Using Word docs with tables over the network is VERY slow.

[starriol]

When working with .doc files that are stored on a Windows 2003 Standard with SP1, sometimes the files are VERY slow to work with. This only happens with Word (at least the I know of) and the Word files that suffer this problem all have complex tables, lots of columns and lines. The files are not big, one that is very slow is just 700 KBs. With slow I mean, you type a character in a table and you need to wait like 4 seconds for the next command to happen on screen, such as clicking on the next table. Impossible to work with.

If I copy the affected files to the local disk of the affected PC's, all works perfectly.
But obviously we need to work from the server.

This problem happens with PCs that have Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.

All of them have Microsoft Office 2000, some of them Premium, some standard. Some have Office's SP3 installed, others don't.

We have this problem with 3 different PCs. The server right now doesn't have antivirus (just 4 testing, don't freak out ) and one of the affected PCs doesn't have one either. Both used to have Nod32 and it was uninstalled.

Another problem we have (which may be related or not) is that when browsing the server we sometimes get a response time which is slow, ranging from 1 to 3 secs, everytime I go to a subfolder and windows explorer grabs the contents of the new folder.

We had this same problem on a Windows 2000 server. Then, we created a new domain with Win2003 and a brand new PC (3 Ghz dual core Pentium D, 1 GB ram, Asus mobo, a VERY good model, etc...). So considering the problem already existed with 2k, it could be a network devices problem.

I was referring to this secondary problem, the original problem started happening after the new server was implemented.

Talking about the network devices, the may have something to do with it.

We work with switches, 10/100. They are VERY cheap switches (encore, I think you guys won't even know that lowly brand).
We live in Argentina, so don't start yelling for me to get a Cisco, we are on a low budget here. But maybe it has something to do with the lag problems, I need to know in order to tell the managers what is causing the problem and then perhaps they'll be willing to spend some money on better devices.

Anyway, thanks a lot for giving me some of your time and reading so far.

Best regards, Juan Ignacio.

 

[corkyg]

I think your diagnosis is on the right track. Switches often operate equally on all machines in the network at the same time, whereas routers focus on a single address.

Your work around is probably the way to go - i.e., download the file to your machine - do the work, then upload the product perhaps under a slightly different filename.

 

[starriol]

^^^^ What do you mean with that they operate equally? Switches create collision domains for each port they have, so that wouldn't be a problem here.

They do add lag, but I pinged between the server and all the clients PCs and the delay was always smaller than 1 ms.

The problem is that the workaround is very unprofessional, I need a fast way to work in the network.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: starriol
^^^^ What do you mean with that they operate equally? Switches create collision domains for each port they have, so that wouldn't be a problem here. They do add lag, but I pinged between the server and all the clients PCs and the delay was always smaller than 1 ms. The problem is that the workaround is very unprofessional, I need a fast way to work in the network.

The switch accesses all subscribers equally, so it spreads the signal's bandwidth around - that does create queuing in addition to lag. The work around may seem "unprofessional," but until you get "professional" level hardware, it is the really professional thing to do. You work with what you have.

 

[starriol]

So man, you really sure it must be the crappy switches? Know any way I cant tell for sure.
This problem is very alleatory, doesn't happen all the time at all, sound congruent with your suggestion?

 

[xtknight]

I don't know. Windows networking is just slow. I have a virtual machine and just trying to access my host's share (same PC) takes up to 3 seconds.