i'm using Linksys EFAH05W EtherFast® 10/100 5-port Auto-Sensing Hub; Netgear FA311 NICs; RH9 at samba server, and winxp pro as client. got cat5e wires from buy.com, i have to double check if they are 4-wire or 8-wire.
Thanks, Moses.

For information about module parameters for the NICs.
http://www.scyld.com/network/natsemi.html

Thx, got it!

Chaps, A hub is just a repeater, a single ethernet segment, all ports are in the same collision domain, therefore by definition is half duplex.

If you want to run full duplex you need to use a crossover cable between pc's. Or a switch, which, due to the fact that all ports are seperate segments and therefore separate collision domains, means they can run all ports full duplex.

If you look at the cable pinout a straight through cable will have all 8 pins wired 1 to 1.

If you look at a cross over it needs at least 1-3 and 2-6 in both directions. (Hold the plug in your hand, wire down pins up and facing you, pin 1 is on the left hand side.)

Your throughput of 50M is dependant on a lot of things, how are you measuring it? FTP does not take account of TCP/IP overhead, drivers may not be very efficient, you may be getting a lot of errors and retransmissions which would indicate a hardware problem.

Its one of those "how long is a peice of string" questions.



Are you testing linux to windows using samba? cos windows samba is notoriously flaky on performance.