Linux 10x slower than Windows

Dear Groupsters

My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX. The
test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .

uname -r
2.6.3-7mdk

modules.conf
probeall scsi_hostadapter usb-storage
probeall usb-interface usb-ohci
above snd-es1938 snd-pcm-oss
alias eth0 3c59x options=4,,
# alias eth0 3c59x options=4,8,16
alias sound-slot-0 snd-es1938
options snd-es1938 enable=1

modprobe.conf
alias eth0 3c59x debug=1 options=4,,
# /sbin/modprobe 3c59x debug=1 options=4,8,16 # generates errors
alias sound-slot-0 snd-es1938
options snd-es1938 enable=1
install scsi_hostadapter /sbin/modprobe usb-storage; /bin/true
install snd-es1938 /sbin/modprobe --first-time --ignore-install snd-es1938
&& { /sbin/modprobe snd-pcm-oss; /bin/true; }
install usb-interface /sbin/modprobe usb-ohci; /bin/true
remove snd-es1938 { /sbin/modprobe -r snd-pcm-oss; } ; /sbin/modprobe -r
--first-time --ignore-remove snd-es1938

The Ethernet-HOWTO say's I'm using the correct driver and the card settings
(as follows):

0 = 10baseT
1 = 10Mbs AUI
2 = not used
3 = 10base2
4 = 100base-tx !!!!!
5 = 100base-fx
6 = MII
7 = defaults
8 = full duplex=1, half duplex=0
16 = bus master

....have been tried, as you can see in the commented-out string in
modules.conf.

It's a bit curious that my Linux box is working slower than Windows - sacre
bleu, how can this be? Any bright ideas would be welcome.

--
Regards,
Peter.
http://www.capstain.co.nz

On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:39:11 +1300, Peter Lowrie wrote:
> Dear Groupsters
>
> My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
> and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
> windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
> problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX. The
> test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .


Does
mii-tool -v
show what you think you have set.

Does
cat /etc/resolv.conf
values match your windows
ipconfig /all
values.

What does
head -5 /etc/hosts
have?

Have you disabled ipv6?
service network stop

cat /etc/sysconfig/network
HOSTNAME=wb.home.invalid
NETWORKING_IPV6=no <======= followed by a carriage return.
NETWORKING=yes

After modification, do a
service network start

Do not run the speed test while MD's msec is running on the hour
or around 4am when the msec system audit is running.


> uname -r

Although kernel is nice, always provide vender version,
cat /etc/release

As an example, the new Mandriva 2006 has KDE running several
extra apps which I have disabled.

On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:39:11 +1300, Peter Lowrie wrote:

> Dear Groupsters
>
> My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
> and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
> windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
> problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX. The
> test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
>

Slower at what? How have you measured the throughput?

Peter Lowrie <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
>and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
>windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
>problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX. The
>test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
....
>modules.conf
....
>alias eth0 3c59x options=4,,
># alias eth0 3c59x options=4,8,16
....
>modprobe.conf
>alias eth0 3c59x debug=1 options=4,,
># /sbin/modprobe 3c59x debug=1 options=4,8,16 # generates errors
....
>The Ethernet-HOWTO say's I'm using the correct driver and the card settings
>(as follows):

I doubt that very much, as the driver documentation (from
http://www.scyld.com/vortex.html) says that the '4' is only valid for
3c595 cards, not for 3c905's. Also, the options would indicate that you
have three network cards (you're setting '4' for first one, '8' for
second, and '16' for the third). I guess this wasn't your intention.

As a first step, I'd try using the driver without _any_ options. Just
plain "alias eth0 3c59x". The next step would be to add "options=8" (or
"options=6", if it's 3c905A you have). Typically you shouldn't need
to force the transciever mode to anything specific, but just let the
adapter and switch auto-negotiate the correct mode.
--
Wolf a.k.a. Juha Laiho Espoo, Finland
(GC 3.0) GIT d- s+: a C++ ULSH++++$ P++@ L+++ E- W+$@ N++ !K w !O !M V
PS(+) PE Y+ PGP(+) t- 5 !X R !tv b+ !DI D G e+ h---- r+++ y++++
"...cancel my subscription to the resurrection!" (Jim Morrison)

Bit Twister wrote:
> On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:39:11 +1300, Peter Lowrie wrote:
>
>>Dear Groupsters
>>
>>My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
>>and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
>>windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
>>problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX. The
>>test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
>
>
> ......
> Have you disabled ipv6?
> service network stop
>
> cat /etc/sysconfig/network
> HOSTNAME=wb.home.invalid
> NETWORKING_IPV6=no <======= followed by a carriage return.
> NETWORKING=yes
> ...

A slightly different topic, but is putting this in the modprobe.conf
file:

alias ipv6 off
alias net-pf-10 off

as effective at turning off ipv6 as doing the NETWORKING_IPV6=no
in the network file?



