Lag/slowdowns on ftp-transfers

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

I'm fairly new at linux, but I've managed to get my box up and running and everything works fine. Except transfer speeds.

I'm using proftpd, and the speeds I get transferring files (both sending and recieving) are horrible. From a windows comp connecting to the server directly within the same network I get about 7-8mb/s, then it drops until it's down to 0kb/s, then rushes back up until it's about 7-8mb/s again, then drops, etc. These lagbursts also appear when I transfer smaller files, but in another manner. I transfer maybe 3-4 files, then everything freezes for maybe 4-5 seconds, then 3-4 for files get transferred instantly, then the lag again.

While I don't know of a way to measure the speeds, I get the same effect when transferring files using samba.

I've looked everywhere for an answer, thinking it may have something to do with the network card, or any setting thereabout, but I've found nothing. Would really appreciate some clue or insight as to where the problem lies.

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

Using the 2.6.11-gentoo-r11 kernel on a pundit-R system, Celeron D 2.5ghz, 512mb ram.

I've also noticed that the specs say the nic is a ATI IXP200 integrated MAC + RealTek 8201BL PHY, while lspci says:

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

I've been testing some more, and it's not only the transfer speeds that goes, the whole comp freezes. Ping times rises from <10 to 200-300, sometimes not responding at all to a packet, mouse lags/freezes for a few seconds (running fluxbox).

Sending (from the gentoo-box to a windows-box) however is not a problem, while not as fast, there's no lag and speed is constant.

I'm really stumped, anyone have an idea at all?

Flamie · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:19 pm Post subject:

no comfort really, but one of my comps have had the same problem (or very similiar).
it went away with a kernel upgrade though :)

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

I've been reinstalling this box a few times (for a number of reasons), and before this last install I used 2.6.11-gentoo-r9, and had the same problem then. Might be some setting somewhere, I'm just at a loss of what setting that might be.

Flamie · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject:

do running dmesg give you anything about your network card?
are you using genkernel? if not, is preemption enabled in the kernnel?

I'm by no means good at troubleshooting, but those come to my mind.
could also be good to check amount of used ram/swap, and have a terminal with top showing what processes do what while looking.

maybe the transfer programs can be started with debuggin enabled?

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

Yeah, I'm using genkernel. I'm quite new at this, so unsure where to look if preemption is enabled or not.

Not sure what to look for in dmesg, but I get a whole lot of "Losing some ticks... checking if CPU frequency changed". I don't see anything specific about the nic, but could be stuff I just don't know what they mean. Should I post the entire output?

I've checked swap/ram usage, but they both seem fine, never being close to max out either one.

Flamie · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:52 pm Post subject:

if possible you could put the content of .config in /usr/src/linux and the result of dmesg in 2 separate files and link them here, that would be best.

if not, cut+paste the ticks message, it sounds wierd.
the more info of relevance you can get the easier it will be for other people to troubleshoot.

maybe you could look at the bottom of /var/log/messages for peculiarities?

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

I didn't find anything "special" in /var/log/messages, except for a lot of "losing some ticks" messages, but other than that, no.

Here's the output of dmesg
http://cyr.se/dmesg.txt

And here's the /usr/src/linux .config
http://cyr.se/config.txt

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

What might explain some of the error-messages in the dmesg is that I changed the CPU family in menuconfig on the kernel från 486 (that I discovered recently, meh

) to the correct family. Messing some with the sound now, but I think they are fairly inconsequential.

Flamie · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:32 pm Post subject:

you should really get that tick message looked up, what cpu are you using?
(och hej förresten :)

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

Checking it up now.

Using a Celeron D 2.5ghz. I'm thinking there might be a dynamic reclocking function that messes things up. Sorta like speedstep.

(Hej du. KÃ¤nns knasigt att skriva pÃ¥ engelska nÃ¤r jag VET att du kan svenska.

)

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

Woo, solved it.

Did a thorough cleanup in the menuconfig using genkernel, and I got rid of all those "losing some ticks", and transfers works great.

Thanks man. (Skönt att någon iaf kunde hinta om vad det kan vara. Noob som man är.

)

boozo · Advocate Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Posts: 3193

hi Cry

i'm trying to use the 2.6.12-gentoo-r6 kernel on a pundit-R (Celeron D 2.4ghz with 256mb ram)

I've also the ATI IXP200 integrated MAC + RealTek 8201BL PHY onboard nic but i can't use it :cry:

link is down and the network doesn't work
i can't be found an issue... so... :oops:

can you post your 2.6.11-gentoo-r11 (or higher) .config ?

thx a lot

_________________
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Un névrosé, c'est quelqu'un qui sait pertinemment que 2 et 2 font 4, et ça le rend malade ! "

Cyr · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

Sure, here you go: http://cyr.se/.config.

That's for a 2.6.11-gentoo-r11 kernel.