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Bad network performance

Hi all,

I've just spent a good amount of time trying to get my new Slack 11 server to work, and I could really use some help here.

First off, it's an old Desktop Compaq with currently only one Samsung 250GB IDE HD (+ 133MB raid controller), a Realtek 8139 NIC and a 3COM 905B. Nothing fancy.

When I run hdparm -t /dev/hda I get 210MB/3sec, or 70MB/sec, and all seems well. It's when I do anything that involves copying to the server or between partitions on the server remotely, that it feels sluggish. For example - if I use Samba (mapped drives on XP) to copy a 700MB file between partitions on this 250GB HD I get a transfer rate of about 4MB/sec, which is very bad to say the least. If I use FTP (from XP) to upload something to the server I also get between 3-4MB/sec. I've tried this with two different XP computer. One running home and the other running Pro. If I log on to the console and issue a copy between partitions I get some very good results. (I don't have any numbers now, but they are way up, compared to the others.

If I remove the raid card I get around 10-12MB/sec transfer rate with hdparm. Samba and FTP still have the same problem. If I log on through SSH at this point and copy a 700MB file between partitions I get around 11-12MB/sec. Haven't tried it with the raid card yet.

If I copy from the server to my local HD I get about 8MB/sec transfer rate, which is fine on a 100Mbit switched network.

I've tried moving around all the cards in the server. I've switched NICs and tried with only one NIC (and every possible combination) to rule out any conflicts. I've even used a cross-over cable and connected two computer without a switch.
I've also tried other computers in this manner and the results are similar.

Help me out here, please..

EDIT
Ok, so I had an installation of CentOS on a hard drive and I set-up samba on that. Totally different/newer machine (P4 2.5GHz 512 ram), with a 3COM 905C card. This is what happened - first i ran hdparm -t /dev/hda = 30MB/Sec, then I just plugged it into the network and copied some random data from a WinXP Pro box through a mapped share = 3-4MB/sec. I unplugged the cable and used a cross-over cable on my laptop (XP Home) and had something like 2-3MB/sec.

What am I missing here..?

For the Realtek 8139 NIC, I get better speed if I compile a kernel and enable modules '8139cp' and '8139too'. Are both of those enabled or compiled in ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_TeXMeX_H

For the Realtek 8139 NIC, I get better speed if I compile a kernel and enable modules '8139cp' and '8139too'. Are both of those enabled or compiled in ?

The 8139too is in use. That is also my external interface, although I have tried setting it up as my internal (and running without), just to see if there would be any difference. No luck.

I just did another test. I copied a 700MB file from my Slackware server to my CentOS box using a mapped drive with Samba and I got 133 seconds for 700MB = about 5MB/sec.

Both are connected to a switch and both are running 3com 905B/905C NICS.

EDIT
I did another test with mii-tools this time. I took both the Slackware and CentOS boxes out of the lan and used a cross-over cable to test the speed. One way a 700MB file took 3:53 minutes to copy, and the other way took 1:50 minutes. It was not the same file.. I should mention that the speed between the winboxes on the lan are about 7-8MB/sec, and copying FROM the Slackware server to another winbox gives the same result about 7-8MB/sec.
EDIT

I used to have the same problem for a long time since Slackware 9 I think.
But it somehow resolved itself, I think around Slackware 10.2 after I revamped my samba cofiguration and also fstab.
Sorry I can't pinpoint the problem for you since I don't know the solution but maybe if you want to post your samba.conf we can have a look at it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slackovado

I can relate to that..! Transfer rate has gone up, but it's still not what would be expected from a 100Mbit network.

When I download a 700MB file from the server to my WinXP pro box, I get around 8MB/sec, which I'm more than happy with.
Download:
Network speed steady at around: 8MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 66-72%. (win taskman)
Samba load at: 8-22 %CPU. (top 1sec interval)

But if I upload something to my server I get around 4.5-6MB/sec.
Upload:
Network speed jumping between: 4.5-6MB/sec
Network utilization jumping between: 27-74%..!! (win taskman)
Samba load at: 10-25 %CPU. (top 1sec intervall)

Transfer rates between the drives locally are >20MB/sec. The 250GB drive manages 30MB/sec.

The specs:
Compaq 700MHz 384MB SDRAM
Realtek 8139 eth0 (ext); 3com 905B eth1 (int)
133MB RAID controller
1*250GB Samsung 7200rpm drive hda
2*120GB Seagate 7200rpm drive hdb/hdc

What kind of transfer rates do you guys have while uploading to a Samba 3.x server on a 100Mbit network?
Please guys, help me out here! Any and all suggestions are welcome.

My smb.conf below. Anything you don't see listed is the default value in Samba version 3.0.23c in a Slackware 11 installation.

Code:

root@slackware:~# smbd -V

Version 3.0.23c



root@slackware:~# testparm

[global]

        workgroup = MYGROUP

        server string = Samba Server

        interfaces = eth1, lo

        bind interfaces only = Yes

        passdb backend = tdbsam

        log file = /var/log/samba.%m

        max log size = 50

        socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192

        dns proxy = No

        hosts allow = 192.168.0., 127.



[homes]

        comment = Home Directories

        read only = No

        browseable = No



[printers]

        comment = All Printers

        path = /var/spool/samba

        printable = Yes

        browseable = No



[home]  #hda3 - not in config file

        path = /mnt/hd/media/home

        read list = monique

        write list = root

        read only = No

        volume = home



[share] #hda3 - not in config file

        path = /mnt/hd/media/share

        read list = monique

        write list = root

        read only = No

        volume = share



[temp]  #hdb1 - not in config file

        path = /mnt/hd/media/temp

        read list = monique

        write list = root

        read only = No

        volume = temp



[safe]  #hdc1 - not in config file

        path = /mnt/hd/media/safe

        read list = monique

        write list = root

        read only = No

        volume = safe

I did some additional testing and I've come to the conclusion that samba is working perfectly.

The problem seems to be with the Intel Pro100 NIC in the "TV-box". I updated the drivers but it seems I need to install a 3com card, instead of using the built-in Intel one.

Here are the results:

Between Windows XP - Windows XP
Upload: (to Monique Broadcom 1000Mbit from TV Intel Pro100)
Network speed steady at around: 6MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 48-54%. (win taskman)
Download: (from Monique Broadcom 1000Mbit to TV Intel Pro100)
Network speed steady at around: 7.9-8.4MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 70-74%. (win taskman)

Between Windows XP - Windows XP
Upload: (to Monique Broadcom 1000Mbit from WinXP 3com905C)
Network speed jumping between: 6,6-7.6MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 52-56%. (win taskman)
Download: (from Monique Broadcom 1000Mbit to WinXP 3com905C)
Network speed steady at around: 9.3MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 79-80%. (win taskman)

Between Windows XP - Windows XP
Upload: (to TV Intel Pro100 from WinXP 3com905C)
Network speed jumping between: 7,3-8,4MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 60-64%. (win taskman)
Download: (from TV Intel Pro100 to WinXP 3com905C)
Network speed steady at around: 7,8MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 63-68%. (win taskman)

Between Windows XP - Samba
Upload: (to Samba 3com905B from WinXP 3com905C)
Network speed steady at around: 7.9-8.2MB/sec.
Network utilization jumping between: 36-85%. (win taskman)
Download: (from Samba Samba 3com905B to WinXP 3com905C)
Network speed steady at around: 8.4-8.6MB/sec.
Network utilization steady at: 72-75%(win taskman)