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Network Upgrade Advice Request

  • 03-09-2008 10:01pm
    #1
    The Muppet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,003 ✭✭✭✭


    I have a 100 megabit wired network with 5 pcs and 4 xbox's on it running xbmc. I have 2 10/100 switches chained and a newtopia 4 port router also connected. I have noticed that when the Xboxes are being used the network and particulraly internet access slows considerable.

    I am considereing upgrading my network with a Gigabit Switch and Nics in the computers . My concern is that the Xboxes only have a 100 megabit nic and can not be upgraded. Would I be wasting my time upgrading the network or will the gigabit switch speed up the xbox connections as well as the PC's . Any advice would be appreciated.


Comments

  • #2
    _CreeD_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭_CreeD_


    I'm surprised you'd see a slowdown on the LAN, though not the internet for obvious reasons. Do your switches have GB uplink ports you could use instead of just the 100Mbs, or can they bond ports ? Are you using one subnet locally and therefore avoiding your router for LAN traffic, if you are not then your router is likely a very nasty chokepoint.? Upgrading to GB will benefit your switch uplink ports the most, even SCSI raid enterprise servers can't come close to saturating a GB link individually on sustained transfers and integrated consumer level NICs are so CPU dependant that processing power adds to the HDD speed as a bottleneck well before the line speed.
    You might also want to make sure all devices and all ports on the swithes are operating in Full Duplex, Auto negotiation can get it wrong and mismatches can devastate performance.


  • #3
    FusionNet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 695 ✭✭✭FusionNet


    Ive seen a problem similar to this before.. What broadband package are you on and with who? Ive seen an internet business nearly cripple due to crap internet even though they were told they were on a good connection.. we coubled thier speed package and hey presto magically fixed...

    So what you on and with who? Remember on a 1mb line u only have 256k upload with a ratio of up to 42:1, that means many many neighbours sharing that same bandwidth...


  • #4
    axer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    The Muppet wrote: »
    I have noticed that when the Xboxes are being used the network and particulraly internet access slows considerable.
    What do you mean by used? I are saying they are being used to stream across the network or that they are playing files on their local harddrive or what? If they are streaming - what are they streaming from? another computer or xbox and is that other computer/xbox on the same switch?

    Have you tried a "ping <some internet IP> -t" and leaving that going whilst you start using the xboxes? or tried pinging just a local address continuously and leaving it going? Does it happen with just one xbox plugged in or 2 or 3 or what?

    Does the internet work fine with no xboxes plugged in?


  • #5
    The Muppet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,003 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    _CreeD_ wrote: »
    Do your switches have GB uplink ports you could use instead of just the 100Mbs, or can they bond ports ? .....
    Are you using one subnet locally and therefore avoiding your router for LAN traffic, if you are not then your router is likely a very nasty chokepoint.?

    make sure all devices and all ports on the swithes are operating in Full Duplex, Auto negotiation can get it wrong and mismatches can devastate performance.

    My Switches do not have a GB uplink, this is only a home network.
    I am using the same subnet.
    I will chech to see if all are using full duplex

    FusionNet wrote: »
    Ive seen a problem similar to this before.. What broadband package are you on and with who?

    I have 8mb with UTV

    axer wrote: »
    What do you mean by used? I are saying they are being used to stream across the network or that they are playing files on their local harddrive or what? If they are streaming - what are they streaming from? another computer or xbox and is that other computer/xbox on the same switch?

    Have you tried a "ping <some internet IP> -t" and leaving that going whilst you start using the xboxes? or tried pinging just a local address continuously and leaving it going? Does it happen with just one xbox plugged in or 2 or 3 or what?

    Does the internet work fine with no xboxes plugged in?

    There are streaming Video from another computer ("server"). I have 2 switches the xboxes are on a different switch that the "server" . It really only slows down when 2 or more of the sboxes are running.



    I think you are getting to what I suspect the problem is. To give a little more info. The "server" and my main PC is in my office in the back garden , I have one of the switches in here too. . I have a cat5 cable run into the house to the other switch and router. The xboxes and Other pc's are in the house.

    My suspicion is that the amount of data being transferred is the problem which is why i am considering updating to a gigabit. Really what I want to know is if I upgrade will each xbox be able to stream at 100 mbit and the pcs at 1 gigabit or will everything default to 100Gbit giving no improvement.

    I know thats a little confusing so sorry for that. I appreciate the help


  • #6
    axer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    The Muppet wrote: »
    There are streaming Video from another computer ("server"). I have 2 switches the xboxes are on a different switch that the "server" . It really only slows down when 2 or more of the sboxes are running.

    I think you are getting to what I suspect the problem is. To give a little more info. The "server" and my main PC is in my office in the back garden , I have one of the switches in here too. . I have a cat5 cable run into the house to the other switch and router. The xboxes and Other pc's are in the house.
    Do the pcs in the house slow down whilst using the internet when the xboxes in the office are streaming from the server also in the office?
    The Muppet wrote: »
    My suspicion is that the amount of data being transferred is the problem which is why i am considering updating to a gigabit. Really what I want to know is if I upgrade will each xbox be able to stream at 100 mbit and the pcs at 1 gigabit or will everything default to 100Gbit giving no improvement.
    That is possible alright.The beauty of switches over hubs is that you can have mixed speeds on the network i.e. the xboxes running at 100mb and the pcs at 1gb but obviously you will need gigabit nics in the pcs.


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  • #7
    Snaga
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,562 ✭✭✭Snaga


    A 100Mbit switched (full duplex) network should not 'slow down' when using a couple of xbox's and a couple of PC's.

    Are you sure you dont have a sneaky Hub in there somewhere causing collisions?


  • #8
    Dardania
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,612 ✭✭✭Dardania


    What way is the CAT5e to the the garden laid? I suspect that that & maybe your server are the bottleneck...


  • #9
    The Muppet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,003 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    axer wrote: »
    Do the pcs in the house slow down whilst using the internet when the xboxes in the office are streaming from the server also in the office?

    I'm not sure, I will check that out.
    axer wrote: »
    That is possible alright.The beauty of switches over hubs is that you can have mixed speeds on the network i.e. the xboxes running at 100mb and the pcs at 1gb but obviously you will need gigabit nics in the pcs.

    Thanks thats what I wanted to know. I only noticed the slowdown when the Xbox's are in use so I feel myself that the Gigabit upgrade will help once it doesn't default to 100 mbit .



    Snaga wrote: »
    A 100Mbit switched (full duplex) network should not 'slow down' when using a couple of xbox's and a couple of PC's.

    Are you sure you dont have a sneaky Hub in there somewhere causing collisions?


    Definitely no hubs , just the two switches and the router. The Xbox's are streaming video, I have them modded to use XBMC.

    Dardania wrote: »
    What way is the CAT5e to the the garden laid? I suspect that that & maybe your server are the bottleneck...

    It is conduit running form the house to the office , It is only a 10 meter length .


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