Network Slowdown Problem

[Dsrt]

I am running an NT network with a combination of Win2k and WinXP clients. Recently, I have noticed on some machines that accessing our network file server that houses Paradox and other network resources, it takes forever to open. Other network shares are just fine. I hooked up a laptop at that station and it opens just fine. No slowdown what so ever. I have also been monitoring the network using the network monitoring tools in NT and I'm showing no bottlenecks or anything else out of the ordinary that would account for this problem.

We replaced the computers that were having a problem with new dell dimension boxes running XP and still the same issue. Other machines around them are running fine so I think that eliminates the programs. My notebook ran fine from those workstations, so that should eliminate the connection or cabling. It isn't isolated to one operating system.

Is there anything I can change either in the tcp/ip stack or the registry of those computers that may speed things up a bit? Could it have something to do with hardware somehow? I'm really confused at this point. Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

[bcastner]

I am assuming the issue is XP as client.
See, and read and follow every link:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;814112

This next piece of advice is more subtle, it has to do with how well your NIC, its drivers, and your network cable plant handle 100 mbs. Fast Ethernet:

http://www.petri.co.il/speed_up_network_file_copying_in_windows_xp.htm

Finally, there are some adjustable parameters that help under NT as server, XP as client. Use with caution:

http://snakefoot.fateback.com/tweak/winnt/network.html

 

[AvayaNovice]

As bcastner reccomended, I would first isolate the problem.

Is it your network (physical plant, or physical layer hardware (ie. switches, routers, etc.)

Or is it the actualy server/client negotiation that's not going well.

Let's get some more info from you:

A) What speed is your network running at? 10Mbit, 100, 1000?
B) What type of hardware are you using for switching and routing, what is your network topology?
C) What's the server like in your configuration? How many requests is it handling at one time? Could this be an IO bottleneck?

 

[Dsrt]

We are running a 100mb network with several switches set up. We are on an NT4 domain with the BDC also acting as a file server. This is only a 60 computer office.

We've kinda isolated it by setting up a laptop on the same cable as the slow computers and the laptop runs fine. We've also moved the slow computers around and they remain slow. I have been running the network monitoring tools built into NT on the file server, and the network traffic never goes above 30 percent.

It doesn't matter if we are trying to hit the file server or not, just trying to hit any network share it's slower than the other computers on the network. We also have other users on the same switch and their computers are ok.

We are looking into the interframe gap as suggested by bcastner at the moment.

I appreciate all of your input.