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Slow File Transfers using TCP/IP

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by Former member

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I have NT 4 Server (SP6a) using fast ethernet with a switch. Server supports TCP/IP and NetBEUI with 3 NICs. Two connects to 2 classrooms. File transfers between DOS and Windows 98 go fasst. Downloads of the same file from the server to either client takes a little longer, But uploading files takes much longer. For example, a 609Kb file takes less than 2 sec to go between DOS and Windows 98 or from the server to either client. Same files takes 45 seconds to upload from DOS and 18 secondsfrom windows 98 to the server. This becomes crippling with larger files! Uploading a 127MB file takes 2 to 3 hours!

Any fixes or ideas of what to check would be greatly appreciated.

12 replies

by bcross

Check to see if the NIC on you're server is set to Full Duplex. If it is not, it might be much slower than it should. Also, rouge packets might be getting sent out from the NIC. Try swapping the NIC or swapping some cables. Most of the time, unexplainable network problems are caused by a bad network card in a computer somewhere on you're network. The card might appear to be fine, but careful investigation could reveal the NIC to be flooding a segment of you're LAN.

by zk

On top of the answer above, I suspect it might be bindings problem too. Please check the binding order for all three machines.

For the NT server go to Control Panel -> Network -> Bindings -> Show Bindings for:. Make sure the binding order for the services is the same as that of DOS and WIN98.

On Win98 I think it is Control Panel -> Network -> and then 'Protocol -> Your Adapter' -> Properties -> Advanced -> check the set this protocol as default protocol. It should be done on the same protocol that is binded first on the server.

I am not sure about how to set bindings for DOS, if there is such thing. Please Check the adaptor's readme. Hope that helps.

by bbrown

I am going to take an assumption since I had this happen to me. You mentioned that downloading files from the server seems ok but uploading take way too long. Let me take a guess that you have virus scanning software installed. If the software is configured to scan all incoming files and not outgoing files, the uploads have to be scanned during this process thus increasing time. We had this affecting file movement between server since it was being scanned like 3 times during a server to server file copy. Hope my guess helps.

Bobby

by slora

More ideas:

Likely:
Update the drivers on your NICs. Many Intel NICs have this problem if you are using outdated drivers.

Wild stab:
If you have any IOMEGA devices installed on the workstation AND you have any other SCSI or psuedo-SCSI devices such as parallel port scanners, download and install ASPI 4.60 from Adaptec's site and/or the latest IOMEGAWARE. IOMEGA drivers have caused conflicts that affected network performance on some of our computers. ASPI 4.60 resolved this and many other IOMEGA conflicts.

by Former member

I did test the 3rd NIC: up and down loads went equally fast, about 1 second for test file.

I updated NIC drivers and replaced NIC (it's a dual port NIC). Problem is on both ports of this NIC.

Could it be the switch? On boot, both ports put entries in Event Log. First for each is that it is unable to connect to the network. Second indicates successfull connection.

I've done the tests with a minimum number of PCs turned on, usually only 1 or 2 per port. For one port, I've changed its switch port.

by conrad

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.

- Francis Bacon

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