Poor network performance

Just replaced a NT 4 server with a W2K3 box. Running AD,
DHCP, file and print server.

7 XP Pro clients in domain and 1 W98.

Copying files from server to client is painfully slow. The
main application for this server is a manufacturing
software, it takes minutes for it to pull data from the
server. The old NT box was quicker!

Where do I start? Need more info?

Thanks
Martin

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 06:59:47 -0700, Martin P
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Just replaced a NT 4 server with a W2K3 box. Running AD,
> DHCP, file and print server.
>
> 7 XP Pro clients in domain and 1 W98.
>
> Copying files from server to client is painfully slow. The
> main application for this server is a manufacturing
> software, it takes minutes for it to pull data from the
> server. The old NT box was quicker!

Is this a switched network? If so, is the NIC in the server
set up tu use Full Duplex, Half Duplex or Auto? If this is
set to Auto, try Full and Half Duplex. If Full works fine
this is the preffered configuration. However, some older
switches may have problems with Full Duplex. If you still
experience the problems with the performance, change the
setting to Half Duplex.

In addition, Performance Monitor is a nice tool to check
network performance, CPU and disk activity.

--
Ole Kristian Bangås
http://www.bangaas.com/

This is not an ideal network, not yet anyway. Right now the
server and two workstations run off a D-Link Cable Router
with a four-port switch. The fourth port runs to a 10/100
hub. The performance is slow from any workstaion connected
to hub or switch.

I believe that the server is set up at Auto. I am not at
that location right now, trying to build a list of things
to check and try when I go over there.

Thanks
Martin

>Is this a switched network? If so, is the NIC in the server
>set up tu use Full Duplex, Half Duplex or Auto? If this is
>set to Auto, try Full and Half Duplex. If Full works fine
>this is the preffered configuration. However, some older
>switches may have problems with Full Duplex. If you still
>experience the problems with the performance, change the
>setting to Half Duplex.
>
>In addition, Performance Monitor is a nice tool to check
>network performance, CPU and disk activity.
>
>--
>Ole Kristian Bangås
>http://www.bangaas.com/
>.
>

Jeff,
I'll check that tonight. I only hope it's that simple, but
that is the kind of issue I am seeing.

Martin
>-----Original Message-----
>Martin,
>
>You should also confirm that the DNS addresses for the ISP
are not enterd in
>the TCIP properties window on the client. In a domain
environment, the
>client should have teh local server as it's DNS. The
server should have
>forward lookups for the ISP DNS.
>
>
>Otherwise, every DNS request ends up routed out to the big
world-wide cloud
>rather than being resolved locally. I just stumbled
across this problem
>yesterday after reading a post here on Technet. I changed
the setting on
>four of my cleint machines that had been a problem and saw
login and file
>access timesw across the network from those machines drop
from three to four
>minutes to less than two seconds.

OK, I spent a couple of hours on this last night, fixed a
problem or two but still didn't clear it up.

ipconfig /all from the DC is as follows:
Windows IP Configuration
Host name D1600SC
Primary DNS Suffix SeagraveNJ.local
Node Type Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled No
WINS Proxy Enabled No
DNS Suffix Search List SeagraveNJ.local

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection
Connection-specific DNS Suffix {no entry}
Description Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection
Physical address 00-C0-9F-3F-0E-CA
DHCP Enabled No
IP Address 192.168.1.10
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 192.168.1.5
DNS Servers 192.168.1.10
Primary WINS server 192.168.1.10

I tried doing NSLOOKUP from the server and a client but
this is the result
nslookup d1600sc
***Can't find server name for address 192.168.1.10: Non-
existent domain
***Default servers are not available
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.1.10

Name: d1600sc.SeagraveNJ.local
Address: 192.168.1.10

The DNS server was already pointing to itself for DNS.
Some of the clients still had a WINS address which was
from the old network [changed from 172.0.0.x to
192.168.1.x with new server] so I deleted manual WINS
entry in TCP/IP properties. Also set up WINS on server.
Ran NETDIAG, which returned all PASSES.

It looks like the file access and transfer times are
better, but the response time in the manufacturing
software is still horrendous.

Martin
>-----Original Message-----
>Jeff,
>I'll check that tonight. I only hope it's that simple, but
>that is the kind of issue I am seeing.
>
>Martin
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Martin,
>>
>>You should also confirm that the DNS addresses for the
ISP
>are not enterd in
>>the TCIP properties window on the client. In a domain
>environment, the
>>client should have teh local server as it's DNS. The
>server should have
>>forward lookups for the ISP DNS.
>>
>>
>>Otherwise, every DNS request ends up routed out to the
big
>world-wide cloud
>>rather than being resolved locally. I just stumbled
>across this problem
>>yesterday after reading a post here on Technet. I
changed
>the setting on
>>four of my cleint machines that had been a problem and
saw
>login and file
>>access timesw across the network from those machines drop
>from three to four
>>minutes to less than two seconds.
>
>.
>

OK, so I went down armed with dozens of tips to try and fix
this. I felt sure that it was a DNS issue, based on what I
had read here.

First I tried disconnecting a workstation and logging in.
This was real fast, plugged it back in and it was slow
again. So this points to something on the network or server.

Next I went through the DNS settings one by one. Originally
I set this box up with the domain as company-NJ, but then
removed all the roles from the server and reconfigured. The
second time I set it up I switched to companyNJ. So upon my
checks I found one entry that was still company-NJ so I
deleted that. This did not make any appreciable difference,
at least to the speed of the accounting application.

Third, I checked the NICm settings and changed them. This
server has a 10/100/1000 on-board, and it was set to Auto.
It connects to a D-Link cable router with built-in 5 port
switch, 10/100. I set the NIC to 100 half-duplex and the
problems all went away. I also tried 100 Full and 10 full,
but neither worked as well as 100 Half.

Next step is to upgrade to a managed HP ProCurve switch.

Thanks to all for your help.

Martin


>-----Original Message-----
>Just replaced a NT 4 server with a W2K3 box. Running AD,
>DHCP, file and print server.
>
>7 XP Pro clients in domain and 1 W98.
>
>Copying files from server to client is painfully slow. The
>main application for this server is a manufacturing
>software, it takes minutes for it to pull data from the
>server. The old NT box was quicker!
>
>Where do I start? Need more info?
>
>Thanks
>Martin
>.
>