My Network IS Way Toooo Sloooooow... What Can I do?

[FreeBase X]

Hi..

Well I'm having a hell of a time understanding what's going on here.. My home network is amazingly slow.... here's my configuration..

I have: Linksys 5 port 100mb switch

A utp Cat 5 conected from my comp to the switch

a utp Cat 5e connected from my other comp to the switch

Each comp has it's own IP assigned by my ISP(2mb Cable connection)

My comp: WinXP Pro

My Other Comp: WinXP Home

Well here's the thing... I'm trying to send a few ISO's to my other comp, and the two first ones that I sent, transfered a 50% of my network capabilaty... and now, I'm lucky if I can transfer a 1%.... this is crazy.. Just One ISO would take All day... Does anyone have any Ideas?... I really need to get this to work..

Thanx..

FreeBase X

[wd40]

Well for starters it sounds like you're copying the ISO thru your ISP and then back down to your other computer. I may be wrong but that is what it sounds like anyways.

What I would do is give each computer an extra 10 net IP address like 10.0.0.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 and share out a folder and copy it that way.

[FreeBase X]

Well.. that is a possibility but quite unlikely.... Once in a while I do get 50% of 100mb and that would just be impossible over my ISP.... For some reason I always endup loosing network performance drastically.... there has to be an other solution to this.... Thanx for the reply though...

[wd40]

Try the 10 net deal and see if that works.

[FreeBase X]

You mean ... set my network to 10mb instead?.. I'll give it a try...

[FreeBase X]

Gave it a shot... but still no go...any other ideas anyone?..

[Vlad]

Sounds like wd40 is right. Try pinging your own comps...it should read <10 ms each time. Im betting data is being sent up to your isp from one computer, then back down to the other.

Try doing what wd40 said, put both computers on the same subnet (10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2), ensure they're both in the same workgroup, then try swapping files.

[FreeBase X]

But Like I said... That would be impossible... I can't transfer more than 2mb/s over my ISP.... and I do get more than than 2% usage over my network once in a while...Although It may cause less confusion over my network if both my computers did have local IPs but that's not the type of solution I'm looking for And I wouldn't have internet access that way... Threre Really has to be a better way Figuring this out... I don't mean to dismiss all your Ideas... I'm just looking for a better solution....

FreeBase X

[wd40]

The BETTER solution is to create a local 10 net LAN not change it to a 10 meg network. geeze... Do you know anything about networking? 10 net is a non routable IP address. Like 10.0.0.0 and 192.168.0.0.

Can you go to My Network Places and see the other PC?

Go to each PC and add an extra IP address.

1st PC

IP: 10.0.0.1

Subnet: 255.255.255.0

2nd PC

IP: 10.0.0.2

Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Make sure both PC's are in the same workgroup and there you have it. Share out on or 2 folders (however you want) and walla.

According to what you've said your 2 PC's each have ONE static IP address via your cable modem. In order for traffic to get from one PC to the other it routes via the IP address and since the other IP could belong to any tom dick and jane it goes out your cable modem provider and then says hey that IP goes here and then comes back down to your other PC.

Just add that 2nd IP address and you will be all set. It works great on my network. And YES both PC's will still have internet access since they have that other static IP address.

[Qwakui]

Are you using IPX/SPX or NetBEUI for LAN communications? If so, this is definitely the problem. In WinXP, the implementation of both is much slower than TCP/IP (at least in my limited experience). In this case, the solution would be to either get a router hub or to get a 2nd NIC for each PC so they can have two IP's.

Also, check you patch cables - If you look into the end, you should see some colored wires. Looking from the top (top meaning the side that does not have the clip), the wires should be, from left to right: white-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown. This is likely not your problem but it's worth a shot to check anyways.

[FreeBase X]

haha.. Well you're right.. I don't know too much about networking... I do know what a none routable IP is , I just didn't know that it's also called a 10 net.. My bad.. Ok.. so I see what you're saying but I don't think I know how to add a second IP... Can you explain how?..

FreeBase X

[FreeBase X]

Originally posted by Qwakui

Are you using IPX/SPX or NetBEUI for LAN communications? If so, this is definitely the problem. In WinXP, the implementation of both is much slower than TCP/IP (at least in my limited experience). In this case, the solution would be to either get a router hub or to get a 2nd NIC for each PC so they can have two IP's.

Also, check you patch cables - If you look into the end, you should see some colored wires. Looking from the top (top meaning the side that does not have the clip), the wires should be, from left to right: white-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown. This is likely not your problem but it's worth a shot to check anyways.

I'm using TCP/IP ... and My patch cables are fine... both baught from future shop (Factory made)

FreeBase X

[ElGato]

2nd NIC in both PC's and a cross-over cable to create local LAN, or maybe both into 2nd hub/switch.

[wd40]

Ok right click on My Network Places and click on properties. Open up your local area connection (NIC) and click on properties. Open up TCP/IP properties and click advanced. Here you should see IP addresses. You can add the 10 net addresses there. I've never used the home version so I don't know if you can add a 2nd IP to the NIC card or not but you should be able to since it's NT.

[FreeBase X]

Well wd40 I did what you said ... but it was already set that way.... Everything semes to be set right.... I'm gonna try to run a crossover cable between the two comps to see what get from it..

FreeBase X

[ElGato]

On TCP/IP Props you, (at least I) have an Alternative Properties tab for a second (Home LAN) IP address. Maybe that could work, never tried it as never knew it was there, but it looks feasable.

[CustardFD]

Originally posted by wd40

Well for starters it sounds like you're copying the ISO thru your ISP and then back down to your other computer. I may be wrong but that is what it sounds like anyways.

What I would do is give each computer an extra 10 net IP address like 10.0.0.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 and share out a folder and copy it that way.

Sorry to enter this late, but if both comps are using the same switch it won't be routed through the Internet connection. That said, try the crossover cable and 10 net just to be on the safe side.

My only idea is that if the crossover gives you full speed is that the switch is filling its routing table with stuff from the Internet, and prehaps there is a config problem or you need to invest in a router. I think why that would be the case though :ermm:.

[BraytonAK]

Check the Configuration of both network cards. I have this problem when changing cards in my machines.

Go to the Properties of Network Places. Select the Configuration button of the NIC and look at what it says for Connection Type. Set them both to 100BT. (Don't select the Full Duplex options, at least for now.)

Click OK on both Windows and the system will restart the Networking connection. After a little wait, give it a shot at transfering a large file all over again. This is what would make the transfers much, much faster for me.

[JustinLerner]

I don't think it's necessary to add addition NIC's (this is the only way you can setup additonal IP addresses and still retain the old ISP assigned addresses.)

It doesn't seem likely that the files are actually transferring through your ISP, since your RAS/WAN connection to your ISP would be nowhere near the bandwidth of a 100Mb switch. But there may be something fishy going on here.

Maybe your PC's are confused. Are you using any Firewall/Proxies on your local network or even ICS (Internet Connection Sharing)?

Both PC's should have the same IP netmask which includes both NIC IP addresses on the same network. This process is called subnetting. If your ISP assigned individual netmasks for each PC (or you selected them yourself), but both NIC IP addresses are not on the same network (which is always determined by the NETMASK), this is probably your problem. So in this case, you may actually transfer files through your ISP, but occasionally your PC's become confused and transverse local addresses and transfer back and forth directly to each other.

This is just a guess at one possible cause and possible solution.