Speed not consistent w/ hardware during dl

Aterxerxes · 12-09-2003, 12:17 PM

Alright, let me first say that I am really a newbie, and need it spelled out, because I do not know much about linux yet. I am able to access the internet solely through the intuitive installation of RH Linux 9.
My main question is this: I have a cable modem that I connect to through an ethernet router. It is working fine so far. However, I know that the speed at which I download is way off. When I was using Windows 98, I could download 1.4MB files in about twenty seconds or less, but I can now only download them in about ten minutes. I am using the standard Mozilla, with it's download manager.
Also, I'm just trying to understand where most of the files go that are just normal programs. What directory is standard? (Told you I was a newbie)
Thanks for the help!

Aterxerxes

jailbait · 12-09-2003, 12:46 PM

"I know that the speed at which I download is way off."
I don't know what program you use to access the cable modem. Whatever program you use, check the setup for that program to see what the modem speed is set to.

"I'm just trying to understand where most of the files go that are just normal programs. What directory is standard? "

The most popular location is /usr/local/bin. If a program needs its own directory the directory is usually placed in /usr or /usr/local.

----------------------
Steve Stites

Aterxerxes · 12-09-2003, 01:11 PM

Ok, thanks for the info on the /usr/local/bin that clears up a lot. I've been a windows user for a while, and am trying to make the associations in my head with the linux way of doing things, however, I think I better explain a bit more my network configuration.
I have 2 comps in my home. 1 is a RH linux 9 box, and the other is a windows XP box. The both computers are connected to a microsoft wireless/wired ethernet router, which is, in turn connected to the cable modem.
You said that I should find the program that I use to access the cable modem right? To be honest, I don't know. please try and help me find out which one it is.

superbondbond · 12-09-2003, 02:39 PM

AFAIK, there really isn't a program to 'access' the cable modem.

I've seen on my modem, there is some type of diagnostic utility that I can access through an IP address. It's used by the technicians for what? I don't know.

I'm not sure why you would be seeing a huge difference in speed from on OS to another. I've not had any problems like that. In fact, I noticed a bit of an increase in speed after I wiped Windows and moved to Linux.

This is probably an obvious question, but do you encounter the difference in performance when d/l the same file from the same site? At similar times?

www.dslreports.com/tools is a good place to run a speed test (for both up and down). (mine just came in at 1588 kbps down and 278 kbps up)

Aterxerxes · 12-09-2003, 05:07 PM

Thanks for the info superbond. To answer your question, it has had this problem on the same file, at similar times. I just don't understand why linux would dl slower than windows... I mean, come on it's windows for crying out loud!
Also, if there is something that you would expect me to try before I came for online help, let me know, because I may have not tried it already.

superbondbond · 12-09-2003, 05:26 PM

Well, chances are it's not a problem with the modem itself. The most obvious place to star looking is your NIC.

You said that each box connects to a wired/wireless router. Is the Linux box connection wired or wireless? What's the make and model of your ethernet adapter?

To find out exactly what Linux "sees" as the adapter, go to a console and type /sbin/lspci. This will list all pci devices connected to the system.
you NIC should be listed there (that is, if it's PCI).

for example this is mine:

Code:

00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

Could (possibly) be the kernel module (driver) running the card. (I'm not sure)

jailbait · 12-09-2003, 05:32 PM

Here is where olias had a similar problem. It turned out to be a poorly written NIC driver:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=111666

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

Aterxerxes · 12-10-2003, 12:31 AM

00:0f.0 Ethernet Controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8029(AS)
That is the line pertains to my ethernet card when I type' /sbin/lspci'
I know that the card is a Realtek and that it is a 10/100 Mbit card. That is all for that.
Thanks for the constant help Superbond. Oh, and another interesting turn of events is that on some web sites, my k/sec can be a constant 9, 11, or higher, which leads me to believe that it might just be a tempermental web site.
Well, I do have just one more thing that I don't like... more of an annoyance really. I would like to stop the beeping noise that happens when I hit backspace one too many times in the console. It's driving me NUTS!
Thanks as Always

Aterxerxes.

superbondbond · 12-10-2003, 09:37 AM

Well, I found these threads that might help you with your NIC.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ghlight=RTL809
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ghlight=RTL809

according to those (and some other reading, that card uses the ne2k-pci module. You can see if that module is loaded by the command
/sbin/lsmod |grep ne2k-pci

I don't know if that's the bad driver or not. You could do some more searching on this site to see what others have done with that one.

