Full duplex optimization

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

Dumb question. I'm running full duplex on my Intel Server lan card,
confirmed both in monitor and on the switch.

So...how best to make use of full-duplex, now that I have it? Am I better
off abandoning the older 10baseT ISA card (an SMC) and running both segments
of my network across just the Intel card, or does it still serve some
purpose having both in the server?

By the way, we're talking Netware 3.2 here.

Thanks!

PS: Under the "learn something new every day" category, didn't know that I
could unplug a 10/100 "hub" and replace it with a "switch", reinstall the
connections and have the workstations never realize I'd done anything. I'd
always assumed you needed to either disconnect the workstations or unload
the driver first.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

[Don Crawford]

To Mike Jacoubowsky:

> PS: Under the "learn something new every day" category, didn't know that I
> could unplug a 10/100 "hub" and replace it with a "switch", reinstall the
> connections and have the workstations never realize I'd done anything. I'd
> always assumed you needed to either disconnect the workstations or unload
> the driver first.
>

Network basically quiet? I.e., no one using the workstations at the time?

-- Don Crawford
Novell Support Connection SysOp

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

Definitely nobody on the workstations...I did it after-hours, so there
wouldn't be any open files etc. I wouldn't do an experiment like that when
my point-of-sale system was up and ringing in customers!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Don Crawford" <Don.Cr...@Novell.Support.Connection> wrote in message
news:VA.0000097c.056d67a2@don...

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

> Well, you can do this, but neither the server nor the workstations will
pick up on the
> change until they reboot.

That's what I would have thought...and figured would happen. But it didn't.
The Win98SE machine (running the latest Novell client) just purred right
along without a hitch.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Barry Schnur" <bsc...@home.com> wrote in message
news:39f86141...@90.1.1.1...

> >
> >So...how best to make use of full-duplex, now that I have it? Am I
better
> >off abandoning the older 10baseT ISA card (an SMC) and running both
segments
> >of my network across just the Intel card, or does it still serve some
> >purpose having both in the server?
> >
>

> How many users -- if you have a good 10/100 switch and a good 10/100 NIC
on the server
> (that intel qualifies), you should get plenty of performance with the
single NIC and one
> segment.

>
> >
> >PS: Under the "learn something new every day" category, didn't know that
I
> >could unplug a 10/100 "hub" and replace it with a "switch", reinstall the
> >connections and have the workstations never realize I'd done anything.
I'd
> >always assumed you needed to either disconnect the workstations or unload
> >the driver first.
> >

> Well, you can do this, but neither the server nor the workstations will
pick up on the
> change until they reboot.
>
>
>
> Barry Schnur
> Novell Support Connection Volunteer Sysop
> http://support.novell.com/forums/
> Please post replies ONLY via the Newsgroup

[Barry Schnur]

[Dave Lunn]

Mike,

If you watch when the NIC loads it will show you the speed and duplex
setting the driver is using. You may see the light on the switch if you
have an autonegotiate switch and card, but that doesn't necessarily mean the
driver has made the adjustment.

The ISA NIC in the system now can't begin to carry the load the Intel NIC
will. You might consider using it as the NIC to handle a print server or
similar lower demand job.

Dave

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

Right now the old SMC 10baseT card handles three older workstations, one a
386/33, one a 486/100 and the last one an AMD 233. Pretty light loading.
The question is, does the use of that card in the first place have any ill
effects on the file server? Would I be better off running that segment off
the 10/100 switch? Or just leave things as they are until I upgrade those
stations?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Dave Lunn" <dl...@usgo.net> wrote in message
news:8t6ppv$l...@nexus.provo.novell.com...

[Felton Green]

Hi Mike,

I'd leave them alone. The older equipment will not really realize that much
improvement by hanging them off the switch if they are on a separate NIC in
the server.

--
Felton Green (SysOp)
Novell Support Connection

The Blue Screen of Death.
Attempts to rule
NW gains ground

[Barry Schnur]

Well, they would continue since 100 and full duplex is a superset of 10 and half duplex --
so they simply ran at 10/half without any problems.