Hi,

It's a truth that there are many chances that something make
the transfer speed slow.  However, if it can be solved by
changing NIC, it's good news for a user, isn't it?

My configuration is very simple.  Several machines connected
by a 100BT TX ether net switch.  I had a hub at the
beginning.  I changed it to a switch with a hope it may
solve the problem.  I paid many bucks, and finally get an
answer, Intel NIC.  It may nor work for others, but try it
first is good trial I think.

   On Jul 13,  9:38, Jukka Marin wrote:
   > Subject: Re: best NIC to make samba server
   > Sounds like the samba clients are flooding packets to the server so fast
   > that the server can't pick them up from the Ethernet card, so packets
   > get lost and retransmission timeouts cripple the transfer rate.

Yes.  It is very possible.  My NetBSD server is slowest
machine.  I never imagined I need fast CPU for only samba
server.  However, if SAMBA works such a way, it's very
possible.  I remember I had the same slow result while I was
using the same PIII 700 for the client and server, though.
I may remember wrongly.


   On Jul 13, 10:07, David Brownlee wrote:
   > Subject: Re: best NIC to make samba server
   > 	Would it be an idea to tcpdump a 'good' and 'bad' card to confirm
   > 	this?

Yes.  I think it's a good idea to see what's going on.
However, I was not familiar about tcpdump.  I was afraid I
may need fast 3rd machine to get all logs.  So, I just
bought other NICs.

Is there any idea what I should log or check by using
tcpdump?  I'd like to try, but do I need to log all?


   On Jul 13, 20:10, Manuel Bouyer wrote:
   > Subject: Re: best NIC to make samba server
   > 
   > Other things may come in the game: hard disk controller, or
   > PCI bridge. It's possible that HDD access block DMA for the network controller
   > for too long. Linux would be less sensible to this because of its async
   > filesystems.

Hmm, that's true.  However, ftp works fine.  I guessed the
use of file system from both servers are almost the same.
So, I didn't consider so deeply about the file system
issues.  Moreover, Intel NIC works fine in the same
configuration.

   > I have samba servers running on various machines, with various ethernet
   > controllers and various motherboards; all of them performs as expected.

That's great information.  Thanks.  Hmm, if so, there should
be some reasons why mine doesn't work well but yours works
well...  I hope tcpdump or something others show the
reasons.

Anyway, thank you for those inputs.


On the other hand, I received two private email messages.
One says he got Intel and it works fine.  One says he has
the same slow problem, and will try Intel.  I hope his try
goes well.

Regards,
-- Kazushi
Whatever is not nailed down is mine.  What I can pry loose is not
nailed down.
		-- Collis P. Huntingdon