mixed wireless/wired network set up question.

megaspaz · 06-29-2004, 03:11 AM

An unexplainable thing is happening on my network consisting of 2 wired ethernet computers (call them A1 and A2) and 2 wireless laptop computers (call them B1 and B2) that are networked. I've relatively recently gone wireless with B1 and B2 is my girlfriend's laptop. B1 and B2 go through a netgear wireless access point (54mbs). B1 uses a netgear wireless pc card running on 802.11g spec and B2 is using a cisco pc card using 802.11b. the netgear access point is plugged into an 8 port intel hub which is plugged into a 4 port netgear 10/100 router. A1 and A2 are also plugged into the 8 port intel hub. A1 and A2 are running windows 98 se, B1 is dual-booting redhat 7.3 (samba) and windows ME, and B2 is running windows XP. B2 can also be wired to the network like A1 and A2 because B2 originally came with an ethernet nic. now the main scenario is that either A1 or A2 likes to play B1's mp3 playlist. but A1 and A2 playback is not smooth and prone to cutting in and out (due to something like dropped packets, slower connection, etc... i dunno) when B1 is running wireless. This behavior happens in linux and when booted into windows ME. B2 can play the playlist with none of the above behavior. i noticed when using the lan browser (konqueror), that A1 and A2 will drop out (not be listed in the lan browser) for some time and if A1 or A2 is trying to browse B1's shares (B1 is booted into linux) via network neighborhood that it will take a long time for anything to come up - basically that search flashlight animation will play for what seems to be forever. now if A1 or A2 copies a file (used a 3.7 MB mp3 file for my tests) from B1 to, let's say, A1's or A2's desktop that this works fine. the copy goes off with a hitch. but if B1 puts a file to either A1 or A2, it's a chore with the konqueror transfer progress dialog showing the status as stalled quite often... the transfer will start a data transfer rate that will decrease until the status shows stalled which will start up again after a while or if you refresh the konqueror file manager of the target (A1 or A2). while B1 booted into windows ME, this kind of transfer seems to go about normally, although i don't know about stalls since the windows transfer dialog doesn't have a stalled status - the transfer does seem to be quicker with B1 booted into windows ME. the thing is these behaviors do not happen if B1 is wired instead of wireless. I didn't have A1 or A2 try to use the playlist from B2 nor have B2 place a file onto either A1 or A2, but i'd have to assume that the playback dropout would probably still occur... i wish i had done this, but it's my girlfriend's computer and she left before i even thought of this. anyway just wondering if anyone had any ideas on how i could eliminate this behavior in samba (using 2.2.8a) when B1 is wireless. or is something like this unavoidable do to the network being a mixed wired/wireless setup? if you've gotten this far, i thank you for taking the time to possibly ponder this.

/etc/samba/smb.conf

Code:

# Samba config file created using SWAT
# from localhost.localdomain (127.0.0.1)
# Date: 2004/06/28 22:13:21

# Global parameters
[global]
	workgroup = THE_GRID
	netbios name = TRON
	server string = Dell Inspiron 8100 - Redhat 7.3
	security = SHARE
	log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
	max log size = 50
	socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
	preferred master = No
	local master = No
	domain master = No
	dns proxy = No

[printers]
	comment = All Printers
	path = /var/spool/samba
	printable = Yes
	browseable = No
	available = No

[Data]
	path = /winpar/winE/myWork
	guest ok = Yes

[MP3]
	path = /winpar/winF/mp3_1
	guest ok = Yes

[Public]
	path = /winpar/winI
	guest ok = Yes

[Winstalls]
	path = /winpar/winH/Installs
	guest ok = Yes

[VideoMedia]
	path = /winpar/winG/VideoMedia
	guest ok = Yes

[HP_CLJ4500_DN]
	path = /var/spool/samba
	read only = No
	printer name = HP_CLJ4500_DN
	browseable = No
	oplocks = No

/etc/lisarc

Code:

SecondWait = -1
SearchUsingNmblookup = 0
DeliverUnnamedHosts = 1
FirstWait = 30
MaxPingsAtOnce = 256
UpdatePeriod = 300
PingAddresses = 192.168.0.3/255.255.255.0;
AllowedAddresses = 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0;
BroadcastNetwork = 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0;
PingNames = someHost;someOtherHost;

megaspaz · 07-02-2004, 01:52 AM

problem solved. it ended up being the firmware upgrade. i got a hold of the same model access point from someone that hasn't had any firmware upgrades, took out the old one, and put in and configured the new access point and all the network problems were gone. time to go give netgear a call and hopefully get an RA and a replacement.