How to slow a network connection 1

[Irish1957]

In testing a database system I need to try and emulate my clients network which is very slow. I have installed a 10 Mbs card on the "server" computer (which is also the slowest I own 450Mhz with 128Mb of ram) but need to try and slow further, probably to 1 to 2 Mbs. Any ideas would be useful as I am trying to produce an evaluation on a changeover of the backend of a database system. Client computer is XP Pro and "Server" is on Windows 2000.

 

[edfair]

try a google search for moslow. Was used to slow things down for Q&A.

 

[ceh4702]

Well you could find some old token ring equipment or network over a modem/phone line.

Maybe the first version of wireless networking 902.11A would slow you down a bit more.

Most people dont want to slow down that much.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[biglebowski]

connect it to telewest broadband!! claims to 4MB but is often only 500k

p.s not a serious answer just having a dig.

Merry non denominational winter festival!!!

 

[KenB]

Irish1957

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/ARCnet.html

See if this will fill the bill.

Ken

 

[edfair]

If you need to slow the network itself down you could search ebay for lantastic a2 ISA cards and version 5. Won't be ethernet but is guaranteed to be slower.

 

[Irish1957]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I will try and make my problem a bit clearer.

The client is a not for profit organisation an as such is reluctant to spend any money on hardware until it is broken, the network has 10Mbs switches 24 port from memory and the loading is such that the effective network speed is of the order of 1 to 2 Mbs.

I am trying to emulate this either by hardware, I have though of using cat 3 cables or putting resistiors in line, or by putting a dummy load to occupy the "extra" bandwidth. My old P1 200mhz died recently or I would be trying to use that as the server.

What I am trying to get is an assess query to take about 14 seconds to open a form rather than the 2 seconds that my current "Slow"s etup gives so I can demonstrate the comparision between an Acceess backend and the new MYSQL backend that has been developed to replace the original.

I also am trying to use this to help the IT staff develop a sufficently strong argument to the non computer literiate holders of the purse-strings to at least let them upgrade the switches, that appear to be the currrent major hardware bottleneck in the system.

The dummy load option seems a possibility but I havent got any good thoughts other than setting up a bit-torrent or similar transfer that I can control the rate of.

 

[biglebowski]

connect your test server, client pc and 2 other pc's to a 10Mbs HUB and set the 2 pc's to permanentley ping each other with a fixed payload

ping "IP_address" -f -l 1472

connect the server you wish to test to the 10Mbs HUB with at least 100m of cable, this should slow it down / cause enough resends for it to be very slow.


Merry non denominational winter festival!!!

 

[biglebowski]

that should be

ping "IP_address" -f -l 1472 -t

Merry non denominational winter festival!!!

 

[KenB]

If your not for profit is a qualified 501C3 check out this link for super discounts.

http://www.techsoup.org/index.cfm?cg=header_tss&sg=home

Ken

 

[directlyconnected]

You can add a registry string in the part of your registry which contains the NIC ---MaxMTU, and set the value to like 200 (default for Windows most of the time is 1492). This is maximum transmission units per tcp session, in bytes. Also, Google "DrTCP"---it's an application that tweaks the rest of the registry for TCP sessions. Can't remember where to get it. It's freeware.

 

[gbaughma]

Emulate dialup with a null modem? You could set the speed to 2400 or even 300 if you wanted.



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg

 

[Irish1957]

Thanks everyone for your help.