Topic: Slow connections to Mitel server

[Michael Smith]

Yes, I've reviewed the thread below:

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=13085.msg49371#msg49371

This doesn't seem to be my problem.  The server in question is server-only with only eth0.  It ran like a scalded dog on my office testbench network but when I put it into production it bogged down incredibly.  All I did was change the server's IP and gateway addresses!  (And pick the server up & move it, of course.)

I've successfully installed gallery & webcalendar, but again they both ran very speedily indeed on the testbench.  Here ... unusably slow.

One difference I note is that the hub to which it's attached now is a 10/100, and the status lights claim the NIC is in full-duplex mode.  The test network is poking along at 10 Mbps.  Hardware is a brand-new HP tc2100 server, which quite happily accepted Mitel 5.1.2.

resolv.conf is perfectly normal, with only localhost showing.  Ping times are <1ms.  A reboot didn't help, nor did a complete shutdown/restart.  ssh access bogs down, the webmanager crawls, file access lags.  In short, the box is basically unusable.

Your thoughts, gentlemen and ladies, *please*!

Michael Smith

[Michael Smith]

A bit more info (from "review configuration"):

Ethernet driver 1    : eepro100
Ethernet driver 2    : unknown    (no other NIC installed)

External network settings
Operation mode       : server only - dedicated
Gateway IP address   : 192.168.11.2

"Review configuration" via remote console hung at that point!

Route gives the following:

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
192.168.11.0    *               255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 eth0
127.0.0.0       *               255.0.0.0       U     0      0        0 lo
default         pc-00002        0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 eth0


nslookup of another local machine gives:
Server:  localhost
Address:  127.0.0.1

Name:    pc-00021
Address:  192.168.11.21


Many thanks for your consideration of this problem.

[Graham]

Just my recent experience for what its worth.

I had my test box hoooked up to my Winclient Laptop for Admin.

Testbox had 3com PCI 100Mb. Laptop a PCMCIA 10Mb.
Crossover cable inbetween.

I could copy files from server real quick BUT other way round took
10 times as long . . . .

Tried using small 10Mb hub & straight thru patch leads. No difference.

I then took Testbox up to main office and joined a 100Mb hub and
used a workstation with 3com 100Mb NIC.

Real quick both directions now.

Never really got to bottom it though.

Regards

Graham

[Michael Smith]

After reflecting and googling a bit, I now believe that this problem is hardware-related, in that I think the NIC is trying to speak full-duplex to the Linksys hub, which isn't handling it well.  I noticed that whenever the NIC is even powered up, regardless of whether e-smith is booted or not, the activity light flashes rapidly and constantly on the hub.  Googling seemed to point toward a duplexing issue.

So my question now becomes:  what's the best way for e-smith to tell this NIC via eepro100 driver setup to do half-duplex?

TIA, Michael

[Anthony]

With 3Com cards you can use an application (usually runs by booting off a dos floppy) to set duplex mode.   Really new cards come with clever bios to do the job.

Failure to correctly negotiate full vs half duplex is one of the most common problems I see in my customers and it will cause exactly what you are seeing.

I assume you mean the NIC says it in FDX mode?   You could always swap your hub for a switch   #

[Michael Smith]

Finessed the issue by installing an SMC 1211TX card ... works great, client is happy.  Will put the issue with the built-in chipset on the back burner.  I should note that the machine was hooked to a Linksys switch, not a hub.

[Ari]

Odd..
I'm running a Linksys 8-port 10/100 switch without any issues...
cheapie nic cards in the server too

Everything is running FDX mode and at 100 Mbit. Speed? No problem.

You're probably correct in that it's a hardware related issue... the question is where. I don't think it's your switch.

Just my 2 cents worth.



Cheers!
Ari