SEVERE Web-Application Slowness

[ilevakam316]

Hello.


This is a Windows Network. I have about 25 users who connect to a web-application used for form processing, and database manipulation etc. We go through a wiring closet which I am not authorized to alter (for further reference).

These users on my Switch experience severe slowness when accessing this application. Anything that is reitivly large such as a Biography part of the database record can take an extremely long time. Much longer then it ever did in the past.


Although when I got to a different part of the building and use on of the Lab computers, the application appears to run seamlessly. I am assuming this is because they are not on the same switch (which they aren't, i know from a tracert i preformed). Now i thought it was my computers, but nothing has changed with them, they have been the same for months and this problem only started a month ago.

I beleive that my Switch's ports are set a 10mbps/Half-Duplex, and I am trying to find out what the ports of the other switches are set at, but it is very difficult.


Does anyone know what might cause this problem, or give me any advice of how they would approach it?


Also, anyone know of any free software to monitory packet collisions and the network?


Thanks.

[SirDice]

Speed/Duplex mismatch between the switch and the PC can have a major impact on performance. For the best results it should be fixed on both the switch and the PC.
If you can logon on the switch you should be able to see any transmit/recieve errors because of this mismatch.

You could also hookup a sniffer and see what's going on. Sniff traffic from a machine that does perform and sniff from one that doesn't perform and compare those 2.

Edit: Why did you post this twice?

[ilevakam316]

Accident, I posted it the first time in the wrong forum.


ANother thing that happened was the building where the server is housed got a new router, and this happened days before this slowness began. Do you think there is any chance of a switch to switch slowness. Is this possible, what I am trying to so is can switches be mismatched; Speed/Duplex, like the PC and Switch can?



Thanks.

[MrLinus]

I deleted the duplicate post. Next time, pop a note to a moderator (myself or Neg) and we'll move it.

[ilevakam316]

Oh Okay thanks MsMittens! Also do you suggest any programs that are preferably free that I can use to monitor my network?

[MrLinus]

WinDump is the classic packet sniffer for windows. It is a port of the original tcpdump.

Ethereal is a graphic packet sniffer (has linux/windows support).

You'll need to ensure that the port that these listen on -- when on a switch -- is mirrored with the other ports so you can see everything. Does the switch itself not come with monitoring software?

[SirDice]

If it's your network why can't you check the switches? You don't need physical access so there's no need to open any closets. If you don't have access to the switches, who does?

[ilevakam316]

The switch is owned by a different department, who crontrol almost all of the network equipment in our building. Its an absoulte mess dealing with them. I can't access the switch, because i dont know the login/pass and I am going to have to request this information and it is going to take days for them to get back to me.


Although, if it where a switch/pc problem wouldn't I see slowness throughout the internet, but I don't I only see it accessing this one Web-Application. Yet the same application runs fine from a computer on the next floor (diff switches).

Sigh, Do you think there is any chance of a switch to switch problem/slowness. Is this possible, what I am trying to say; is can switches be mismatched; Speed/Duplex, like the PC and Switch can?

Thanks for your help.

[SirDice]

Everything and anything is possible as I don't know how your network is setup (and neither do you ).

But I would contact the people responsible for the network. It's their job to monitor any congestion/errors/mismatches. If they don't respond within a normal timespan complain to their boss. Whatever you do don't try to do their job.

[ilevakam316]

I used a Packet Sniffing program today, and I found that when it starts to get slow, there seems to be alot of ARP transmitions. How many ARP transmitions are normal? What do they do, and can they give me a hint to what the problem is?