Topic: SME server very slow gateway

[steve288]

I have a location that is using a satellite to download internet access to about 10 computers. The ISP has tested the connection where it comes from the wall at our site and they say the performance is fine. But the surfing and network bandwidth is very very slow. It looks like it is the linux sme comptuer that is slowing things down. I have squidguard running.

Im trying to figure out how to deduce if it is the linux computer and how to do this.
I have use this type of configuration else where and everything works fine. (Different hardware however)

There are two nics one internal one external.
When I run top I dont see anything taking up resources. The system was installed about a week ago.

I have found these commands that tell me info about my cards and network connections.

[root@smclinux ~]# ethtool eth0
Settings for eth0:
        Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Speed: 100Mb/s
        Duplex: Full
        Port: MII
        PHYAD: 1
        Transceiver: internal
        Auto-negotiation: on
        Supports Wake-on: g
        Wake-on: g
        Current message level: 0x00000007 (7)
        Link detected: yes
----


[root@smclinux ~]# modinfo e100
filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.9-67.0.7.EL/kernel/drivers/net/e100.ko
description:    Intel(R) PRO/100 Network Driver
author:         Copyright(c) 1999-2005 Intel Corporation
license:        GPL
version:        3.5.10-k2-NAPI 6481838CE42D9570A7D35AF
parm:           debug:Debug level (0=none,...,16=all)
vermagic:       2.6.9-67.0.7.EL 686 REGPARM 4KSTACKS gcc-3.4
depends:        mii
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001029sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001030sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001031sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001032sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001033sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001034sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001038sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001039sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000103Asv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000103Bsv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000103Csv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000103Dsv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000103Esv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001050sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001051sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001052sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001053sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001054sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001055sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001056sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001057sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001059sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001064sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001065sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001066sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001067sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001068sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001069sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000106Asv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000106Bsv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001091sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001092sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001093sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001094sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001095sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001209sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00001229sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00002449sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d00002459sv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d0000245Dsv*sd*bc02sc00i*
alias:          pci:v00008086d000027DCsv*sd*bc02sc00i*


[root@smclinux ~]# ethtool eth1
Settings for eth1:
        Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Speed: 100Mb/s
        Duplex: Full
        Port: MII
        PHYAD: 24
        Transceiver: internal
        Auto-negotiation: on
        Current message level: 0x00000001 (1)
        Link detected: yes
-----

[root@smclinux ~]# modinfo -p 3c59x
debug:3c59x debug level (0-6)
options:3c59x: Bits 0-3: media type, bit 4: bus mastering, bit 9: full duplex
global_options:3c59x: same as options, but applies to all NICs if options is unset
full_duplex:3c59x full duplex setting(s) (1)
global_full_duplex:3c59x: same as full_duplex, but applies to all NICs if options is unset
hw_checksums:3c59x Hardware checksum checking by adapter(s) (0-1)
flow_ctrl:3c59x 802.3x flow control usage (PAUSE only) (0-1)
enable_wol:3c59x: Turn on Wake-on-LAN for adapter(s) (0-1)
global_enable_wol:3c59x: same as enable_wol, but applies to all NICs if options is unset
rx_copybreak:3c59x copy breakpoint for copy-only-tiny-frames
max_interrupt_work:3c59x maximum events handled per interrupt
compaq_ioaddr:3c59x PCI I/O base address (Compaq BIOS problem workaround)
compaq_irq:3c59x PCI IRQ number (Compaq BIOS problem workaround)
compaq_device_id:3c59x PCI device ID (Compaq BIOS problem workaround)
watchdog:3c59x transmit timeout in milliseconds
[root@smclinux ~]#




Here is a very slow ping command to yahoo. Its completely eratic.


64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=12 ttl=48 time=1483 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=13 ttl=48 time=657 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=14 ttl=48 time=37.9 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=15 ttl=48 time=213 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=16 ttl=48 time=1512 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=17 ttl=48 time=2562 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=18 ttl=48 time=2894 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=19 ttl=48 time=2663 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=20 ttl=48 time=2350 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=21 ttl=48 time=2100 ms
64 bytes from f1.www.vip.re1.yahoo.com (69.147.76.15): icmp_seq=22 ttl=48 time=2849 ms

Any thoughts. Any further tests I can to to verify any issues? I feel that it must be some sort of configuration or network incompatability issue.

This is a remote location, right now virtually no surfing the web or other activity is taking place.
Im going to go up there tomorrow and replace nic card and see if that fixes it.

[mercyh]

There are a couple of threads on this forum that are very good reading on this subject.

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=40496.0

and a looong thread here:

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=40313.0

I use colasoft's ping tool and pingplotter's free version for this.

Keep us posted on what you find.

[Stefano]

Hi

can you tell us something about cpu, ram, squidguard rules?

ah.. this is not the right place to post such a question because squidguard is not part of sme.. you should write in Contribs' forum.

Ciao

Stefano

[steve288]

Thanks I will look at the threads you have suggested.

The computer is a small computer, like P4, 500 Mb Ram. The squidguard is just the basic install. I have not changed the rules from the default. I think ?? if squidguard was a problem it would show up in top command wouldnt it?

The thing is that I  have used small computers in the past to do this kind of thing and it works fine. (and on sites much bigger and busyer than this)

REgards

[mercyh]

I doubt it is the SME but of course I have a lot of faith in it. I would suspect you are a victim of satellite internet. Some of my customers have had some interesting experiences with it. (I am on the edge of civilization and some of my customers have satellite and cellphone service as their best options.)

[Elliott]

My suggestion:

1st - Directly hook a computer up to the ISP's router and use any of the simple speedtest websites out there or perhaps pingpath from an XP machine.

2nd - Do the same tetst from behind the SME firewall.

If the numbers aren't pretty close, then you can start looking into specifics of the SME.

-E

[mercyh]

Elliot,

I have been doing this for more years then I care to admit and have never found pathping before this..

[Elliott]

Elliot,
I have been doing this for more years then I care to admit and have never found pathping before this..

I'm glad to finally give something back... 

I think it originally surfaced in the Win2k Resource Kit but in all honesty, I stumbled on it while using cygwin on windows and typing something else and using the tab autocomplete function of bash 

Anyhow.... cool little util!

[steve288]

I down loaded the ping program which is a nice little program.

I have resolved the problem, Here is how I resolved it.

I replaced the Linux computer with another Linux computer. Same 7.3 build of SME, in fact I think It was actually the one I used to create a mirror of the computer that had the slow network connection. The internet now runs considerably faster.

The new computer that I put in as the new gateway is physically considerably slower that the one that was producing the really slow network connection. I think that the answer to my problem is probably the change of the network card, or driver.

The moral or conclusion to my story to help others who may be experiencing the same problem is to try one of two things.
First make sure that the problem really is the SME computer that is causing the bog down. We put a laptop on the line just as it came out from the cable company and indeed it was faster. Not as fast as the ISP says but when is it ever.

After you have ascertained that it really is the SME computer  that is slowing things down then replace the computer, not necessarily with a physically faster computer but one that has different hardware in particular different network cards. Or perhaps easier and cheaper if your a lowly home user, change the network cards. You could try leaving the same cards in and change the drivers perhaps that will work? However these days at the cheap price of new network cards, replacing them is a pretty cheap solution.

Hope it helps.

Regards

[mercyh]

Steve,

Thanks for updating with your solution.