Network Cards and various things...

Anyone got any suggestions about what network card is best? I have all types some seem to work well and other don't. I have a GNet 16 Port Switch.

I'd also like to know; I have all sorts of different cards running on my network Realtek 29 and 39s, an odd 3com, a dlink or two, and a macronix. Would changing all the cards to 1 type of NIC possibly increase the performance? Like let say I made them all DLink 538s, by doing so would there be an improvement in the network? I'm not so much interested in lots of visible differences, miniscule differences are fine (I'm the guy that likes even a 5 ping reduction in a game). :) Why or why not?

Also, currently I have a WinXP box running ICS. I assume that running it through a router would help increase internet speed? Am I right? Why or why not?

Any sort of network tweaks (registry or otherwise) anyone has that can improve performance?

Basically I want to make the traffic on my network go as smoothly as possible and I'd like suggestions on how to do that... I can give specifics on the entire layout if anyone wants me to...

Also, currently I have a WinXP box running ICS. I assume that running it through a router would help increase internet speed? Am I right? Why or why not?

Yup ... ics is sh!t :D - your pc won't have to do all the re-directing work so it can process requests faster from your incoming source now that it doesn't have to deal with 'everything'.. (otherwise 'everything' that comes down your pipe has to go through your NIC & to your cpu - that does 'whatever' with it & then sends it to 'itself' if the traffic was for it, else it sends it back out the nic or if it was meant for a.n.other of your machines it goes back through the 'other' nic connected to your second machine)

Would all the same NICs make a difference ?

(I had to paraphrase ) .. Well in theory no it shouldn't make a blind bit of difference .. but with 'auto' set everywhere are you trusting windows to get it 'spot on' ? ... having consistent NICs takes a few complications out of the equation & makes support easier - I'd suggest the original 'quality' of the NIC (most especially drivers) is whats important ..

Network tweaks etc are kind of hard to predict if you don't know which os !

having the same nic across the board won't change performance at all. What would make a difference is if you put good solid network cards in all systems, like 3com or intel chispet based cards. realteck and matronix are more budget nics and may cause more issues/instabilities (and d-link uses realtek chipsets mostly).

Edit: read the rest of yoru question in detail.

To "smooth" things out on the network more, make sure your using switchs rather then hubs. if you have the equipment, and there are enough systems, start subneting the rooms.

Toss out ICS and get a router, or a server running RRAS and have proper traffic flow. Get services like DNS and WINS running internaly to cut down on outside traffic and un necessairy internal broadcasts

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Originally Posted by Matridom

Toss out ICS and get a router, or a server running RRAS and have proper traffic flow. Get services like DNS and WINS running internaly to cut down on outside traffic and un necessairy internal broadcasts

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Thanks for the replies so far guys. I think I'll look into getting all intel based network cards... any particular model number I should look for?

Anyways. I know how to put a basic network together, how does one run services like DNS and WINS properly from behind a router? I don't believe I've ever set those up.

Specifically most of my systems deal with WinXP Pro, all the rest of them I don't care much about. Basically I'm all about increasing my network speed for my gaming systems (2 or possibly 3, but 8 systems overall).... I'm gonna order a router today I think... and yeah I have a 16 port switch... I know that much. :)

Now the subnetting (I am basically familiar with it) you speak of, will that help speed or just make it easier to find a system or what?

Sorry about so many questions at once, I've been wondering a lot about my network recently.....

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Originally Posted by arch0nmyc0n

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I think I'll look into getting all intel based network cards... any particular model number I should look for?

Anyways. I know how to put a basic network together, how does one run services like DNS and WINS properly from behind a router? I don't believe I've ever set those up.

Specifically most of my systems deal with WinXP Pro, all the rest of them I don't care much about. Basically I'm all about increasing my network speed for my gaming systems (2 or possibly 3, but 8 systems overall).... I'm gonna order a router today I think... and yeah I have a 16 port switch... I know that much. :)

Now the subnetting (I am basically familiar with it) you speak of, will that help speed or just make it easier to find a system or what?

Sorry about so many questions at once, I've been wondering a lot about my network recently.....

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If you've never set up those services internaly before, I would not recommend it, those services are to increase the available bandwidth internaly, nothing more. If your making these changes for gaming, they won't make one bit of difference. In situations like that, you want all the vailable throughput and that is restricted by the broadband connection. nothing you can do internaly will change that much.

Most broadband connections are 3-4% the speed of a regular 100/baseT network, so unless your doing massive data transfers internaly, it won't matter.

Subneting, that's something your gonna do if you get 20-30 or more systems running.

I do have a fair bit of internal traffic as I have several programs like office running from a "server" of sorts. So lets say I wanted to try the DNS and WINS stuff... how would one go about it? What is involved?

PS Is there actually someone with 20+ systems running at home? :)

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Originally Posted by arch0nmyc0n

I do have a fair bit of internal traffic as I have several programs like office running from a "server" of sorts. So lets say I wanted to try the DNS and WINS stuff... how would one go about it? What is involved?

PS Is there actually someone with 20+ systems running at home? :)

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I'll sometimes have 20 computers connecting to my server.. and internaly, uhm, ya a LAN party.


