macs on LAN disconnect 1

[freakmagnet]

We have a 10 mac LAN. Server (b/w G3) runnig Server OS 8.6, Other macs are imacs, emacs, G4's running 9.1 - 10.2.8. We're using TCP/IP in combination with Appleshare and have had trouble with dropped connections to the server. Never used to be a problem until we installed a Linksys router. Any thoughts? Can we upgrade the server OS to 9.1 and do away with Appleshare and just use TCP/IP? We are all connected to a Filemaker DB on the server and are sending files back and forth all day. It seems like we reach a point where there is too much traffic and then everyone gets disconnected. The server isn't frozen at this point. We just usually have to relaunch Filemaker Server.

 

[kertusa]

Here's the one thing I have to offer: if that Linksys offers a configuration option to turn off the built-in firewall, that will probably help your situation.
I had a similar problem with only three computers on a home network, but using iTunes to share a music library was really frustrating because the network would stall. I turned off the built-in firewall and my network throughput went up to usable levels.
I don't even know if you can get AppleShareIP 6.3 (required to run on OS > 9.0.4, as I recall) anymore. You might need to go for OS X Server. That isn't really a bad thing, by the way. The G3 will only be officially supported up to 10.2.8 server, but I have no idea if 10.3 would install/run. It sure might. If not, maybe you can get a bargain on a 10-client box of 10.2 server by calling around to different warehouses, see if they have a copy still on the shelves. Sometimes that works.
Try the firewall option first, if that isn't applicable or doesn't help (or even if it does, dare I hope?) please post again.

Thank you and good luck.