[plug] gigabit lan

[Kev]

Daniel Pearson (Flashware Solutions) wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kev" <kdownes at tpg.com.au>
> To: "PLUG" <plug at plug.org.au>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 7:05 PM
> Subject: [plug] gigabit lan
>
>
>> G'day all
>>
>> I've just replaced 2 x 10/100 8 port switches (daisy chained) in our 
>> home p2p network with 1 x 16 port gigabit switch.  Most (but not all) 
>> of our home machines have gb nics on motherboard, including the 2 
>> right here on my desk.  One has a Marvell 88E8001 Gigabit Ethernet 
>> Controller with the skge driver installed and the other has an Nvidia 
>> CK8S Ethernet Controller with the forcedeth driver installed.  These 
>> are the default drivers installed by Xandros.
>>
>> I use only Samba on the network because there is a mix of Windoze and 
>> Linux machines at home and thus far (the last 3(ish) years) Samba has 
>> run flawlessly.  Even now Samba seems to be running OK.
>>
>> The problem:  There appears to be no improvement in network speeds - 
>> no change at all.  Copying files between these 2 machines I have in 
>> front of me happens at about 3.6Mbytes/sec according to gkrellm.  I'm 
>> using good condition bought, moulded cat5E cables, each 2m long.  
>> Only the switch between them.
>>
>> A complicating factor is that I'm really NOT very technically adept, 
>> particularly with Linux and particularly with networking issues.
>>
>> Perhaps someone out there might be able to ask me the right questions 
>> to elicit the information required to help me speed things along a 
>> little.
>>
>>
>> Tia
>> Kev
>
> What I see as the begging question though, is what brand is the 
> switch? I've noted the same thing for a client using a cheap'ish 
> TP-Link 16 port GB switch..
>
> Do you have another gigabit switch you could borrow to try, even if 
> its just to connect the 2 machines in question? 


Hmmmm!  Just so happens to be a TP-Link 16 port GB switch.  The 
blinkenlights indicate that both nics are being recognized as gb.  I've 
installed iperf and will read up on soon - time to play is the 
constraint here.  In the meantime, I pulled all the connections, both 
ends, and gave them a good spray with some RF Contact Cleaner.  Now, 
copying a 3 x 4.5g DVD isos, the speed (according to gkrellm) is 
generally around 20Mbytes/sec, oscillating between about 11 and 25.

So, I am now getting better than 100Mbit, but not quite what I 
expected.  Are my expectations too high?  Tomorrow I think I'll have 
some play time, so I'll get mii-tool also and have a play and see what I 
can find out.

Thanks heaps for the ideas so far.  I'll report back my findings in case 
I find an answer to someone else's questions.

Cheers
Kev

ps  The suggestion of using a crossover just came in.  I'll do that now 
and let you know.



-- 
=======================================================================
Kev Downes
kdownes at tpg.com.au  ph 0404 7 0808 2
We used to use and recommend Xandros but they went to the dark side
So we'll soon be using and recommending Debian Etch
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There are 10 types of people ...
   ... those who understand binary, and those who don't!
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They say a marble sized object collided with some gasses, and had
a massive explosion and the universe was born.
   - to believe this takes more faith than I have.
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