Help with slow/fast network please

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Hi all. I am hoping someone may be able to shed some light on a problem I have. In short, we have 2 computers in a home network, supported by a D-Link router (DI-704P) which also distributes a cable connection to each computer. Computer #1 is a Presario 1400 laptop with factory installed Windows ME and a Compaq 10-100 MiniPCI Ethernet NIC. Computer #2 is a nuts-n-bolts job containing more breeds of hardware than a Mad Max film, also running Windows ME and uses a 3Com Etherlink 10/100 PCI TX NIC(3c905B-TX). My problem is this, if I transfer a file of perhaps 50 MB from puter #2 to puter #1 it takes about 1/2 a minute – no problem there. However, if I transfer that same file, or one of equal size, from puter #1 to puter#2 it takes some 22 minutes – pretty poor. I’m quite new to networking and don’t know which computer is causing the problem i.e puter #1 may be transfering at a slow rate or puter #2 may be receiving at a slow rate. Any thoughts on guiding these 2 pesky puters down the path to data redemption would be greatly appreciated. Thank you – Michael.

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I assume that you have checked how long it takes to copy a large file to a similar location on each computer without using the network? If not then make sure that this is not a local issue by copying a file locally.

My first suspicion when faced with this sort of network performance problem is that one or other of the computers is using half duplex connections when the switch is using full duplex (or vice versa). Can you try forcing each computer in turn to use half and then full duplex (usually this is an advanced property of the network adapter).

StuartR

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Hi Stuart. Thanks for the reply. Basically I did all that you suggested. I don’t believe the issue is a local one. Also, forcing each computer between half/full duplex ( and combinations between the two ) made no difference either. Interestingly perhaps, I discovered last night while printing a large graphic file from puter#1 to puter#2(print server), the data transfer speed was fine yet if I try to send a copy of the same file to puter#2 hard drive the problem persists. I have run up to date virus scans and ad-aware on both machines with clean results so am still looking for configuration clues.

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That is really strange, because a network print involves copying the file to the “Spool” directory of the remote print server. I’m afraid I’m all out of ideas on this one. I know of some issues that can cause slow file copies between Windows XP and Windows 2000, but I have little experience of Windows ME.

Can you try mapping a local drive on each PC to the same PC as a network share and testing a file copy (this will test the network software without using the network hardware, and may identify the slow PC).

Hopefully someone else may have some ideas for you, good luck.

StuartR

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That is really strange, because a network print involves copying the file to the “Spool” directory of the remote print server. I’m afraid I’m all out of ideas on this one. I know of some issues that can cause slow file copies between Windows XP and Windows 2000, but I have little experience of Windows ME.

Can you try mapping a local drive on each PC to the same PC as a network share and testing a file copy (this will test the network software without using the network hardware, and may identify the slow PC).

Hopefully someone else may have some ideas for you, good luck.

StuartR

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Hi Stuart. Thanks for the reply. Basically I did all that you suggested. I don’t believe the issue is a local one. Also, forcing each computer between half/full duplex ( and combinations between the two ) made no difference either. Interestingly perhaps, I discovered last night while printing a large graphic file from puter#1 to puter#2(print server), the data transfer speed was fine yet if I try to send a copy of the same file to puter#2 hard drive the problem persists. I have run up to date virus scans and ad-aware on both machines with clean results so am still looking for configuration clues.

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Maybe this is relevant: I was reading recently about some “Internet connection speed-up” tuning software that let you set a large “TCP Receive Window” (in the registry, I think it’s called TcpWindowSize). There are some articles in the Microsoft Knowledgebase that report problems on internal networks with large TCP Receive windows and either certain traffic conditions or certain network cards. It has to do with the timing of the acknowledgement packets that the receiving computer returns to the sending computer (the packet that says, yup, I got that part of the file). If you are aware of having done any tweaking of this setting on computer #2, you might run a search in Google for those terms, adding site:microsoft.com, and see if any of that helps.

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Good evening all. Ok, now for the odd wrap up. This problem seems to have somehow taken care of itself. I have no explanation other than to say yesterday I sent quite a large file from puter #1 to #2, expecting it to take 1/2 an hour to an hour, yet it took less than a couple of minutes to transfer. Have since tested with other files (and sizes) and everything is working pretty much as I would expect. To my knowledge no tweaking had been done on either system since testing your suggestions Stuart. All the same, thanks for your thoughts JS and Stuart. If I somehow come across an explanation I’ll post it. Michael.

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Good evening all. Ok, now for the odd wrap up. This problem seems to have somehow taken care of itself. I have no explanation other than to say yesterday I sent quite a large file from puter #1 to #2, expecting it to take 1/2 an hour to an hour, yet it took less than a couple of minutes to transfer. Have since tested with other files (and sizes) and everything is working pretty much as I would expect. To my knowledge no tweaking had been done on either system since testing your suggestions Stuart. All the same, thanks for your thoughts JS and Stuart. If I somehow come across an explanation I’ll post it. Michael.

Reply | Quote

Maybe this is relevant: I was reading recently about some “Internet connection speed-up” tuning software that let you set a large “TCP Receive Window” (in the registry, I think it’s called TcpWindowSize). There are some articles in the Microsoft Knowledgebase that report problems on internal networks with large TCP Receive windows and either certain traffic conditions or certain network cards. It has to do with the timing of the acknowledgement packets that the receiving computer returns to the sending computer (the packet that says, yup, I got that part of the file). If you are aware of having done any tweaking of this setting on computer #2, you might run a search in Google for those terms, adding site:microsoft.com, and see if any of that helps.

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