Mark

ray wrote:

> On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:39:11 +1300, Peter Lowrie wrote:
>
>> Dear Groupsters
>>
>> My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
>> and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
>> windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
>> problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX.
The
>> test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
>>
>
> Slower at what? How have you measured the throughput?

What have you been smoking? Click the link above, I mean; Duh!


--
Regards,
Peter.
http://www.pelicom.net.nz

Thank you!. I'll let you know. I seem to recall that when I first installed
the adapter it ran without options, at which point I began adding them to
improve performance.


Juha Laiho wrote:

> Peter Lowrie <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>>My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
>>and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
>>windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
>>problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX. The
>>test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
> ...
>>modules.conf
> ...
>>alias eth0 3c59x options=4,,
>># alias eth0 3c59x options=4,8,16
> ...
>>modprobe.conf
>>alias eth0 3c59x debug=1 options=4,,
>># /sbin/modprobe 3c59x debug=1 options=4,8,16 # generates errors
> ...
>>The Ethernet-HOWTO say's I'm using the correct driver and the card
settings
>>(as follows):
>
> I doubt that very much, as the driver documentation (from
> http://www.scyld.com/vortex.html) says that the '4' is only valid for
> 3c595 cards, not for 3c905's. Also, the options would indicate that you
> have three network cards (you're setting '4' for first one, '8' for
> second, and '16' for the third). I guess this wasn't your intention.
>
> As a first step, I'd try using the driver without _any_ options. Just
> plain "alias eth0 3c59x". The next step would be to add "options=8" (or
> "options=6", if it's 3c905A you have). Typically you shouldn't need
> to force the transciever mode to anything specific, but just let the
> adapter and switch auto-negotiate the correct mode.

--
Regards,
Peter.
http://www.pelicom.net.nz

Thank you for your bright ideas. I'll keep you posted.


Bit Twister wrote:

> On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:39:11 +1300, Peter Lowrie wrote:
>> Dear Groupsters
>>
>> My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
>> and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
>> windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
>> problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX.
The
>> test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
>
>
> Does
> mii-tool -v
> show what you think you have set.
>
> Does
> cat /etc/resolv.conf
> values match your windows
> ipconfig /all
> values.
>
> What does
> head -5 /etc/hosts
> have?
>
> Have you disabled ipv6?
> service network stop
>
> cat /etc/sysconfig/network
> HOSTNAME=wb.home.invalid
> NETWORKING_IPV6=no <======= followed by a carriage return.
> NETWORKING=yes
>
> After modification, do a
> service network start
>
> Do not run the speed test while MD's msec is running on the hour
> or around 4am when the msec system audit is running.
>
>
>> uname -r
>
> Although kernel is nice, always provide vender version,
> cat /etc/release
>
> As an example, the new Mandriva 2006 has KDE running several
> extra apps which I have disabled.

--
Regards,
Peter.
http://www.pelicom.net.nz

In the loop...

mii-tools worked to set the NIC parameters www.speedtest.co.nz showed the
same result 200kbs though, so I'm going to apply more of your ideas.

Thank you again, kindly


Bit Twister wrote:
> On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:39:11 +1300, Peter Lowrie wrote:
>> Dear Groupsters
>>
>> My home LAN is connected to 2Mbs broadband via a cable router. The switch
>> and NIC's are all 100base full duplex. On this dual boot workstation
>> windows gets 2000bps but Linux only achieves 200bps. This discounts LAN
>> problems the problem is with the Linux box. The card is 3Com 3c905-TX.
The
>> test site I've used is http://www.speedtest.co.nz .
>
>
> Does
> mii-tool -v
> show what you think you have set.
>
> Does
> cat /etc/resolv.conf
> values match your windows
> ipconfig /all
> values.
>
> What does
> head -5 /etc/hosts
> have?
>
> Have you disabled ipv6?
> service network stop
>
> cat /etc/sysconfig/network
> HOSTNAME=wb.home.invalid
> NETWORKING_IPV6=no <======= followed by a carriage return.
> NETWORKING=yes
>
> After modification, do a
> service network start
>
> Do not run the speed test while MD's msec is running on the hour
> or around 4am when the msec system audit is running.
>
>
>> uname -r
>
> Although kernel is nice, always provide vender version,
> cat /etc/release
>
> As an example, the new Mandriva 2006 has KDE running several
> extra apps which I have disabled.

--
Regards,
Peter.
http://www.pelicom.net.nz

On Fri, 04 Nov 2005 12:50:57 -0500, Mark wrote:
>
> A slightly different topic, but is putting this in the modprobe.conf
> file:
>
> alias ipv6 off
> alias net-pf-10 off
>
> as effective at turning off ipv6 as doing the NETWORKING_IPV6=no
> in the network file?

One, In Mandriva 2006, setting the variable, will add alias net-pf-10 off
to /etc/modprobe.conf for you.


Two, try this
cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/
grep -i NETWORKING_IPV6 *

I think it is better to use the controls created by the script writer
than dinking with the modules aliases.