The second link above mentions a different module that (according to the post) might work. Perhaps try that one if the first one gets you nowhere.

Aterxerxes · 12-11-2003, 12:03 PM

Wahooo!
I checked, and the problem is unfixable ...(I believe) The ISP that I have lowers my Download speed when I go through their router. So, (I think) there's nothing that I can do on my end ... i ... think.
Anyway, thanks to all those who helped me. Especially Supebondbond.
Consider this thread done.

superbondbond · 12-11-2003, 12:17 PM

I'm not understanding your last post. You say that you believe you ISP lowers the d/l speed when connect through their router? I've never heard of this.
I'm only curious....

You could always set up your Linux box as a router in itself. Then use IP masquearding for your internal network (windows box + other boxes too).
FYI, this is very easy to do. (This is how mine is setup and I have equally good speeds from any one of my PCs, including the wireless connection to my PDA)
Just a friendly suggestion....

Aterxerxes · 12-12-2003, 03:05 PM

Superbond first let me say that I am very grateful for your help, and also, that I'd be lost without it. To say the least, when I called up comcast (My ISP) that's what the "professional" told me. However I'm beginning to believe, that there are things I can do to change my speed. I clocked my speed, and my D/L speed is much lower than my U/L speed.
My email is Aterxerxes@hotmail.com would you email me on how to set up this Linux box router? I would appreciate it.

superbondbond · 12-12-2003, 04:04 PM

Like I said before, It's really easy. I'll just post instructions here, as that's what these forums are for, so in the future as someone else is searching for help on the same subject, they can use it. Anyway.....

There are a number of Linux distributions built specifically to act as Internet gateways/firewalls/routers/ etc. One example is SmoothWall. There are others too if you want to search around a bit. Linux.org has an extensive list of distributions. But I digress....

My particular setup, I use my main Linux box running Slackware as a Gateway/firewall for my other boxes (one laptop also running Slack, my Zaurus PDA, a couple of windows boxes (don't use them much anymore)).
Now, I myself don't know all the ins and outs of iptables, which is what you use to route packets through to your network, and ipmasquerading (part of iptables), but you really don't have to. There a lot of GUIs available to automate the setup and use of this. The one I like to use is Jay's Firewall. It's console based, but also menu driven, so it's simple and you don't have to know all the details. I would suggest searching around this site and google as there are many. Try more than one and use one you're comfortable with.

Here is a simple setup:

Code:

               cable modem
                    |
                    |
               (eth0)DHCP
                Linux box running iptables
             (eth1)192.168.xxx.1
                    |
                    |
              ethernet hub
                    |
                    |
            -------------------------------------------------
            |                        |                      |
            |                        |                      |
   client1(192.168.xxx.2)  client2(192.168.xxx.3)  client3(192.168.xxx.4)

The way this works, for each client on the network, when they connect outside the firewall, are "masquerading" as the external IP of eth0, so to the outside, it appears to be only one PC.

Aterxerxes · 12-13-2003, 12:36 PM

Well, I showed your setup to my father... he's the one that owns the cable modem, and the other computer, as well as the router, and he will not make the switch. He believes that it's not necessary ... oh well. Back to square one. <sigh>
Oh, and as always thanks for the help.

Aterxerxes

/bin/bash · 12-16-2003, 02:51 PM

Invest in a $50 D-Link router. Then you bypass the ISP's router.

IMHO it should be illegal to split your bandwidth like that just because you have a home network. But many ISP's routinely do this. They benifit because you can never attain the bandwidth you are paying for unless (unlikely) you have all computers downloading at the same time. Most of the time you are only using one or two computers and they are only supplying you with a fraction of the bandwith.

The ISP should be able to maintain the bandwidth at the cable modem, there is no reason for them to split it at the router.

Tell your dad he's getting ripped of. It's like he pays the cable company for 100 channels but since he has a TV in four rooms they are each only given 25 channels each!