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bendsley · 07-05-2005, 06:28 PM

Are you actually running a hub or a switch and you're calling it a hub? If you're running a hub, then your bandwidth is shared between the number of machines on the network, equally.

If you have 4 PCs and say 100mb, then each PC on a hub get 25mb. If you're using a switch, then each computer gets 100mb. The reason switched networks are faster is because they are layer 2 aware. They have memory chips in them that act like access lists and these lists keep track of the MAC addresses connected to it. At this layer, data packets are encoded and decoded into bits. It furnishes transmission protocol knowledge and management and handles errors in the physical layer, flow control and frame synchronization. The data link layer is divided into two sublayers: The Media Access Control (MAC) layer and the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer. The MAC sublayer controls how a computer on the network gains access to the data and permission to transmit it. The LLC layer controls frame synchronization, flow control and error checking.

Lets say you want to send a file to ComputerD from ComputerA on a network with a hub. ComputerA starts sending out packets of information. The hub has no idea where you're intending it to go, so it sends it to every port, hoping that ComputerD is somewhere on the network and will answer. If you're on a switched network, ComputerA will will broadcast to ComputerD, ComputerD replies with an acknoledge and the switch routes the information to ComputerD only.

It sounds like if your network is lagging this much, you are getting collisions. Switches understand a subset protocol called CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection). The hub will not care about this.

Switches are cheap. You can probably get an 8-port switch for maybe $35 or so. I can't imagine them being too much since you do not need a managed switch(I'm not going to get into (un)managed switches right at the moment). I recommend Linksys for your home network.

If you have a crossover cable, instead of going from the Server to the hub to the computer, remove the hub. Server -> computer. The hub acts as the crossover cable, hence the reason when you have the hub or switch that you use straight-through patch cable (most likey Cat5E/Cat6, though there is no reason really for Cat6).

Also, I guess it could be possible that one of your computers is infected with something and it sending out a large amount of broadcast messages. Most multicast messages can bring a network to its knees if there are enough of them.

07-05-2005, 06:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	Are you actually running a hub or a switch and you're calling it a hub? If you're running a hub, then your bandwidth is shared between the number of machines on the network, equally. If you have 4 PCs and say 100mb, then each PC on a hub get 25mb. If you're using a switch, then each computer gets 100mb. The reason switched networks are faster is because they are layer 2 aware. They have memory chips in them that act like access lists and these lists keep track of the MAC addresses connected to it. At this layer, data packets are encoded and decoded into bits. It furnishes transmission protocol knowledge and management and handles errors in the physical layer, flow control and frame synchronization. The data link layer is divided into two sublayers: The Media Access Control (MAC) layer and the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer. The MAC sublayer controls how a computer on the network gains access to the data and permission to transmit it. The LLC layer controls frame synchronization, flow control and error checking. Lets say you want to send a file to ComputerD from ComputerA on a network with a hub. ComputerA starts sending out packets of information. The hub has no idea where you're intending it to go, so it sends it to every port, hoping that ComputerD is somewhere on the network and will answer. If you're on a switched network, ComputerA will will broadcast to ComputerD, ComputerD replies with an acknoledge and the switch routes the information to ComputerD only. It sounds like if your network is lagging this much, you are getting collisions. Switches understand a subset protocol called CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection). The hub will not care about this. Switches are cheap. You can probably get an 8-port switch for maybe $35 or so. I can't imagine them being too much since you do not need a managed switch(I'm not going to get into (un)managed switches right at the moment). I recommend Linksys for your home network. If you have a crossover cable, instead of going from the Server to the hub to the computer, remove the hub. Server -> computer. The hub acts as the crossover cable, hence the reason when you have the hub or switch that you use straight-through patch cable (most likey Cat5E/Cat6, though there is no reason really for Cat6). Also, I guess it could be possible that one of your computers is infected with something and it sending out a large amount of broadcast messages. Most multicast messages can bring a network to its knees if there are enough of them. __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane." Last edited by bendsley; 07-05-2005 at 06:30 PM..