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Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

Larches
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Thanks: 3
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎10-01-2016

Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

I recently purchased a Garmin sat nav (good in many ways, disappointing in others) and duly installed the Garmin Express software to update the software and maps.
Despite generally having no problem with download speeds, the Garmin update was extremely slow. Apologies for the blurb, but here's what I wrote to Garmin:
Quote
I have just purchased a Nuvi 2599 LMT-D, and have been trying to update it using Garmin Express on my Windows 8.1 PC. The Express software installed on the PC with no problems, and upon connecting my Nuvi, it was recognised immediately. Express told me there were software and map updates available, so I instructed it to install all, and it started downloading, but very, very slowly. I ended up leaving it on all night, but when I came back to it in the morning, it said the updates had failed to install. There was no further information to indicate why this happened. I therefore tried again, and despite saying initially that it might take 3 hours or so, it has been going that long with little progress (about 3%), and the estimate keeps increasing (currently 12 hrs and increasing). It currently shows a download speed of around 27 Kbps. This is on a reasonably fast broadband connection which I've tested (with Express closed down) and found to be rated at the usual 3.5 to 4 Mbps. I've also tested other downloads and streaming, and these are fine whilst Express isn't running. As soon as I launch Express and start the update, with nothing else downloading or streaming, the overall broadband speed slows considerably, but very little progress is made. To reiterate, the problem only manifests when Garmin Express is trying to download updates. Before my latest attempt to install the map updates, I did try installing the smaller updates first (i.e. traffic, keyboard etc), and these appeared to download and install extremely quickly, with a green banner indicating success, but then when I quit and restarted Express, it showed the exact same updates as still being required. As such, I decided just to try the map update on its own, and that is what is now running incredibly slowly, currently 16.4KB/s and 3.4% complete.

I got no reply, so I called them, but all they could suggest was trying a different PC, which I've done (Win 7), and the problem was just as bad, if not worse - I left it overnight and came back to find it was less than a third of the way through. The Win 8.1 PC is connected directly to my router via ethernet cable and the Win 7 PC is connected via WiFi.
I have since tried it on my PC at work, and it breezed through the update at a perfectly normal speed (OK, so the internet connection there is faster, but not that much faster to explain this kind of difference).
All of which presumably suggests that the download is being choked either by some other software I have on my PC, or by the router (cheapo Plusnet Thompson 585 or whatever it is), or by something at Plusnet's end. Unfortunately because it updated at work, there's no point in trying safe mode etc on my PC, as there are no updates to download at present.
Has anyone come across this, or got any theories as to what might be going on? I've read grumbles online about Garmin download speeds, but when I dig into the detail, the speeds are nothing like as bad as this, so that just adds to the impression that it must be something local to my setup and/or Plusnet in particular.
Any help would be much appreciated, as I'm beginning to wonder if I should return the sat nav before the cooling off period finishes.  Undecided
Thanks...
7 REPLIES 7
robski1
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 154
Thanks: 19
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Registered: ‎06-11-2008

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

Hi Larches, I have had Garmin Nuvi for a number of years. I gave up using the Express program for all the reasons you are experiencing.
I now use "GarminMapUpdater" as a stand alone program and "Garmin Web Updater" for updating the software. Both are running on Windows 8.1.
I found the downloads for these programs after searching the Garmin forums and found that lots of others are having the same problem with "Express".
Hope this helps.
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

I'm currently downloading updated maps for my Garmin 2598 using Garmin Express version 4.1.10.0  at around 9Mbps and it's not seriously affecting my browsing.
I don't use a Plusnet router though.
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
SpendLessTime
Hero
Posts: 3,000
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Registered: ‎21-09-2009

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

Could it be an MTU size mismatch issue?
Ex - Plusnet Customer (2009 - 2023) now with BT
robski1
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 154
Thanks: 19
Fixes: 7
Registered: ‎06-11-2008

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

 Hi Larches, this is  one of the sources for the map updater if you want to give it try  http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39477
[Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): link fixed]
robski1
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 154
Thanks: 19
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Registered: ‎06-11-2008

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

Thanks Mav
Larches
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Thanks: 3
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎10-01-2016

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

Thanks all for your contributions so far. I've just tried Garmin Map Updater (thanks for the link), and it found the device with no problem, but when I clicked through the T&C pages etc, it said "Connecting to server" and then came up with the following message:
"This Garmin GPS is not eligible for this update because a previous map version is not installed"
... and abruptly closed.  Sad
I've tried Garmin Express again and it turns out there are further updates available. I let it install a small software update, and it did so at a perfectly reasonable 4 MB/s or thereabouts. I then selected the map update (7.24 GB) and got the same kind of behaviour as before. It started at around 1 MB/s (the software tells you the current speed if you hover over the progress bar), but the speed reading then started to drop rapidly, by about 5 KB/s, and the time estimate increased accordingly. It kept droppin until it got to 0.6 KB/s (!) and then started climbing again, but slowly. The time estimate was all over the place (rapidly cycling through from 24h to 1h). The speed then 'leapt' suddently from 8 KB/s to 65 KB/s (estimate around 6.5 hrs) and then seemed to stabilise, for 5 mins or so at least, but I shut it down as I'm not leaving it on all night again.
Very frustrating. If it weren't for the fact that I got quite a high spec sat nav at a bargain price (one of those freak Amazon price drops) then I'd definitely have given up and sent it back by now (and still may do).  Angry
Does anyone think there's a chance that Plusnet might be able to help with this? Certainly doesn't seem like a broadband problem per se, seeing as everything else is downloading OK, but are there likely to be any logs or anything that Plusnet techies could analyse and see what's going on? Just a thought. Suppose I'd have to call or use chat, seeing as the option to raise a ticket seems to have disappeared. 😞 😞
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Baffling download speed problem with Garmin software only

If the updates are recently released and many people are downloading, maybe Garmin's update servers can't cope.
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine