A section of my network seems to be running slow. Is there a simple way to check communication to those PCs?

Question

I have one segment of my network that the users are complaining about very slow connections. I downloaded a few free network monitors but don't know exactly what to testl.
Are there any good free tools that I can use to compare signals with that specific area of the network with another area of the network - to see if there is extra traffic or something hanging up PCs out in that troubled area?
The more simple the program, the better.

Answer 1

how is your network segmented ? hopefully you are using a managed switch if you have more than 5 users. then you can just check the counters on each switch port to see where the most bi-directional traffic is coming from.

right off the bat I would bet someone is using some sort of P2P file transfer program and it's hogging up the bandwidth. there is always one person in every office doing that.

Answer 2

I use AnalogX Packetmon...it will show you what packets are going across the network and their ports.

I'd also check the switch/hub for that segment. I used to have some older 3coms that were turtle poop slow and really slowed down segments of the network. They were supposed to be 10/100's, but the things were only running at 10 mbs.

Check protocols on each PC...look for NetBUI and IPX...they are both incredibly chatty protocols and will slow down a network.

You could also have a bad cord (checked for crushed ones under desks and the like) or a bad NIC. I've seen many a bad NIC flood the network with bad packets. The Packetmon program will show you if that is happening.

Answer 3

I'd shut everyting down for at least 30 minutes, power and connection to all pc's and modems and routers. then, turn them all back on, and wait at least 10 mintues to let everything reboot itself. check to see if that may have fixed it. My router does that at home at times and this seems to work.

if it's only on a couple of computers, i'd run a virus scan, and two scans each of your adware and your spyware program. Being a business, you will probalby have to pay for those. my pc's at home run avg free edition and adaware free edition, and spybot s&d free edition which i downloaded free from the www.windowsmarketplace.com website. now, if that doesn't work, try running a disk cleanup, then a system defragment cycle on each of the pc's on the problem area. this will take a while if it hasn't been done lately. restart after all of these are completed. I garantee, it will help. if not, contact your isp (if it's internet related).

if you have systems running wirelessly, they may be slowing the router down. try to monitor that you have only 5 -10 wireless pc's running on each router..... i know they say they'lll support up to 999 each, but it slows them down TERRIBLY.....

goood luck, hope this helps. drop me a line if you need any more help.....

Answer 4

Wireshark is a great network sniffer

Wireshark is the new name / for the old & reliable Ethereal.

go to www.wireshark.ORG (.com is not free & its for Wireless)

& download the free & trusted program

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If that section of your network contains a Hub,, replace it.,,, If that section of your network contains a switch,,, reboot it & see if you can access it via the IP address (IF the switch is "managed")