If your looking at running those services, you'll need windows 2000 server or windows 2003, you'll also want a good book on learning how to set them up.

1. There are some vendors who support greater speeds if ALL the network equipment is their's. ie 3com NIC's and switches communicating (certian series' only) will work faster then a mixture. Also a HUB has a 10 or 100Mbit backbone and does no routing/switching whereas the reason to use a switch is that a switch will route traffic to the specific port it is intended for and supports 100Mbits / port.

A switch is HIGHLY reccommended as is a hardware router.

2. A hardware router contains a "hardware" firewall. All of the outgoing ports are turned on by default, but NO internal ports are. So all attacks hit the hardware firewall and (should) stop there, unless you have defines a static route (or "Virtual Server") in the router configuration map. However by removing ICS you are:
1. Freeing up that machine for other tasks.
2. Speeding up your network by allowing all routing to be handles by an appliance defined specifically for that purpose, based (generally) on a flavor of custom linux, and MUCH, MUCH quicker than Windows ICS at routing.
3. Providing a measure of protection from hacks by: keeping ports closed, and not having your firewall be a windows machine, arguably the MOST hacked/hackable OS on the market today.

3. DHCP is "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol" and is a was to assign TCP/IP netowkr settings dynamically without a special configuration for each machine. Your DSL/Cable router will ship with this service enabled.

4. WINS/DNS are methods to resolve ip/netbios addresses to hostnames.You can speed up your network if you install Windows 2000 Server w/Active Directory and 2k's DHCp and DNS service. As the machines request a DHCP address from the DHCP server the server will update the DNS record for the machine and you will no longer be required to use NetBIOS requests for name resolution which can be slow. But be aware that DNS is tricky and not to be done without extensive documentation. Buy a good book on WIndows 2000 networking before you begin.

Ok I'll think I'll skip the DNS poo for now... :) I suppose I can just add it later once I get enough time to learn it... I got vacation coming up this month I may look at it then....

Really good explainations guys... it's actually making sense to me...

I think I will try to go all one network card... maybe intel pro cause it's got all the setting and thing I can mess around with and screw up more things....... and specific favourites tho? Cards you've never had a problem with, that are fast, durable, has most drivers, etc... Preferably something I can purchase today so the ISA DLink220s are outta the question :P (I happen to have 15 of these if anyone needs them... twenty-five cents a piece! LOL)

Nobody has any registry tweaks?

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Originally Posted by arch0nmyc0n

Ok I'll think I'll skip the DNS poo for now... :) I suppose I can just add it later once I get enough time to learn it... I got vacation coming up this month I may look at it then....

Really good explainations guys... it's actually making sense to me...

I think I will try to go all one network card... maybe intel pro cause it's got all the setting and thing I can mess around with and screw up more things....... and specific favourites tho? Cards you've never had a problem with, that are fast, durable, has most drivers, etc... Preferably something I can purchase today so the ISA DLink220s are outta the question :P (I happen to have 15 of these if anyone needs them... twenty-five cents a piece! LOL)

Nobody has any registry tweaks?

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Any 3Com card will be rock solid in just about any OS, most shops will also carry them around (but be warned, they are pricy). Not sure about intel chips, i normaly see those integrated.

I made the mistake of using Macronix NICs in a 12 PC network to keep cost down. Cant emphisise enough now how much easier it is with a decent NIC like a 3Com.

& you can have another vote for 3com & 'quality & sod the cost' from over here ... damn those cheapie network cards - they get me hellish confus-ed !

Any specific model number? 905C?

That the one I always use. $24 at newegg. You can find them cheaper if you buy a bunch.

OK I have a bunch of PCs and a laptop, I tried the d-link wirless G extreme 4 port switch and router, the darn thing would reboot and it did not like the 3com gigabit lan that is built into my mother board
I returned the d-link and got a Linksys router with 4 port switch and wireless G access point ( WRT54G )
It works fine, I have a firewall and a bunch of PCs networked including my laptop via the wireless feature
You can get routers with 8 and 16 port switches built right in and I reccomend the Linksys brand
This would keep your network simple so you can spend more time kicking agent Smth's butt in "Enter the Matrix "
For Nics I think 3 com are the best, I have had issues with my old hub , which s retired, I use a switch now to expand my network
So basicaly go with Linksys and 3com and you should have fun

Quote from a post ive just this moment made elsewhere:-

.......Not worrying about it anymore though now since he's going cable. And I can now use a Linksys wireless router and 3Com cards, and know its all going to work.

Yeah I think I'm gonna try to find some 3com 905C cards... I've heard good things. But I have an integrated 3C901 NIC on a mobo I just replaced... I've tried newest drivers and everything but it keeps disconnecting (or lagging) every once and a while. Like I click on a computer in the Network places and it doesn't go, then I try it again and it goes, try it again 2 minutes later and it won't go again.... i just threw in a dlink and I haven't had problems since, but any ideas?

I forgot to mention that the NIC can have either assigned or automatically obtained IP it doesn't make a difference...

I think someone mentioned it earlier but try manually setting the speed and duplex on your troublesome NIC.

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Originally Posted by silencio

I think someone mentioned it earlier but try manually setting the speed and duplex on your troublesome NIC.

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Tried that to.. no effect...