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Author Topic: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?  (Read 2658 times)

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Ajfer03

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Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« on: May 18, 2018, 07:48:19 AM »
Hey everyone, I recently used an old computer for a NAS server in my garage. I have another high performance PC that I connect it to for data Transfers. On my main PC I'm using a 1 Gigabit Realtek Ethernet card, so no issue there. I'm using a Cat 6 ethernet cable to link the two together. However, the NAS server has a 10/100 ethernet card. I'm not sure if it is somehow "stuck" there or something. This  Old computer has general networking issues as well. For example, I tried to use a wifi card to supply internet over the ethernet port to supply internet to my main pc, but for the life of me could not get it to work. What should I do?
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Re: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2018, 10:41:50 AM »
My knowledge is limited, but I would guess that you need to start over again with your network installation.  :-\

What is the make and model of that "old" PC?  What OS? Windows XP SP3 ?
Some network protocols have changed in the past few years, so you may need to update  the OS on the "old" PC. In particular, the XP OS, at one time, had a serious problem with a standard protocol that had to be updated. But I can not guess if that is your problem because you gave not details of the "old" PC.

For what it is worth, there is a cumulative update for XP SP3 available outside of Microsoft. It is the Unofficial SP4 thing.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/windows_xp_service_pack_4_unofficial.html
You first must have a clean install of SP3 before you even try it.  ;D

Ajfer03

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Re: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2018, 06:39:26 AM »
The model is an originally windows vista desktop that I came across, the faceplate was gone so no model, however it is an hp. I instantly put windows 7 ultimate on there with SP1. When I said i5 was old I was referencing the hard ware. I’m not sure if the board’s network limitations though...
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DaveLembke



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Re: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2018, 08:39:58 AM »
Just a heads up that running a PC only as a NAS gets costly. The electric bill on running a computer 24/7 that draws 100 watts in my area is 43 cents a day. I had a server that was for NAS and running my Database and I moved it onto an old single-core Sempron 3300+ laptop because the laptop drew 17.2 watts idle with display off with cover closed as measured by my Kill-A-Watt measuring device. The laptop costs me 8 cents a day to run it as a DB Server and NAS. I have better faster dual and quadcore laptops available, but those draw 45 watts to 65 watts continuous.

Now for the 10mbps issue it can be wrong driver used, or cable issue. I have seen network adapters with issues with a cable sync at 10mbps where 100mbps was unstable. Or if you have a switch or hub between them that is 10mbps it will force a bottleneck.

Wireless speeds depend on how good the signal is. For example I can get 54mbps if I have a strong signal on my wireless but if I only have 2 bars then it synch's at around a 12mbps.

If you can, I would go with CAT5e or CAT6 connected for all important and connections you want to keep secure in your home. Only go wireless if you have good quality signal of 3 bars or stronger, on a 5 bar scale, from locations that you need to use the devices in.

Lastly, a garage may be subject to humidity and weak temperature control which can destroy the computers components and circuitry.

Years ago I made a cabinet and had a PC located inside it and I wired up a home thermostat in it for a hot and cool cycle to maintain a constant 70 F inside the cabinet. As a heat source other than the PC itself which created heat I had a 100 watt light bulb which would heat the area inside the insulated cabinet to maintain pretty close to 70F even in the heart of winter with this cabinet out in my shed behind my mobile home. This was before cloud storage became available. When I got my Google Drive for 15GB of free offsite storage, I shutdown this cabinet and retired the old computer that was racking up an electric bill.

Humidity was still a problem though as I thought keeping a constant temperature inside would avoid that as an issue but the case and main board after 3 years of use were corroded inside with solder legs with white chalky lead oxide and the computer case had rust on the bare metal surface inside very lightly.

There are better solutions out there than running a PC as a NAS these days. A Desktop PC as a NAS really only makes sense if the system is doing more than NAS such as mine which runs a database so its multipurpose, yet I chose the low power demand of an older laptop with a low power consumption processor.

Years ago I was using FreeNAS for my NAS and not a Windows Share. http://www.freenas.org/

Because I am using my laptop as a database server and storage, and its isolated on a private network, and the laptop only has 512MB RAM I am using Windows XP SP3 to which there is only about 20MB of memory free, but it serves its purpose without any troubles. Not the fastest laptop out there, some scripts I run server side take a few minutes to complete, whereas on a modern computer it would be done in like 10 seconds or less, but I multitask so I tell it to run a script and then I do something else and come back to it when its completed so no wasted productivity.

Ajfer03

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Re: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2018, 10:46:30 AM »
Thanks DaveLembke for your response, but as of right now, all I really use my NAS for is when I go into the Garage to work on my PC's. I'm still in school and I live with my parents, and they don't want my computer projects in the house. I can't really do this any other way. However, I do take care of them, I clean them monthly, every little piece to make sure they don't corrode. It's currently a peer-to-peer connection, and if I can't find a solution, I can be happy at 10Mbps because I just use it to store my OS files, as well as my pictures, movies, etc. It's not running full time was you would expect a NAS server to, and I don't want to use FreeNAS as I do like the functionality of windows. As for the electricity bill, my parents are fully aware of this and have absolutely no problem with me running them overnight should I want to. Have a great day!
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Re: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2018, 10:50:22 AM »
One thing to verify would be the properties in device manager for  the 10/100 adapter. Under the "Advanced" tab there are options which include forcing specific modes. It may be that somehow it got "forced" to 10 and therefore won't negotiate 100mbps ethernet.

And of course remember that megabits are 8 times smaller than megabytes. Mb suggests you are talking about bits but 100mbps would be about 12.5MB/s so if you are speaking of Megabytes than that is typical for a 100mbps connection.

I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

Ajfer03

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Re: Local NAS Server Maxing Out at 10Mb/s per second?
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2018, 11:22:37 AM »
BC_Programmer I wish I would've known about the Megabits being 8 times smaller. I had no idea, because the max I can ever get over my connection is 12.5MB/s! That makes sense, thanks!
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