How to improve Windows networking (SMB) speed to that of FTP? It is 1/3 as fast now :(

[bubba]

On my LAN I get about 6 MB/s for FTP transfers (what FTP reports after transferring a 120 MB file), but I only get about 2 MB/s for Windows (SMB) file sharing (as reported by 'netcps').

I know that SMB is much more inefficient that FTP, but how can I improve the performance? Am I stuck with a factor of 3 slower transfers for SMB?

 

[tim0thy]

you can use a more efficient protocol such as NetBeui (it doesn't route either) and you will get better performace through windows explorer.

 

[FUBAR]

Check the samba documentation page. There's a option under the socket options that can help.

 

[bubba]

You mean an option that I set on the windows boxes? This problem is for Windows<-->Windows transfers, but I wouldn't mind speeding up my Samba transfers either... Could you give me a link. I have been hunting around there and I haven't been able to dig it up.

Thank you very much!

About going NetBEUI, I don't think that Samba supports that, right? (I am running samba as well)

 

[WoundedWallet]

You don't need Samba to use NetBeui. Windows will handle the connection by itself.

 

[bubba]

Not sure what you are saying, I use Samba on a Linux box, obviously. Sure I can talk between the two Win boxes with NetBEUI, but that will leave my linux box (3rd machine) out of the picture.

 

[FUBAR]

Well, that option was for the server box. Don't know about the win/win situation (ironic phrasing.)

Is it as slow when you are reading the network as when you are writing to the networked drive?

 

[bubba]

The 2 MB/s number I got was from 'netcps' which you run on a command line on both Win boxes, one as server and one to connect to it. It then transfers about 100Mb of stuff and measures the rates. Kind of a nice proggie. I did this in both configurations, i.e. each box took its turn as server and client.

FUBAR, please let me know about the Samba tweaks. I could use them as well because I actually copy more from the shared Samba space than I do direct win<->win.

Thanks!