From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Dec 10 15:35:09 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B016416A4CE for ; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 15:35:09 -0800 (PST) Received: from mta9.adelphia.net (mta9.adelphia.net [68.168.78.199]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 90B2343D09 for ; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 15:35:08 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from xela@battleface.com) Received: from battleface.com ([24.52.31.3]) by mta9.adelphia.net (InterMail vM.5.01.06.05 201-253-122-130-105-20030824) with ESMTP id <20031210233511.RFPR23237.mta9.adelphia.net@battleface.com> for ; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:35:11 -0500 Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v552) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed From: Alex (ander Sendzimir) To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-Id: <7CB01C96-2B69-11D8-9215-000A95775140@battleface.com> X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.552) Subject: network throughput and kernel configuration... X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 23:35:09 -0000 X-Original-Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:35:07 -0500 X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 23:35:09 -0000 I've been experimenting with kernel configurations and network performance. I'm running a dual Xeon processor (500MHz) system with 10/100 ethernet (Intel). It's an Intel motherboard. The cable is CAT5 and I'm transferring between the FBSD box and an Apple G4 laptop with 10/100 ethernet. This is going through a Netgear 10/100 hub (non switching). In my limited capacity I'm using ncftp{put/get} to transfer large files. Using a basic, no frills custom kernel (nothing controversial), ncftp shows about 7.5MB/s throughput between these two machines. I added the following lines to my kernel conf options DEVICE_POLLING options HZ=1000 and modified /etc/sysctl.conf by adding kern.polling.enable=1 and now ncftp shows about 8 MB/s. (Recompile, reboot, etc) Perhaps I'm dreaming, but shouldn't I be getting better network throughput in either case? Perhaps a switch would be better than a hub? The G4 Powerbook shows its running en0 at half-duplex over 100baseTX. Which, I think, is the same for the dual Xeon system. Both are autoselect. Perhaps I should scrap the kernel config issue and configure both interfaces for full-duplex 100baseTX. Thoughts/experience/advice? Thanks for the help, as always. Alex - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Alexander Sendzimir 802 863 5502 Mac Tutor of Vermont, LLC info @ mactutor . vt . us Colchester, VT 05446