network performance is slow

[cleggers]

We have a small LAN (15 computers) including 1 file server (win server 2003) configured as a
domain network.
Physically, all computers are wired to a switch, an ADSL (DLink DSL-504) router is connected
to a spare port on the switch by cable from one of it's LAN ports. The router's address is
configured as the default gateway in the TCP/IP settings on all computers. The Router's DHCP is
not used as we use win server's DHCP service.
We have a (max) 2MBps ISP service but nearly all computers have poor browsing performance. We are
about to run an online Database but we find this unusable in the current setup.
I would like to know if our current physical setup here could be a problem for bandwidth problems
and if so how can we improve things.

 

[hexOffender]

Im not a network guru, but for normal web browsing and email I would think a 2MB downstream would be sufficient for that many users because it is not likely they will all be using connections at the same time. However for an online Database I think your bandwidth will be crimped, especially if users are already feeling bogged down. Im not familiar with your router, but have you looked at the router config. Probably the router is where the bottleneck is. Also, Is the switch running full or half duplex? if it is half duplex you may be getting collisions on the network.

 

[CorruptedLogic]

Try checking DNS. Is your 2003 server running as a DNS server as well as DHCP?
Here's how i'd set it up:
On the server, set the DNS forwarders and reverse lookup zones to your ISP, set it's default gateway to the Routers IP. Then, set the DHCP server to give out the 2003 server's IP as the default gateway and the primary DNS server. That way, your server is resolving all your names and passing traffic to the router where relevant (rather than your router trying to resolve local network addresses / names via your ISP's DNS, which may eventually work, but you'll be there a while!)
I hope this makes sense on paper, i swear it works well in my brain!


CCNA, CCDP, Net+, A+
Work Smarter, Not Harder....
This was supposed to be the future.....Where is my JetPack?!

 

[Grenage]

It is 'unlikely' that your physical network is to blame for the poor performance with the internet connection. Have you tried to run any speed tests? It might be worth running one with only one computer being on (or having access). Do all of your workstation users access the internet much? Have you scanned them for spyware etc?

Are the pages slow in loading at first, or are download rates poor. too?

Russell.

Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.