OT, Network problem...

[TwoFace]

I figure I should ask you guys for a solution first, and maybe take this into the Networking forum if no solution presents itself...

My problem is this: I've got a 100Mb/s switch at home and a couple of computers with 100Mb/s NICs (Realtek chipset, one win2k and one Mandrake 7.1), everything works very nicely whenever I just do small stuff... My problem arises whenever I feel the need to move larger files around! My network is unusually slow for a 100Mb/s network... I've timed it and done some FTP between the machines to check how fast it really is, and the maximum rate I get between the two computers is something like 17-18 Mb/s. Now I know I won't ever get 100Mb/s but something more than 70Mb/s should be possible right?

I initially thought it was the win32 driver for my NIC, but after I changed that the problem was exactly the same. Then I thought about the switch, maybe it wasn't very good (it's a rather cheap one) so I tried with a crossover cable with exactly the same speed! I've also had a friend over with a Mac (I know it's evil but still), and I got the exact same rates to him... Now he's had 85Mb/s with that machine before so I know it isn't the Mac that's wrong...

If anyone have an idea what I can do to fix this, a site where I can find some useful information anything... I'd be VERY grateful! I know this is kinda a luxury problem, but I would like everything to work at it's very best nonetheless!

Thanks in advance!

With love and respect your fellow TA member

Two-Face

 

[Fardringle]

I have a similar setup, except that only one of my three computers has a Realtek NIC, and the other two have Intel cards...transferring files between the two Intel machines runs sometimes as high as 70-80MB/s whereas whenever the Realtek is involved, I can never get higher than 15MB/sec. Even though the Realtek NIC and the switch/hub confirm that it is configured for a 100MB connection, it seems that the Realtek chipset just can't transfer that much information..

 

[BadThad]

Have you checked the obvious, i.e. buffer the nic IRQ to like 4MB, maxMTU, etc.?

 

[bphantom]

TwoFace, this my personal opinion, but I believe the Realtek chipset blows chunks. I used to think they were just fine, but that was before I used one in a small time server on a 10mbps LAN. The NIC would timeout and disappear from the LAN for 30-60 seconds if anything of large size was sent from it. No matter how many times I swapped hardware (NIC's and testing other machines), this was always the case.

On my home LAN I only have one Realtek card, and the rest Intel E100's (various flavors). I've done flood pings onto my machines, and the Intel NIC's handle it beautifully, while the Realtek has massive packet loss of packets larger then 1024 bytes. As for transfer speed, 8MBps-11MBps (gotta love 11MBps) is normal speed for my Intel NIC's when transferring large files. My Realtek at best does 1.8MBps - 2.4MBps. I must state that one time I was able to get a 5MB transfer rate between two machines with Realtek cards, but that might have been a fluke.

My suggestion is to get new NIC's if possible. On Intel's website, you can pickup two EExpress PRO's (w/encryption and management) for $50.

Brad..

 

[TheyCallMeSAK]

Is everyone talking MBits/sec here?

 

[Fardringle]

Everyone except Phantom, whose numbers are in MBytes/Second..

 

[TheyCallMeSAK]

thats what i thought...
TF, how's it going now?

 

[BadThad]

Interesting about the realtek nics, thanks for the info. I have a few of these, but i never noticed a problem with speed. Hell, what do you expect for a $9 card...LOL.

 

[MWalkden]

TwoFace; Give me a model/brand please. I know Edimax and others are Realtek chipset cards. I run 8139 and 9130 models. There may be an update for the Linux driver of these models from here: 8139 and 9130 Linux Drivers Info Page.

I only assume that you tried to transfer or tested the speed between the Mac and both of your other boxes, is this correct? How many ports are on your hub? Is it possible it is a 10/100 Hub? If so, any NIC running at 10BT will likely cause a cheaper hub to run all ports at 10BT. Linux is famous for making 10BT drivers and because they work for a particular card, loading them even though it is a 100BT NIC.

You could look at the Windows network settings for your NIC too. Choose the speed (100BT) if the setting is available (should be if you use these models). Let me know what happens.

