Network Question
My question is about network latency.
I have an 8 port switch at 1 GB speed connected to 3 workstations with 1 GB Nic cards. This switch is connected to another switch in a 1 GB port on a Netgear GS524 switch. Then the switch is connected out tot he world via a sonnicwall connection.
Please let me know if this is correct.... If all 3 users on the workstations were useing max bandwidth. Each of the 3 workstations would be getting 1/3 of the GB connection and that alone would be the bottle neck?
8 other switches are connected to the GS524 are connected to the main GS524 wich connects everything to the outside world. would this daisy chain slow down the network?
How could I trouble shoot a slow network if is only happens once in a while?
I have an 8 port switch at 1 GB speed connected to 3 workstations with 1 GB Nic cards. This switch is connected to another switch in a 1 GB port on a Netgear GS524 switch. Then the switch is connected out tot he world via a sonnicwall connection.
Please let me know if this is correct.... If all 3 users on the workstations were useing max bandwidth. Each of the 3 workstations would be getting 1/3 of the GB connection and that alone would be the bottle neck?
8 other switches are connected to the GS524 are connected to the main GS524 wich connects everything to the outside world. would this daisy chain slow down the network?
How could I trouble shoot a slow network if is only happens once in a while?
ASKER
The Slowness is both intranet and internet connections depending on what is going on. My thought is that they are really only getting 1/3 of a GB speed and on the 8 port switch. The uplink is a 1 GB port to another switch. All switches are at max 3 segments to the router.
I have ruled out the streaming of video and films by blocking this at the sonicwall with a rule.
I have also opened a ticket with our ISP.
Could you explain trouble shooting with wireshark a bit more?
I have ruled out the streaming of video and films by blocking this at the sonicwall with a rule.
I have also opened a ticket with our ISP.
Could you explain trouble shooting with wireshark a bit more?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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You need to ensure throughput of your LAN at first.
A good tool is "Xjperf":
http://code.google.com/p/xjperf/
1. Test between 2 computers connected to your end switch
2. Test between 2 computers connected to Netgear
3. Test between 2 computers between end switch and Netgear switch
Be sure that throughput is ok.Then if your switch is a managable switch then you can install Cacti/MRTG.You could check per switchport usage and easily it would become understandable which computer is using more bandwitdh.Even if your switch doesn't support SNMP you could enable each computers SNMP service and check per computer NIC usage graph.
http://www.cacti.net/downloads/packages/Windows/Cacti-0.8.7i.exe
To analyze PKT/traffic you could go for Wireshark or Microsoft Network Monitor.
A good tool is "Xjperf":
http://code.google.com/p/xjperf/
1. Test between 2 computers connected to your end switch
2. Test between 2 computers connected to Netgear
3. Test between 2 computers between end switch and Netgear switch
Be sure that throughput is ok.Then if your switch is a managable switch then you can install Cacti/MRTG.You could check per switchport usage and easily it would become understandable which computer is using more bandwitdh.Even if your switch doesn't support SNMP you could enable each computers SNMP service and check per computer NIC usage graph.
http://www.cacti.net/downloads/packages/Windows/Cacti-0.8.7i.exe
To analyze PKT/traffic you could go for Wireshark or Microsoft Network Monitor.
ASKER
It hel;ped me get to the answer and resolve my question.
Once switches learn the routes, they should not bottle neck very much. It is usually recommended to limit it to 3 or 4 layers deep without some special switches or real planning.
If you are getting slow speeds moving files internally etc, then use a network product like SolarWinds (paid) or wireshark (free) to track what is going on and who is taking up the bandwidth. If you are experiencing slow internet/WAN speeds, that may be an ISP problem. You could also have someone on streaming audio/video like Pandora or Netflix.