Slow networking with Vista

[FatRakoon]

This is NOT specifically a Linux problem, however, it is definitely more obvious.

Ok, here are the offenders :-

My main PC
Vista 64 Bit Ultimate ( SP1 )

My LapTop
Debian 5.0.1

My Media Server
XP 64 ( SP2 )



Now, using the Vista PC to connect to the Server, takes about 5 seconds to open up each folder.

Using Debian however this is 20, 30 or even more seconds.

Its not only debian, it does this on Ubuntu and SuSE too!

As an example, I doubled clicked on the Master ( The name of my main PC ) Icon and I went, put the kettle on, put some milk in a cup and some coffee and i twas still not done. The Kettle boiled and I poured my brew and had a look at it was still not done... I stirred it and came through and it was done then.... Thats how slow it is and its not different whats in the folders.

Anyone have an idea how to speed it up?

It does this on both Wired and wireless too!

 

[.walls]

Turn off your firewalls and see if it's faster.

I found something similar a couple of years back when using linux to access a Win2k3 server. Using wireshark, I tracked it down to udp + tcp 88 (kerberos), even though the machine was not on a domain.

Also - remember that samba and the relating files are a reverse engineered implementation of Microsoft's SMB/CIFS, so YMMV.

 

[Bob Wya Jnr]

My Media Server
XP 64 ( SP2 )

Anyone have an idea how to speed it up?

Your weak link there is Windows XP. It's much slower at LAN browsing than Vista or GNU/Linux. However that is usually much more of a problem when it is the "client". When acting as a "server" it should be OK (I don't have any problems with my Windows XP x64 SP2 install in that regard). I take it you are using a standard SMB/CIFS setup?

Problems that come to mind:

• poor quality/malfunctioning switch/ router/ other hardware
• incorrect MTU / network settings/ network driver issues, etc.
• master browser contention?
• firewall/ antivirus software on Windows XP machine
• Turn off automatic searching for remote printers/shares
• turn off shell media handler

TCP optimiser for Windows

There is some info here (do bear in mind the difference in the 64-bit and 32-bit registries)...

Turn off Windows LAN searching:
How to disable automatic search for network printers and folders in Windows XP
Speed up network (LAN) browsing in Win2K/XP

Good luck!!

Bob

 

[Bob Wya Jnr]

Also - remember that samba and the relating files are a reverse engineered implementation of Microsoft's SMB/CIFS, so YMMV.

Uhhhmmm. I think you forgot the guy has a Vista box - and Vista is ******* flying for any kind of networking (especially LAN browsing). It should access the shares instantly over a 100Mbit Ethernet connection.

Bob

 

[zetec452]

What are you DNS server addresses? Are you pointing to your router? If so put the PC's and IP addresses into host files on all machines. See if that does the trick.

Jon

 

[FatRakoon]

Ok guys... Quick re-cap on these past posts...

Low flying over my head kind of stuff

Ok, well, the XP64 Machine is my Media Server. I did have Vista on it a short while ago, but, I took it off... I still have Vista Business licence thats doing nothing and so, I will put that onto it.

Speeding up LAN browsing in 2K/XP ?
Well, to be completely honest with you, my daughters PC is XP Home and my 2 sons are both XP64 and their access to the Media PC ( XP64 ) and to my own PC Down here ( Vista64 ) is near to instant.

Its mainly only my Laptop thats the slowest part in truth.

Altering the HOSTS file is somthing that I never do... Never felt the need to but I will have a look.

And I will also switch off auto finding too... Again, little htings might not do much on their own but lots of little things might help?

I think though that reinstall of Vista wont be a bad idea.

Thanks all.

 

[.walls]

Uhhhmmm. I think you forgot the guy has a Vista box - and Vista is ******* flying for any kind of networking (especially LAN browsing). It should access the shares instantly over a 100Mbit Ethernet connection.

Bob

Actually no. I've never used Vista and don't really have that much inclination to use it in the future, so wouldn't have a clue as to how it performs on the network.

 

[FatRakoon]

Ok.

Right, Server now Vista 32 Bit Business

Main PC is Vista 64 Ultimate

LapTop is Debian

Everything has been shut down, started back up and everythign sees the Media Server just fine.

Absolutely no difference in speed... Its still slow as hell

Now, on the Network is still the 2 XP Pcs and guess what?

If I shut down everything and only start up those 2 PCs, as soon as I click on the network, I give it half a second and the Router shows up and a very short pause of maybe another half a second and the XP PC sees the other XP PC ( Both see each other of course )

I switch on my main PC ( V64Ult ) and the network slows down again.

I switch on the Server instead of mine ( V32Biz ) and it slows down?

Seems like my network simply does not like Vista?

I checked this out and it does seem to be the same across the board.

The worst one for accessing the network as a whole however is my Laptop.

Once the Desktop PCs see the network and they get talkign to the PC they are talkign to, its very fast.

I have all D: accessible by all other PCs I install Games etc from ISO images off one PC onto another PC and apart from the obvious speed issue there, I can also burn disks over the lan and watch DVD etc so the LAN speed in itself is fine.

Its just the initial finding of everythign all the time, it takes stupid ammounts of time.

And the Laptop is at 54G it has full bars on the wireless and yet opening up a web page can take 20 to 30 seconds... Even if I close the page and re-open the very same page... Its no better?

Now... I have therefore turned off all PCs and only had the Laptop and it was much better, so WTF can explain that?

If there was a deksopt PC killing the bandwidth, then why does it only affect the wireless?

I am going to do a few adjustemsnts to my network.

My router that I love is almost 5 years old, the Switch is even older. Thats a mercury and its done me proud, but I have a 3COM 24Port 1Gigabit 2U Racker here thats just asking to be used.

I will swap these over to see what happens?

 

[Bob Wya Jnr]

Actually no. I've never used Vista and don't really have that much inclination to use it in the future, so wouldn't have a clue as to how it performs on the network.

Bit OT folks:

Heck, that was a kick in the ***** for me as well!! Would love to see a Linux kernel with a similar "adaptive" network stack - it's very impressive to see in operation!!

Mind you given that Vista is polling hardware constantly for the stupid DRM and the associated overheads in the hardware+drivers... The need for HDCP displays and GPUs... Ahhh what a fail...

Bob