Network speed slow but explain this?

This is a continued thread, moving on to step 2. (Basically a network speed issue).
Replaced NIC with a GigaFast EE100-AXP 10/100 in w95 computer. Both XP and w95 were first tested at "Auto Config" and now are set for 100 Mbps Duplex network link speed. When I transfer a file FROM XP TO w95, I average 840 KB per minute.. identical to when using the old 10 Mbps ISA NIC on w95 (both systems set to Auto Config). Somewhere there is an setting that I just can not seem to find. Now this next test I found interesting....
This all started wanting to use my XP as a shared Music source for the w95. Using WMP 6.4 on the w95 played perfectly when using a resident file. But when pulling from shared folder on XP, it had continued stops, waiting for music information. This has not changed with new NIC card. Network utilization stayed below 1%. If I put player on "repeat" play mode, when playing song second time, network traffic stopped, player NEVER stopped, indicating all music was stored in ram/virtual memory. So my next test....
While the w95 was doing the above at a "first time" song play (nothing in memory) I brought up WMP 9.0 on XP and pulled a song FROM w95 drive across the network TO the XP. It worked pefectly, never stopped. I then sourced a video file FROM w95 TO XP, played flawlessly. Network utilization was 1 to 3 percent, spiking to 5% when first starting the video pull. The w95 continued to perform the identical, stop and start play... With or without XP pulling from w95 drive. So, how do I break this down...
Both systems play flawlessly when sourced from resident drive. This would affirm the w95/128mb/300Htz can manage the task (from non-network / WMP / hardware view).
When w95 pulls FROM XP, it stops / starts on 20 second cycles.
When XP pulls FROM w95, perform perfectly.
This is on the same network at the same time, what am I missing? The overall network speed is slow (840KB/minute). I know this is abnormally slow, but is this a one or two issue problem?

 

Are you using factory made or home made patch cables? And how long are the two cable runs?

Do you have the latest firmware update for the router/switch?

The speeds you are seeing are certainly lots slower than they should be. If it isn't a cable issue, I'd have to suspect the problem lies with the version of TCP/IP you have loaded on the 9X PC. There were some problems with earlier versions that Microsoft pretty much fixed with DUN 1.4.

Take a look Here and make sure you pick the 95 version since the 98 version would probably make networking on the 95 PC die. It would be a good idea to load it regardless. Can't hurt and could help.

 

Hi newt

Both cables are Belkin.. 3 and 5 foot.
LinkSys router, 11 months old, running firmware it can with.
Will download and install M$ undate first. Thanks, will report back.

 

Hi newt

Unfortunately M$ update for w95 resulted with no change.

Following up on last nights observations per WMP performance...
XP / WMP 9.0 ran w95 resident .wma file perfectly.
w95 / WMP 6.4 ran XP shared .wma file poorly.
To determiine a baseline network speed my "time test" were 1MB "copy file" always FROM XP to w95. I've done this test dozens of time over the past couple of months. It always took 75 second to copy from XP drive to w95 drive.
For the FIRST time I used the same file and copied it from w95 drive to XP drive.. the copy process took 2.5 seconds!!!. Now I understand why XP WMP 9.0 could play the .wma w95 resident file perfectly.. that route moves info 30x times faster. So my network speed is..
XP drive TO w95 drive / ram = 840 KB per minute network speed.
w95 drive TO XP drive / ram = 24.6 MB per minute network speed.
Info moves 30 times faster from w95 to XP. When info is sent from XP to w95 is when it is very slow. Since the same hardware manages flow for both directions, does this not look like a network setting / config issue?

 

Still could just be a sludgy TCP/IP stack on the 95 box. Or there could be some settings that aren't ideal but poking around to figure out exactly what ... that could be a major project and best left until all the easy possibilities are exausted.

Couple suggestions for some additional testing.

- try totally removing IP from the 95 box including physically removing the NIC and booting without it. Then install a fresh network load using the updated stuff and test.

- if no help there, try removing IP from the 95 box and loading either IPX/SPX or NetBeui. Then load that same protocol on XP (but leave TCP/IP there - no benefit in removing it). Then try your testing again.

And even though your router/switch is not very old, I'd still check for and install any firmware update that is available.

 

we had very slow network access recently - and it was due to the Nachi virus (blaster worm variant) - got rid of the virus and our switches operated as quick as you would expect a switch to transfer data.

 

Thanks for the interest markjrees. Had required M$ Hot fixes applied in July, AV is updated as soon as solutions are released, deep AV scans twice per week, network sits behind a NAT/router and I NEVER open attachments. When the need requires a transferred file, use non-email type tools. But I will take your advice and do a web based scan to get a second opinion.
UPDATE to Newt...
Updated Linksys router with current release firmware. No change in XP to w95 speed (w95 to XP still at 30x speed). Will start your other suggestions in a couple of days. When possible, I've made it a habit to implement system changes slowly... keeps my butt out of trouble and in some cases less deadly for my computers.

 

Dennis L - caution and "1 thing at a time" is a good approach.

That being said, I often tend to Kamikazi things. It's probably a minor miracle that I've never been shown the door.

Closest I ever came I think was when we were re-wiring the network lines at a hospital. I was the network admin. One bundle of about 150 wires ran snake-like thru the basement and several crawl spaces and we knew only 8-10 of the wires was actually in use.

So, rather than spending days crawling thru some seriously nasty places, I cut all 150 wires and waited for complaints of "I can't connect ". Those folks got new lines run. This was in 1992 and the big bundle is probably still lying under the building with the wired on skull & crossbones sign I put there.

The IS VP (my boss then) did some serious chewing on me and I think he planned to say, "you are fired" after I explained what I'd done but luckily he started laughing so hard he couldn't talk.