Confusingly slow network performance

[HFox]

I've run across a Windows networking problem that I've never before seen. I have no clues...

I needed to attach a Win98SE laptop to our LAN which has broadband. Networking (other than dial-up) was not installed. I inserted a new PC Card ethernet adapter (wired) and installed the drivers. No problems...

After rebooting and logging in, I have access to our WinXPPro server and the broadband connection. All is good. I go to the Windows Update sight to install the latest security updates. First problem: when I click the "Scan for Updates" link it takes more than five (5) minutes to find and show updates. Something is amiss but, oh well.. I request the updates. Download speed is no better than a modem. It takes over an hour to get updates that should have taken less than five minutes.

Next problem: I try to copy a few files from the server to the laptop. Browsing the network is brisk. No delays. The Link/Act light on the NIC flashes rapidly. When I start the copy operation, boom, everything (on the laptop) slows to a crawl, just like the internet download. The Link/Act light now blinks much more slowly. It takes early ten minutes to copy a 5MB file! The bottleneck appears to be in the local networking.

So far, I've done the following: Removed all networking from the Network config and removed all network devices from Device Manager then reinstalled everything from scratch. I've tried three different NICs with three sets of drivers. The behavior is exactly the same regardless. I tried a different patch cable and port from the network hub. No change. I've tried every speed/duplex setting available on each of the NICs and the ones that work at all still exhibit the same problem. Everything works as expected except when anything more than a few bytes of data has to pass through the network. All other computers (from Win95 to XP, including two similar laptops) on the LAN work fine.

I have NO ideas where to look for such a problem. ANY ideas would be very much appreciated. TIA.

 

[vop]

I would suggest expanding your considerations to some of the following:

- possible electrical interference issues near the laptop or to the communication media.
- a loose connector or component seating issues.
- bad memory chip.
- disk cleanup including cleaning out any spyware (SpyBot, AdAware).

 

[rockerfellerz]

Try pinging the server and or some internet addresses and see what rates are returned.
Hard drive in the laptop may be on the way out; this could cause a big slowdown.
Are you seeing a lot of collisions anywhere between the laptop and the sever? Try a different switch alltogether, I've had one before that caused similar symptoms.
might be a windows problem; do a system file check and replace any corrupted files.

If you're going through Hell...keep going... (Winston Churchill)
RocKeRFelLerZ

 

[cdogg]

I suspect the problem is not with the actual connection. Instead, have a look at:

1) Hard drive: fragmentation, low space, loud noises, etc

2) Windows: low resources (right-click My Computer, Properties, Performance tab), too many processes (end-task on everything except Explorer if you can)

3) Firewall: disable as a quick test

4) Memory: Swap in a replacement stick if that's an option, or if you have multiple sticks in the system, try each one by itself

5) Adapters: In device manager, make sure only one network adapter is enabled (the NIC you are using)

~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind"
[tab][tab]- Aristotle

 

[HFox]

Thanks, everyone, for the comments/suggestions. The laptop in question had to go back to its home so I can't try much for a week or so.

Pinging the server(s) appeared normal (like the other computers on the LAN) but, then again, that is such a small amount of data that it probably isn't a fair test. Interference, loose connections, switch issues, etc., are not likely problems since I could attach one of our other laptops to the same cable at the same location and it worked normally. Likewise, I tried three different NICs in both card slots of the laptop all with the same result. This particular laptop has nothing on it but the OS and two applications, neither of which show any noticeable signs of memory or disk problems when in operation.

I'll play with it more when it comes back...

Thanks again.