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PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 5:20 pm 
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I've done some simple FTP speed tests from my mythbox to my win32 machine (I'm behind a 100baset router) sending files of various sizes (300 mg to 2 gig) via FTP and my through put ranges from 6641-7037 KB/s. I realize that SAMBA xfers will likely be slower, but the question I'm asking is how much increase will I notice if I upgrade my LAN to 1000baset.

Can someone who has a 1000baset setup do a similar test for me in 1000 mode and then drop down to 100 mode? From what I've read in this review of a gigalan router, the speed gains are only around 15-20%.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:26 am 
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Using theoretical speeds, the fastest in ideal conditions on a 100BT network is 12.5MB/s and thus on a 1000BT throughput is 125MB/s.

I read the review and the item they reviewed is a router and for a proper Gigabit network you are much better off with a brand name switch. As with a router the CPU has to process more than just what is going on with the network traffic. As was shown in the test when the router was taken out of the equation and a direct cross over lead used you saw how much the router slowed things down.

Another thing is that whilst Cat5e cable is ok for gigabit networking you are much better off with Cat6 cabling as this is the certified standard for gigabit. The other thing to consider is the HDD bottle neck, I am still yet to see a HDD do sustained transfers of over 100MB/s.

There is so many variables that vary the speed of networks, from packet sizes, to fragmentation, to kinks in cables.

Concluding though, gigabit networks are worth it if you are constantly transferring files, but for a standard home network, where not much is going on, it is generally not work the expense. If I had the money I would invest in gigabit around my home especially for the benefits it would have to my KnoppMyth setup. :D

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:23 am 
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I don't know about using a 1000Base-T router, but I've used a switch with my server and desktop computer. My max throughput with this combination is about 400M bps. The limiting factor was my desktop, which had a regular 32-bit PCI card for its Gigabit LAN and it saturated the PCI bus. CPU utilization went way up, too. The server has a 64-bit, 66MHz PCI card and it wasn't even breathing hard. I think the on-board Gigabit would probably fare better because it wouldn't be limited by the 33MHz "normal" PCI speed. I think.

I think a Gigabit connection to the Myth box would be nice, but only because I can't burn DVDs on the Myth box and have to do the chore in Windoze. I'm pretty underwhelmed at the state of transcoding and processing tools in Linux. Nothing can handle MPEG2-TS (ATSC programs). As far as I can tell, there isn't a solution for making a DVD out of a high-def program using only Linux tools. Which is what I'd rather have instead of fast LAN.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:30 am 
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Thanks for the feedback, guys. I have a question about a switch: if I place my machines behind the switch, and the switch into the router, port fowarding on the router (to/from the WAN) will not work, will it? What about standard requests from the machine out to the WAN (like http, POP3, etc.)? Can the machines do them without a proxy server?

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:01 am 
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If I understand the question properly -- yeah, of course port forwarding will work. The switch learns what addresses are on each side of it. The request comes in from the router, gets "switched" by the switch, and gets delivered to the proper box on the LAN side. My setup:

WAN == m0n0wall router == gig switch == boxen

I have no problem assigning a port to any of the boxes on my internal network. Plus all the boxes on the internal network share a 1000T switch, so they can talk among themselves much faster than to the WAN.

A proxy server isn't required on any of the standard protocol ports. Nor is it required for any connection that is initiated from your LAN side. As long as a computer on the inside starts the conversation, it can receive replies all day long from the WAN side. But any conversation that starts on the WAN side must be through a port that is forwarded to a server on the inside.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:22 am 
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a common consumer grade switch does not impede traffic in any noticeable way.

That is of course an insanely oversimplified statement, but for your purposes 100% correct.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:26 pm 
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Great discussion guys, thanks again.

Again though, if my botlle neck is the bus or HD, perhaps I should save my $$$ with this... anyone out there willing to do the tests for me?

Any recommendations on a quality switch and what model/brands are you all using? I've had good luck with netgear products in the past and newegg has the GS105 for 56 bucks. Same question for NICs. I don't want to spend a bundle for NICs since I need 3 of them by the way :)

Thanks again!

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:35 pm 
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I've used several brands of switch. The cheapest works just as good as the most expensive, at least at my casa. I bought "Airlink" brand 5-port switches for $19 ea. and 8-port switches for $39 ea. At Fry's on sale, of course.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:20 pm 
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I run el-cheapo D-Link Gigabit 5-port Switches here. From the testing I've done I'm seeing about a 3x or 4x increase from 100base (assuming 70% utilization at 100 and up to 25% at 1000).

I'm in a similar situation with Liv2Cod since I have a 33mhz/32-bit PCI NIC in my desktop and a 66mhz/32-bit in the server. I've also got PATA100 drives in my server so I think drive transfer is also a limiting factor. Timing wise I can copy a file across my network just about as fast as I can copy from drive to drive on my machine.

I'd say if you can get the cards and a switch cheap go for it. It's sweet moving a 4.5 gig TV show across in 4 minutes instead of 12-15. :)

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:48 am 
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Good topic

I think you will be disappointed with the speed increase. There are many problems with moving past 100mb. I would guess the improvement is
something like 2 to 3 times faster. However, Samba is a real wildcard as you point out.

On my Lan I get 7mb/s copying 4GB takes about 10 minutes with Samba over 100mb connection.

If you do decide to go to 1000mb make sure your hardware supports PCI 2.3 and the NIC and Switch support Jumbo Frames.

This is a pretty good overall benchmark

http://www.somacon.com/p123.php


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:05 am 
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Thanks for the tips... none of my machines support PCI 2.3 -- only PCI 2.2. What's the difference?

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:28 am 
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0.1

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 6:53 am 
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LMAO :lol:

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:35 am 
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YMMV, but I don't think $100 is a lot to invest for even a 2-4x increase in network speed ($50 for a switch and 2 cards at $25 worst case). I move a ton of video data around and the time savings is amazing.

Gozn


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:00 pm 
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My server (with the Intel 64-bit 66MHz card) is PCI 2.1. My desktop is either PCI 2.2 or 2.3, I'm not sure which. But it's a couple of years old. Just look at the package of the card you buy and make sure it matches your PCI level. BTW -- the 1000T cards (Airlink) are regularly on sale at Fry's for something like $10-15 ea.

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