Your network setup sounds very odd and unoptimized.
As for CPU usage on the UTM, 25% cpu usage should in theory indicate that a single core is at 100% utilization. Your ability to increase overall throughput via multiple sessions/computers indicates a single core performance limit. Multiple streams should use multiple cores.
From what you are stating, you have the UTM that you built connected to your cable modem which is fine.
From there you have a single network cable going from the Sophos UTM to another router with wifi built in acting as an access point?
You then connect a network cable between the wifi router to your first dedicated switch?
You then have another network cable running from the first switch to the second switch?
You have performance differences between different computers on the same network?
Tests that you can perform before changing any other hardware or network equipment:
1) Connect a single computer to the UTM and test its throughput to the internet both with and without IPS turned on.
2) Connect a single switch to the UTM and connected a couple wired computers to it and repeat testing
If both of those result in improved performance that will help indicate that your internal network layout has a problem. If that provides zero change, the CPU and NIC combo in that unit might be your performance limit. A better NIC or a faster CPU would be the way to resolve it in that instance. That assumes that a 30mbit single stream is too slow for you.
Based upon your lack of connectivity between devices on your network, that does imply a problem though, either with IP addresses being in a different range due to the change in DHCP server, or with your network actually being unintentionally segmented due to installation.
If the answer to the questions listed above is correct, you should start by reworking your networking equipment behind the UTM. A diagram would do wonders to attempt to resolve this.
If the previous testing resolves your issues, the following issues should be considered.
- Verify that you have switches and not hubs.
- Replace the wifi router with a dedicated access point connected to a switch.
- If you need more than one switch due to a lack of ports, either get a larger switch, or use a central/core switch that your UTM and access point plug into, and have your other network switches plug into that core switch.
Your network setup sounds very odd and unoptimized.
As for CPU usage on the UTM, 25% cpu usage should in theory indicate that a single core is at 100% utilization. Your ability to increase overall throughput via multiple sessions/computers indicates a single core performance limit. Multiple streams should use multiple cores.
From what you are stating, you have the UTM that you built connected to your cable modem which is fine.
From there you have a single network cable going from the Sophos UTM to another router with wifi built in acting as an access point?
You then connect a network cable between the wifi router to your first dedicated switch?
You then have another network cable running from the first switch to the second switch?
You have performance differences between different computers on the same network?
Tests that you can perform before changing any other hardware or network equipment:
1) Connect a single computer to the UTM and test its throughput to the internet both with and without IPS turned on.
2) Connect a single switch to the UTM and connected a couple wired computers to it and repeat testing
If both of those result in improved performance that will help indicate that your internal network layout has a problem. If that provides zero change, the CPU and NIC combo in that unit might be your performance limit. A better NIC or a faster CPU would be the way to resolve it in that instance. That assumes that a 30mbit single stream is too slow for you.
Based upon your lack of connectivity between devices on your network, that does imply a problem though, either with IP addresses being in a different range due to the change in DHCP server, or with your network actually being unintentionally segmented due to installation.
If the answer to the questions listed above is correct, you should start by reworking your networking equipment behind the UTM. A diagram would do wonders to attempt to resolve this.
If the previous testing resolves your issues, the following issues should be considered.
- Verify that you have switches and not hubs.
- Replace the wifi router with a dedicated access point connected to a switch.
- If you need more than one switch due to a lack of ports, either get a larger switch, or use a central/core switch that your UTM and access point plug into, and have your other network switches plug into that core switch.