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Slow network connection

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by pete_may

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I have one NT 4 computer on the network which was set up a long time ago and has suddenly decided to slow down on the network. I've changed the network card, reinstalled network services, upgraded from SP5 to SP6a and connected it directly to the main switch. I can ping the loopback and it's own IP with no errors but there is allways one or two errors pinging gateway from said computer.Any ideas as user cannot download emails?
I'm off to change network cable in desperation.
Peter

9 replies

by ejsotillo

Pete, has any major appliance been install or place around where this workstation is, EMI (electro magnetic interference) could interfere with your UTP cable and therefore loose connectivity if they are to close to each other, try to change the portthat this workstation in connected to, maybe the switch or hub port is going bad, these things are bound to happen, not with frequency but they do..

by pete_may

Thanks everyone for the answers. As far as I have found out nothing was done to the computer over the weekend to cause the sudden degradation of the network connection. I changed everything I possibly could including reinstalling NT which it probably needed anyway and changed NIC, cable, PCI slot and port. In the end what solved it was changing the driver for the 3con 3c905b-tx card from the one from the website to the original driver which came with the computer. Though it had worked finepreviously with the other driver.
Thanks
Peter

by Former member

Pete maybe I can help.

It could be that there is an IP configuration problem, and if you're having problems pinging the router (gateway) then that signifies at least three possible problems: Routing, IP configuration/physical, or timing. I wouldfirst tackle the timing issue. Check all cables, outlets, and ports connected to this station. THen check the NT driver of the NIC. Update it if necessary. Then, very importantly, if your card is an autosensing 10/100 Mb card, set it manually to 100Mb, and if you have to, set the switch port manually to 100Mb. Many times the autosensing does not work and timing problems occur.

by sfo farmer

I agree with answer #2 on the timing (and auto negotiation is much better when set from both the server and switch side to manual)- what you may want to look at on your switch is the spanning tree protocol- reset it and see if you get a better response... What changed when everything slowed down? The best thing to do is to use a protocol analyzer and see why you are dropping ICMP packets. Do any other systems have the same problem (on the same network) or just this one? Take a look at perfmon to see if you have a NIC bottleneck and last but not least remove any protocols that are not needed (ie. IPX/SPX etc.)... SFO

by garoe48

I'm suspicious because you're saying it's a moldy oldie. NT is pretty stable but it does go south. If possible, reinstall.

Best, Glenn

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