Achieving 100MB/sec - Dodgy Network Adapters

[UNCTUOUS]

Xircom RE-100 (laptop network adapter)
aka Xircom Realport2 Ethernet Adaptor with a CE3N5.sys driver (provided by Win XP Pro on setup).

It can achieve (only) a transmit of 80 to 150 pkts/sec or in TASK MANAGER (Networking) about a fluctuating 7 to 9% (it should be, for half-duplex, around 85%).

That's for transfer of large zip files from a server through a 100mbps hub. (CPU showing near to full utilization)

Tried different drivers including the Xircom ones on the INTEL site...but cannot recover anywhere near the performance that I used to have - whether with autodetect or full duplex/100mbps selected. The trouble-shooting program (Xircom Realview) shows 100mbps proudly - but the rotten thing's not achieving what you'd expect from a 10mbps PCMCIA card.

No doubt it's been creamed by a Win XP update - or it's planned obsolescence (that's where the hardware purveyors pay Microsloth to make all legacy cards slow down so that you rush out and buy a new superduper one).

Anybody any ideas? (i.e. apart from rolling back all Win XP patches).

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

UNCTUOUS, you say
...but cannot recover anywhere near the performance that I used to have
but don't tell us what else has changed...
What is the box plugged into ? Switch, hub, manufacturer ? If you have any control over the other end, you may find it worthwhile to force the switch/hub into extaclty the preferred combination of 10/100/HDX/FDX that you want. I have come across a couple of occasions when the auto-negotiation fails abysmally, reducing the performance of a 100Mb full-duplex link (theoretical capacity 200Mb/s) down to the perfomance of a 9600baud modem.... :( If you can force each end of the link to your preferred settings, and don't rely on auto-negotiate, that may solve your problem...

HTH :ok:

[UNCTUOUS]

RTFM
Thanks. Been away a few days.

It's plugged into a dual speed DS-108 Netgear Hub and I have tried forcing the Computer end into full duplex but it made nil difference. Not sure about how to force the other end into full duplex mode?????? Also tried cable-plugging it into the rear switch ports of a WGR614 Netgear wireless router - and that made no difference either.

I'm going to try and repair the dodgy pigtail connector on another laptop adapter that also used to perform well in the same laptop and see whether it has the same problem.

Whilst I've got your attention, seeing as we're running two networks here (one cabled into the ADSL modem (also Netgear) and one wireless), what's the easy way to interface the two? Running WINS is supposedly not an answer due to an ADSL Modem limitation. I've found that IP-mapping directories (\\192.168.1.6\officedesk\storage and \\192.168.1.2\conservatory\My Documents) etc is about the only way to achieve communicability (i.e. you cannot browse for the computer across the networks). Or is my computer education sadly lacking and there is another way?

[The Nr Fairy]

UNCTUOUS:

If by "interfacing" you mean "connecting" the wireless and wired networks it shouldn't be too much of a problem - plug the wireless AP into the wired network, and away you go.

If however you mean "I want to see all machines in the network, whether wired or wireless, in windows Explorer" then ensuring the AP bridges properly, and the switch does the same, should do the trick since Windows is pretty promiscuous in its browsing habits.

One other possibility (unlikely since using IP addresses you get connected) is that personal firewalls on the PCs involved may be interfering with the network traffic required to ensure each computer knows about the others.