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Is a network only as fast as it's slowest device?

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  • 09-06-2008 6:21pm
    #1
    shayser
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,650 ✭✭✭


    Would a 100mb device on a gigabit network reduce the entire network speed to 100mb? Heard this yesterday.

    Or if I have some cat5 cabling on a gigabit network does the same thing happen.


    That is, gigabit switch (unmanaged), cat6 cabling, gigabit server, a gigabit client, a second 100mb client (or maybe a printer)... = 100mb network speed?

    Or..

    Same as above but with the two clients at gigabit but one client with cat5 cable = 100mb network speed?


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    #2
    zod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,025 ✭✭✭zod


    no only the slowest speed beween two points .. one client does not affect other client on a switched network.


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    #3
    Snowbat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,064 ✭✭✭Snowbat


    As for the Cat 5 cable, 1000BASE-T (gigabit) was designed for use with Cat 5 cable, though the tighter specifications of Cat 5e make it a better choice (Cat 6 is better again but overkill for most installations).

    If you think you have poor gigabit performance, there are a number of factors to consider:
    • Gigabit is faster than most hard drives. Transfer speed is limited by the slowest link in the chain and that is usually the client disk write speed.
    • Gigabit speeds generate a lot of interrupts and data throughput- you need fast processors at both ends to keep up.
    • Some gigabit NICs are better than others. Onboard usually works well. Cards on a 32 bit 33 MHz PCI bus are not so good (throughput limit of the bus).


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