Slow transfer speeds

[blcArmadillo]

I'm doing a network for a small business. All the computers are on a domain and the domain controller is running on the server. I'm also trying to setup Active Directory so that users can login to their account at any of the six workstations in the building. However, for some reason I'm only getting ~46kb/s transfer rates across the network which is obviously pathetic. Consequently, Active Directory is impossible to do right now as there is no way to sync large amounts of files with such a slow transfer speed. I've included in the image below a rough sketch of how the network is laid out. Do any of you have any ideas as to why everything is going so slow?

 

[Homenet]

Hmm, tough one. Have you tried transfering files over another protocol? (http or ftp for example) i would try this, if the speeds are fine then its probably a problem with your windows networking setup. if the speeds are just as slow i would check duplex settings on the ethernet adaptors. have you another switch you could try?

 

[patrickv]

the 46kbs is local so this has something to do with that Dell switch in my opinion cause i don't think it's anything to do with the router or the workstation

 

[blcArmadillo]

Thanks for your replies. I'll look into the switch to see if its causing the problem. If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions on how to troubleshoot please leave a reply.

 

[tlarkin]

the 46kbs is local so this has something to do with that Dell switch in my opinion cause i don't think it's anything to do with the router or the workstation

I concur with this statement, you say its unmanaged, but did you configure it at all or are you using out of box? Depending on how it is configured, portfast, spanning tree (whatever dells equivalent is) and it is by itself that could cause issues. I would start by using a generic unmanaged retail switch like a 5 port linksys and see how file transfers work. If it works fine you have narrowed it down to the Dell switch by process of elimination.

 

[blcArmadillo]

I just wanted to post an update to my problem and the solution we found in case anyone else ever needs it. After doing everything suggested we contacted Dell seeing as the server is a Dell server. It turns out that their ninth generation of servers (which we happened to have) has problems with TOE. So, that had us disable it by opening up the server an pulling a cable out of the motherboard. Dell is just adding to the reasons why I don't like their products. I really wish the client I'm working for hadn't chosen to go with Dell and gone with a good company like IBM.