LAN slows down when server is downloading

I wonder if anyone could helpme with this one....?

I have a PC that runs 24/7 which is regularly downloading/uploading to the
internet (I will call this the 'server' for this message) This computer is
running WindowsXP Pro. I access this computer down the LAN with either
Wireless or Wire. I noticed that when the server is very active downloading
from the internet, it seems to have adverse effects on the speed of file
transfers on the LAN between the server and the other PCs. Is there
anything I can tweak on the servers settings to improve the overall
performance of the system when its busy, or is there nothing I can do? It
would be nice to get a little bit more response out of it on the LAN when
its busy on the WAN.

Thanks
Tony

"Tony" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a PC that runs 24/7 which is regularly downloading/uploading to
> the internet (I will call this the 'server' for this message) This
> computer is running WindowsXP Pro. I access this computer down the LAN
> with either Wireless or Wire. I noticed that when the server is very
> active downloading from the internet, it seems to have adverse effects on
> the speed of file transfers on the LAN between the server and the other
> PCs.

A noticeable effect is odd. Your answers to the following may help work out
why it exists:

How fast are LAN file transfers when the server is and is not
downloading/uploading?
How fast is the Internet connection?
How fast does the server download/upload?
How is the network (including Internet access) organised?
What software is "regularly downloading/uploading"?
What CPU (including speed) and how much RAM does the server have?

Alex

On 5 Oct 2005 12:52, "Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>How fast is the Internet connection?
>How fast does the server download/upload?
>What CPU (including speed) and how much RAM does the server have?

one other thought... is it a USB modem for the internet connection ? :-{ !!

"Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Tony" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I have a PC that runs 24/7 which is regularly downloading/uploading to
> > the internet (I will call this the 'server' for this message) This
> > computer is running WindowsXP Pro. I access this computer down the LAN
> > with either Wireless or Wire. I noticed that when the server is very
> > active downloading from the internet, it seems to have adverse effects
on
> > the speed of file transfers on the LAN between the server and the other
> > PCs.
>
> A noticeable effect is odd. Your answers to the following may help work
out
> why it exists:
>
> How fast are LAN file transfers when the server is and is not
> downloading/uploading?
Downloading= 1 - 5kpbs Not downloading 400+kbps (its a 54 wireless
network, I mainly use these days to access the files from the server). I
really notice that Apache slows down to a stop almost (on the LAN), when the
internet connection is being used highly. Websites on my server either fail
to load at all, or sometimes part of the page loads but with bits missing...

> How fast is the Internet connection?

1MBit
1024kbps Down
256kbps Up

> How fast does the server download/upload?

100k per second on average download, usually
I have pegged back the upload to a maximum of 18k

> How is the network (including Internet access) organised?

Server is connected directly to a DG834G, using a LAN cable. Server runs
apache and PHP/MySQL etc... There is a cable from the DG834G that runs to a
DLink DWL2000 (Wireless Access point). The reason I have added a Dlink, is
so that I can ensure that wireless access is strong in the area where its
needed. (The DG834G wifi is turned off). Its not convenient for the DG834G
to be close to the area where Wifi is needed, so I decided to add a
standalone access point and leave the DG834G as just a modem/router/firewall
without wireless.

> What software is "regularly downloading/uploading"?

My son has become obsessed with Bit Torrent use : (( And uses the machine
that I call the server to download and upload from (seeing as its switched
on 24/7). He arranges the download usually for overnight via remote desktop
connection in windows xp from his laptop that he connects with wirelessly.

> What CPU (including speed) and how much RAM does the server have?

AMD 2400+ with 512mb of RAM

>
> Alex
>

Hi Alex, sorry for the delay in relpying, I've been out of the offie for the
past day or so. Ive answered the questions above that you asked me.... I
just thought that there may be some magic tweaks for Windows XP that would
improve its response when busy doing other things. I am most concerned
about the lack of response from the web sever, Apache. It seems like all
the web page serving stops or becomes extremely slow when theres other
activity going on, even down the LAN (I would expect the WAN to be affected,
but not sure why the LAN is slowed down so much)

Tony

"Tony" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > "Tony" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
[snip]
> > > I noticed that when the server is very active downloading from the
> > > internet, it seems to have adverse effects on the speed of file
> > > transfers on the LAN between the server and the other PCs.
> >
> > A noticeable effect is odd. Your answers to the following may help work
> > out why it exists:
> >
> > How fast are LAN file transfers when the server is and is not
> > downloading/uploading?
>
> Downloading= 1 - 5kpbs Not downloading 400+kbps (its a 54 wireless
> network, I mainly use these days to access the files from the server).
[snip]
> > How fast is the Internet connection?
>
> 1MBit
> 1024kbps Down
> 256kbps Up
>
> > How fast does the server download/upload?
>
> 100k per second on average download, usually
> I have pegged back the upload to a maximum of 18k
>
> > How is the network (including Internet access) organised?
>
> Server is connected directly to a DG834G, using a LAN cable. Server
> runs apache and PHP/MySQL etc... There is a cable from the DG834G that
> runs to a DLink DWL2000 (Wireless Access point).
[snip]
> > What software is "regularly downloading/uploading"?
>
> My son has become obsessed with Bit Torrent use : ((
[snip]
> > What CPU (including speed) and how much RAM does the server have?
>
> AMD 2400+ with 512mb of RAM
[snip]
> I just thought that there may be some magic tweaks for Windows XP that
> would improve its response when busy doing other things. [...]

There are rarely magic tweaks for anything . More importantly though, from
what you've described there is no obvious reason for the computer to be
significantly "busy". That is, it should be able to download from the
Internet at ~100KB/s, upload at ~20KB/s, and transfer files to/from the LAN
at ~400KB/s, all at the same time without even breaking into a sweat. BTW,
400KB/s is pretty low even for wireless - what speed do you get with a wired
connection?

While Bit Torrent is running, look at network and CPU usage in XP's Task
Manager. Check network usage is as you'd expect. CPU usage should be very
little.

If you request a file via Apache from a LAN machine, then do it again
shortly afterwards, is it faster than the first time or just the same? Be
sure to avoid local caching (in IE, press Ctrl-F5 to reload).

Alex