Remote Access - Bandwidth hell, advice please!!!

[lanrat]

Remote access from home to the sbs2k3 based office LAN is extreeemly slow (2, 5 or even 15 mins to update the screen) once connected.

Could I please have some sugestions as to where to start with this - the client is getting desperate

Connecting to the server can take secconds *or* repeated attempts for 5-10 mins.

There are 4-5 WinXP clients connecting to the sbs2k3 box via VPN.
1 the adminstrator (myself)

1 (after connecting via VPN) uses the built in Remote Desktop Web Connection to work on the Office computer ...and...

3 use laptops to perform the following tasks -
- sync files (I have setup "Briefcases" on the laptops) with Shared Folders on desktops in the office
- use an accounting package (installed *on the laptop*) to review the accounts DB ina shared folder on the server
- use an estimating application (installed *on the laptop*) to update/input the DB data in a shared folder on an office computer (not the server)

The fact that even the user acccessing the shared folder *on the server* has problems makes me think that the problem lies with either the Internet connection/bandwidth or the server itself. Internet connection is via Cable modem with Shaw Communications

Bandwidth tests using

http://www.speedtest.net/

and

http://www.bandwidthplace.com/

have shown that the bandwidth varies from 2.76MB/s down to 893Kb/s and when it was really bad the other night the tracert took 432 - 1092ms over the last hop

Thanks

 

[ShackDaddy]

You are reporting downstream bandwidth. It's your upstream bandwidth that will actually be the biggest factor in your RDP performance. What's your upstream bandwidth there?

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[lanrat]

Hey Dave, Thanks for the response.

upstream bandwidth on my *home* end is reported as high as 483 kb/s by speedtest.net and as low as 54.76 kb/s by bandwidthplace.com (Results between these two sites does not seem to correlate)

running each of these within 5 mis of the "home" tests on a workstation in the office while connected via RDP reports high of 243 kb/s and low of 189 kb/s

I have to say that during each of *these* tests response did not seem particularily bad.

What do you think?

 

[markdmac]

I think you need to start with verifying the connectivity. I personally use the SpeedTest site and like that one. Big thing here is what speed are you PAYING for?

Compare your reported results to the bandwidth you are paying for at both ends. See if your ISP is throttling you or not.

Try connecting just using RWW rather than via VPN. How is the speed then? How big are the files the users are trying to sync remotely? What is the bandwidth at the company side that you are paying for? T1, BroadBand cable, DSL?

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

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[lanrat]

Hi Mark, Thanks for your input.

I just enabled the RWW yesterday and the user accessing the Accounting DB used RWW this morning - he reported great performance.

Problem is that bandwidth tests this morning look great - murphy's law hey! So I need to test this over a few evenings to see if the RWW use vs VPN in any way correlates to bandwidth at those times.

- Connection is Broadband Cable modem (SOHO package with Shaw Communications and yes, I do realize that it is susceptable to loading/fluctuation)
- Bandwidth claimed on their package = 5MB/s down ; 512Kb/s up

I get close to this "at home" but the best at the office thus far is 2.97Mb/s down ; 350Kb/s up

I have to talk to the cable co.

The second challenge is that the "estimating application" they use carries a warning against the use of "Remote Desktop" - so we really do need tro figure out the VPN bandwidth.

Thanks again

 

[mofusjtf]

lanrat it right...your upstream bandwidth is most likely the trouble area. On asynchronous internet connections such as cable and dsl this is always the issue. If you bottleneck upstream you also bottleneck your downstream despite the fact that downstream is so much more.

I beleive the RDP or RWW will not be your issue as it only transfers screen shots which are probably around 40 K in size. It is most likely the files that you're synchronizing. How big are they? Can the users not just use the accounting software on the remote system instead of synchronizing files? As for other files, you can just use offline files and have them sync when on the LAN.

 

[lanrat]

Thanks for that confirmation of what I suspected - unfortunately *the* issue is more the "estimating appl" than anything else and this customer really needs the remote functionality to get their work done.

We have signed up with a provider that currently services a number of VPN installations and gaurantees a steady 1.5Mb/s both ways.

I'll let you know how it goes.....

 

[lanrat]

New Provider initiated service a week ago and after some initial glitches with the sbs (re)configuration and smtp servers we are now running.

Testing is underway and intitial results appear to be better. (1.5Mb/sec both ways)