Lan question involving a hub

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Sun Dec 16, 2001 9:39 pm

ok guys... here is the issue i am having. i have 3 computers on a network, not sure if you need this info but here it is.

Computer 1 - Windows XP
Computer 2 - Windows ME
Computer 3 - Windows XP

All three computers are on a network using a hub. It's fairly common for me to be unable to go across the network to pull files from 1 computer to the next and even harder when all 3 are on at one time.

My question is this.. could this be because I don't have a router? Would a router control the swapping of files etc.. over my home network better?

This has been an on-going issue and although it happens it's fair share when only 2 computers are on it seems to happen even more when 3 are on. Wasn't sure if there was network congestion that my hub couldn't fix since it's not used for that , so my thinking was.. would a router fix this issue?

thanks for any help.

Storm90 · Post by **Storm90** » Sun Dec 16, 2001 10:42 pm

Thats usally normal when use a reguler hub. It dose not devide's it's bandworth up evenly. So when the third computer is booted up. It slows down the rest. Orthe third computer ends up being the slowest one. You could buy a switch. Wich would give the performance you want. Plus with a hub you get alot of collisions,with a switch you will not. Also if you are not useing the NetBUIE Protocol for lan. I would install it on all three computers files transfer faster useing this protocol. Then useing TCP\Ip protocol. In other words if you want then to all perform all the same get a router or a switch. Just remember a extra Ip works better on each computer then ICS program. So you might want to go with a router to avoid buying extra Ip's. Hope this helps you out a little.

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Mon Dec 17, 2001 6:24 am

why would an extra IP make a difference for a computer on a home network? The reason i ask is each of these computers already have their own IP and that hasn't made a difference in speeding up transfers over my LAN.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Dec 17, 2001 8:10 am

What are you using for your protocols? Technically yes a switch is faster than a hub...but we're only talking about 3 computers here, you shouldn't even be making a wimpy 10 meg hub break a sweat with 3 computers. Switches usually aren't needed to solve bandwidth problems until you have at least a dozen heavy hitting computers...usually over 20 and a switch becomes needed....but certainly not just 3 comps. I don't know how you have your TCP/IP setup, but are you using NetBEUI on all 3? That should help browsing occur faster.

Syclone_A · Post by **Syclone_A** » Tue Dec 18, 2001 12:53 pm

Hey YOSC, ever do anything more stressful over lan than just transfer some mp3's, text documents, and such back and forth. Let me setup a scenario for you. Launch a game of gta2, ok now connect 3 pc's on lan just through a hub. Play the game and watch the lag! Now hook them to a switch and make the first hub 10mb and the switch 100mb. See game run smoother? It depends on application man, yea if someone is transferring small little notepad documents back and forth yea a hub is cool, but large files and constant transfers for say games, need beacoup bandwidth. Like i said depends on the application, network traffic, blah blah blah blah.

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Tue Dec 18, 2001 1:12 pm

Originally posted by Syclone_A+
Hey YOSC, ever do anything more stressful over lan than just transfer some mp3's, text documents, and such back and forth. Let me setup a scenario for you. Launch a game of gta2, ok now connect 3 pc's on lan just through a hub. Play the game and watch the lag! Now hook them to a switch and make the first hub 10mb and the switch 100mb. See game run smoother? It depends on application man, yea if someone is transferring small little notepad documents back and forth yea a hub is cool, but large files and constant transfers for say games, need beacoup bandwidth. Like i said depends on the application, network traffic, blah blah blah blah.

so Syclone, would you recommend a router for my situation then? Do you think that would help with my network congestion?

zikmid · Post by **zikmid** » Sun Dec 23, 2001 1:19 am

Yo' Roody,

With the latency you've expressed in your networked configuration I still have some questions as to your current set-up.

Are you using similar NIC's in all of your pc's ? What protocols have you configured for your network ? Do you have any other devices connected to the hub (....printer, etc ?) Are you using any DHCP, DNS, WINS or a Host file on your network for IP's and host resolution ? Also, on average how large are the files that you normally transfer between pc's ? Are these pc's fairly close together (proximity) or are they far apart ?

My current network configuration looks like this:
Linksys Router to provide access to the net, this is attached to a Bay Networks switch 450 24-port 10 / 100, which in turns supports my Win2000, Solaris & Linux domains, TCP/IP only, HP 4000i printer,......all pc's use Intel Pro 10 / 100 NIC's, using Host files for resolution and browsing.

And lastly, are you using your network for development or a bit of gaming also ?

You really shouldn't have much of a problem with latency on a small network such as yours running a 10 meg hub.

Let me know, soon!

Merry Christmas, all !

illestdynasty · Post by **illestdynasty** » Mon Dec 24, 2001 12:46 pm

In all honesty, get a router.

1. Will speed things up.
2. Provide DHCP
3. Built in 10/100 Switch (SPEED)
4. No additional IPs required from your ISP to get all the computers online.
5. Will automatically give the comps on it IPs, and the ones connected on the hub (if you decide to still use the hub)
6. Be the only recognizeable device hooked to your modem.

Others like ICS and all that but i don't particularly favor running one of my comps as the internet front for the other. It puts the main computer at risk. With the right router you should be able to use your hub in a daisy chain config, but then again, with a router, you wouldn't need a hub unless you wanted more comps to get online.

Also with the speed issue, Look at it like this. Everything in front of the router is the internet, your personal network of 3 comps is behind the router. if all 3 of your comp's net cards support 10/100 and so does the router, file tranfering within the LAN(everything behind the router) will be at 100MBPS. I think, not sure on this part when u get online the maximum speed that the internet would be able to come in is at around 10MB.

So far I have 2 computers hooked on my router.
1. my main system(in sig)
2. and a laptop.
3. In the future i plan on hooking up my other comp/Playstation2 in my bedroom(upstairs) on the same port.
4. And a older comp for my youngest brother.

For a diagram look at :
http://www.linksys.com/products/display ... 20&grid=23

Also linksys has a special 10 rebate going on, but look around for whatever is cheapest, or what you think suits your needs

Happy Holidays to All

syncmaster · Post by **syncmaster** » Tue Dec 25, 2001 8:50 pm

This is what you need to end up your problems ...

http://www.compex.com.sg/cgi-bin/e-product/cgi-bin/prod_view.pl?997675968@939781197@939725693

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Tue Dec 25, 2001 10:50 pm

thanks for all your help everyone. after talking to a lot of you and doing some studying i do believe the router is definitely the way for me to go for my home network.

in answer to some previous questions i am running ipx/spx and tcp/ip on my home network currently. netbeui doesnt come installed on XP and although its on the disc i've had a little trouble getting it over to my computer (why, i have no idea).

as for the distance between computers its not alot. 2 of my 3 computers currently connected to the internet are within 8 feet of each other give or take and the 3rd is probably 30 feet away in the next room.

the size of the files being brought over my network vary. i have a network drive where i store just about any and everything needed for my computers and i go to that drive to install alot of my programs.

although i love to read , i suck at reading something then going out and doing it alot of the time which is why im always looking for clearly explained and even sometimes visual answers to questions. I have always been better at hands on things. i will admit that i love tinkering and furthering my own education on my own time and terms , so alot of times this is just me trying to learn the best way i know how.

i am a knowledge freak and i love getting my hands on things and learning from them.

i know this hasn't answered all of the questions, but those are the basics.

thanks again for all the help.

SG Broadband Community

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Lan question involving a hub

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