M

 

[TwoFace]

Hey guys, sorry for not replying before... but my inet connection at home isn't up at the moment due to me being a little late paying the phone bill, and the phone is closed for outgoing calls :| All I can do is use Inet from work

Thanks for the suggestions, I encountered something strange yesterday evening... I went into IIS (it's installed just to test stuff) and enabled bandwidth throttling... then set the limit to 32Mb/s (yes SAK bit not byte) now that Mac suddenly got a steady 4MB/s transfer with FTP (byte this time ) which is close to the 32Mb/s I put it too... seems to me this limit might have something to do with IIS and it fudging up my LAN connection :|

badthad: I've thought about those options as well, especially the MTU stuff... the thing is I know there are registry "hacks" that I can do to tweak those settings, I just don't know where

Brad: I'd love to get some "real" NIC's but Intel NIC's are WAY expensive here in Norway so they're really not an option, neither is webshopping from Intel I guess ... I can get an OK deal on some SMC NIC's tho' are they any good?

SAK: I'm fine , see the first paragraph for an explanation why you haven't seen me in IRC lately :| Thanks for asking tho'

MWalkden: The cards are Addtron something I don't remember the model, but it's the 8139 (b I think). I've tried with a crossover cable between the Mac and my box, still haven't tried with the linux box tho' due to too much single player UT going on because of my lack of INet The hub isn't a hub, it's a switch (10/100) with 8 ports and they're all autosensing... The connections to the switch register as 100Mb/s full duplex for all the boxes with NIC's that support it ie. my comp, the linux box and the Mac. Is there a need for me to select 100Mb/s when it already thinks it's got a 100Mb/s connection?

Thanks for all the help guys!

With love and respect your fellow TA member

Two-Face

 

[BadThad]

Here is one link:

DSL Reports

I have some more in depth links at home, will update later.

 

[MWalkden]

TF, no there isn't a need, however at one time one of my 9130's had a similar problem and a driver upgrade fixed it. The strange thing about it was if I went in and set it to 100BT the card failed all together instead of just being slow. I seem to remember on Edimax's site a blurb about this problem (or a cause that related to it) and they released a driver update that fixed it. BTW, it also registered as a 100BT on my switch too even though it was much slower. It was all some time ago but it sure sounds like my problem.

It looks like you may have found something to work with in your IIs. If that fails you might want to try the Edimax drivers for that NIC. You can get them here:Use the 9130 drivers

It doesn't sound like your Hub is the issue here. You had mentioned it was inexpensive and I know at one time a batch of Hubs went around that were 10/100 but auto set the ports to the slowest speed of any NIC attached to them. I had wondered if you had one of those! If all your NICs are showing 100BT connection this is unlikely and as you said it is a switch which by nature should have autosense on each port.

One other thing you might want to do is change out your cable. A network cable can cause the same problem. Just make sure the cable you use is known to be good.

Hope you get it fixed!

.MW

 

[Hawkeye_(BEL)]

I know very little about networks, but one thing I've read numerous times is that the Realtek cards do suck compared to high quality network cards, like Intel and 3com's.

Another thing I've read is that you should use the reference drivers of realtek. Sometimes, they can really give you a nice performance boost. You can look for them on http://www.realtek.com.tw/htm/download/cgi/dld1.cgi/h?class1=communication

Hope you get it fixed soon.

And in the future, try to check your bills more carefully The channel is not what it's used to be without you

 

[Aybara]

thats interesting. i moved about 100 megabytes in 40 seconds. That would be 2.5 MBps right? How would i get bits per sec?
this is with a linksys nic and hub. connected to a cable modem, so i think its stuck on the slower setting.

 

[MWalkden]

Other than the problem I mention above I haven't had any problems with mine either. I do remember some older Realtek cards having some problems though. I guess everyone remembers those!

 

[TwoFace]

badthad: Thanks for the link! I'm not sure if I can get that test to run tho' since it's basically a test for an INet connection, but the help sections look really nice!

MWalkden: Thanks for the link, I don't know if my cable is good since I've got no way of testing it other than what I'm doing! It's only a month or two old tho' and it hasn't been under pressure or stretched or anything like that!

Hawkeye: Again thanks for the link! And I'll try to be a little more on time with the next phone bill Just wait until later this evening, I've got a strange thing to tell you about what happened when I reinstalled tonight!

Aybara: 2.5 MB/s is what you've got! That is the same as 20Mb/s (1 byte = 8 bit )

Thanks for the suggestion guys, I'll report back from home when I get there... now that my INet is back up this might be a little easier!

With love and respect your fellow TA member

Two-Face