
Checking package WOTC5EROT for updates
updating extensions/Decal_ROT.ext
updating modules/DD The Rise of Tiamat.mod
Checking package WOTC5ESCAG for updates
updating extensions/Decal_SCAG.ext (slow again)
Update check cancelled.

Getting packages from FG server
Starting update check
Getting examples from FG server
Getting purchases from FG server
Checking package FantasyGroundsUpdater for updates
(...)
Checking package WOTC5EMTOF for updates
Checking package WOTC5EOOTA for updates
Checking package WOTC5EPHBDELUXE for updates
Checking package WOTC5EPOTA for updates
Checking package WOTC5EROT for updates
Checking package WOTC5ESCAG for updates
updating extensions/Decal_SCAG.ext
updating modules/SCAGCG.mod
updating modules/SCAGPG.mod (slow again)
Update check cancelled.

And so on....

Can this be an issue between my PC and server #1 (I don't know how to call it)?

I'm available to run any tests you want me to to help diagnose what could be happening, just let me know.

Thank you everyone for your help, FG is an amazing software and I want to be able to download more modules faster (and consequently throw my money at you!)

[Zacchaeus]

Hi Katore welcome to FG.

The most likely issue will be with your antivirus software or possibly something on your router such as flood protection or parental controls interfering with the correct operation of FG.

[LordEntrails]

I've seen similar behavior on large file downloads on dozens of computers on dozens of different networks (internal and external). i.e. where stopping and restarting the download changes the download speed. No idea why this happens, and I don't think it is limited to Windows networks.

Also don't have a solution for you other than reboot your modem, router and computer and see if that helps. Otherwise do what you are doing and stop and start them when you don't want to just let it run overnight.

Do be aware, some of the individual modules are over 100MB, so they are just going to take time.

[Karore]

Hmm, ok, thanks for the suggestion people.

Zacchaeus, I'm pretty sure my AV/Firewall are not the reason, since I've disabled both and still get the same results. Concerning the modem, I've double checked all the configs and everything seems to be in order. IP Flood is off.

LordEntrails, it's really funny because I've had to cancel and restart update on a 300kB file and downloaded a 140MB (Princes of the Apocalypse) in a few secs, so it doesn't seem to be directly related to file size.

If I find anything else I can think of, I'll let you know, but it surely seems weird behavior.

Thanks to both of you for the replies!

[LordEntrails]

Shrug, yea, I've never been able to figure it out when it's happened at work. And the nominal experts on the subject (i.e. IT folks responsible for the network) have never had meaningful suggestions.

[Moon Wizard]

Usually, sporadic speeds is due to network performance issues (resends, drops, etc.) (especially on wireless networks), or related to hardware/software throttling the connection speed (either overall or for specific files) (usually internet filtering, parental control or quality of service settings).

Regards,
JPG

[Mirloc]

There's a couple of reasons you could be seeing this kind of behavior:
1. Make sure your computer isn't getting updates from the OS manufacturer (and reboot after the update to make sure everything is installed).
2. Only update on the computer, if you want to browse websites do so on another device (you may have killer bandwidth, but you are throttled by the local network speeds).
3. Make sure your network card has the most recent version of it's driver installed (and you reboot after the new driver is in place).
4. Use a wired rather than a wireless connection (wireless, particularly these days, can get awfully crowded with every device under the sun connecting).

After these, I'd run MalwareBytes on your system to make sure something unpleasant isn't running amok.

[Karore]

Thank you all for the suggestions, things seem to have improved by themselves over the last few updates I've run. Could really be something related to my ISP, not a clue though.

Anyway, will keep you informed if anything weird comes up again, thanks once more!