Hi,

I have been using slackware as my proxy/router/mailserver for years and it always worked fine.
So after some complains about ftp not working in all occasions I decided to upgrade Squid (the proxy part). And of course while I was at it, a new kernel. I originally used 2.6.12_rc3, I tested (some time back) 2.6.15.6, but last week I went to 2.6.18.1. And to make it complete I included gcc 4.1.1.

Compiled the kernel. Compiled gcc, cp the includes to /usr/include, recompiled everything, Compiled squid, compiled the vmxnet driver module (Yes it's vmware).
It went great!

but. :-(.....

While web complete pages came in like sunshine on a summers day, large picture went really slow.

So I checked using a direct download:
wget from speedtest.bbned.nl/download/file32mb.bin
Result: Speed: 10K/s. (Over a 12mb adsl line!)

Changed back to the netwerk driver that is included in the kernel: AMD pcnet32.ko.
Same result.

I placed the file on a http server in the lan.
Result: 10.2mBps (full 100mb speed).

But when opening a page like video.google.com
Result: < 1sec for the whole page.

Check with ethereal. I just go's slow. No trouble or something, just. Slow.

So after TWO very irritated day's I booted from 2.6.15.6
It when like sunshine.
Wget gave me 700K/s. (to slow for a 12mb adsl, but the cisco needs an upgrade)

It is just the change in the kernel. What did I miss?

Does anybody have any idea? I have managed for year just answering question on boards like this, but now I am really really stuck.

Are you using the same kernel .config in 2.6.15 and 2.6.18?

Do you have a gateway device or firewall?

I had to run oldconfig but used all the defaults. To sure that it did not interfere I also had a try with the complete forwarding disabled. Did not chagen a bit.

The cisco that is connected to the ADSL line has a simple firewall, but both times but I had both systems even use the same IP address and the WAN speed changed.

This is a virtual server running vmware? What version?

VMWare workstation version: 5.5.2 Build 29772

1. Is the ethernet adapter being shared between multiple OS's.

2. Can you test it using a different network card?

The host system uses this card. I have only one card in this system.
I have tried this vm in twee machines (host win xp en Win 2003) and in both cases it gave the same result.

The strange part is that when I download the exact same file from a local http server I get 10MB.
When I download it thrue the proxy I get te max speed.
When I download it using the old kernel, I get the max speed.
FTP or anything else within the local network.. Wire speed.
Only when from the WAN(Internet) whamm down to 10kbps

I is like there is a setting that tell when going over a router or some like that, the system has to ruduce speed. I think that it would even be a setting that makes sense:!
if file > 50KB max speed = xxx.
It would keep your network in a better performance.

But what is the setting, and is there one!!??

Thanks in advance,
This is f..k..g frustrating.

Can you test a different NIC to eliminate the possibility of the kernel driver being the problem?

I'm confused about your statement, "When I download it thrue the proxy I get te max speed."

Would you explain your LAN layout and how this "proxy" is being implemented with only 1 NIC?
What is being passed through squid?

Have you checked your DNS and firewall settings?




I don't think our problems are related.
Strange Ethernet issues connecting to a specific IP

1) Test whith two different nics.
I have tested with two different nic's. The default vmware AMD PCNET, and the VMXNET.
If have run the VM on two different servers. One using a onboard Marvell Yukon 88e8053 gigabit. One using a Intel PRO/1000 GT NIC.

2) Download thrue proxy.
This gives max adsl speed with the 2.6.18.1
Internet <-> Cisco 836 <-> Linux 2.6.13.r5 proxy <-> Linux machine wiht 2.6.18.1

This give only 10K/s with the 2.6.18.1
Internet <-> Cisco 836 <-> Linux 2.6.13.r5 ROUTER <-> Linux machine with 2.6.18.1 kernel

The router/proxy(squid) machine is one but I normaly use the proxy but I can open a port thrue the NAT router that runs on the same machine.

3) Firewall/DNS.
When I boot the 2.6.18.1 machine from a older kernel (2.6.15.6) I get full speed of the adsl line.
DNS. I also get the problem when using a IP address.
Firewall. There is some firewall functionality on the cisco, but not much, and with 2.6.15.6 it works fine.

Are you using dnsmasq?

It is the windows scaling.
My cisco or, something else on the Internet does not understand didly of the windows scaling.
The command:
echo 0 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/tcp_window_scaling
Made an instant end to all missary.

Something for the rc.inet1!


The only other thing to achieve is world peace and all is well


Thanks for all the help!