From: Subject: homePCnetwork - Review Test Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 20:50:06 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C2CBC5.D53150D0"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C2CBC5.D53150D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.homepcnetwork.com/hdervwtstf.htm homePCnetwork - Review Test


Hardware Reviews -=20 Ethernet

How we = test

Updated=20 11/02

For our Ethernet reviews, we = currently use=20 three main tests. 

For evaluations and reviews of = Ethernet=20 equipment, we use our two test machines as detailed below. We = use a=20 clean install of the Windows XP Home on our "advanced desktop = machine"=20 and Windows 98 Second Edition on our "basic desktop machine" and = laptop.=20 We install the operating system clean for every new test and = have no=20 other software or peripherals installed other than what you see = listed.=20 We follow the manufacturer's install instructions for network = interface=20 cards and use any drivers provided with the=20 equipment. 

For evaluations and reviews of = Ethernet=20 network interface cards, we install the test card on the = advanced=20 machine and use a D-Link DFE-530TX+ 10/100 adapter card in our = basic=20 machine because we found it to be among the most stable cards = that we've=20 tested so far. We also use the built-in network adapter in the = test=20 laptop for some tests. All of the test machines are connected to = the=20 switch or router being tested, or in the case of testing network = cards,=20 are connected to an Allied=20 Telesyn ATFS708, 8-port 10/100 Fast Ethernet=20 switch.

For tests of cards, switches, = routers and=20 kits, we set up the software as follows: We install, in order, = TCP/IP=20 and then IPX. We remove the others so only one protocol is = installed at=20 a time. With all protocols, we leave the default settings as = is.=20

For the actual tests, we currently = use three=20 main procedures.

First, we use a 60-meg file and = copy it from=20 one machine to the other. For lack of a better term we call each = test a=20 send or receive. This provides a good measure on the = "real-world" speed=20 of the network cards, hub or switch being tested. =20

To more fully test the bandwidth of = a hub or=20 a switch, we use the same file along with a 30 meg file and copy = them=20 back and forth between both machines at the SAME time. We run = the same=20 test twice, average the results and report the result in seconds = to=20 complete all file copying. This test puts more demands on the = network=20 hardware and helps reveal the performance gains from = higher-bandwidth=20 equipment such as switches.

We also use two subjective tests on = Ethernet=20 equipment. We watch an AVI movie file that is transferred across = the=20 network equipment and judge how smooth the video and audio is, = and=20 report any problems. We also play a network game across the = network and=20 report on how smooth the game play is and if we've discovered = any=20 problems while running the games.

Our=20 test machines -- after 11/02

Test Machine 1 (or Advanced Test=20 Machine)  -- also known as T1800

  • Intel Pentium IV = 1800mhz=20
  • ASUS P4S533 = motherboard=20
  • 256 meg PC-2100 DDR memory=20
  • 30 gig Quantum UDMA drive (7200 = rpm). XP=20 installed on a 10 gig partition.=20
  • Ricoh CD-R/RW=20
  • Aopen/Nvidia Ti-4200 video=20 card=20
  • Onboard = 10/100=20 LAN=20
  • Onboard C-Media sound =
  • Diamond 56K external modem (when = required)

    • Test Machine 2 (or Basic Test = Machine) =20 -- also known as T1000

  • Intel Celeron = 1000mhz=20
  • Shuttle=20 AV18E = motherboard=20
  • 256 meg PC-133 memory=20
  • 30 gig Quantum UDMA drive (7200 = rpm).=20 Windows ME installed on a 10 gig partition.=20
  • Kenwood = 40x=20 CD-ROM=20
  • Hercules Prophet II MX video=20 card=20
  • Onboard sound =

    • Test Laptop -- = "L1000"

  • Compaq EVO = N600c=20
  • Pentium = III -=20 1060mhz=20
  • 256 meg RAM=20
  • 20 gig hard drive (W98SE = installed on 10=20 gig partition)=20
  • DVD = drive=20
  • 3D AGP = built-in=20 graphics=20
  • Built-in = audio=20
  • Built-in = LAN (disabled=20 for all tests)

    • Our test=20 machines --=20 after 11/00

    We have two machines set up to help = us=20 install, set up and test hardware and software products of = interest to=20 home PC networkers. Here's a quick review:

    Test Machine One - = "T866"

  • Intel Pentium III = 866mhz=20
  • ASUS CUSL2 = motherboard=20
  • 128 meg PC-133 = SDRAM=20
  • 10 gig Maxtor UDMA drive (7200=20 rpm)=20
  • Pioneer 10x DVD=20
  • Diamond Viper 770 (TNT 2) video=20 card=20
  • SoundBlaster PCI 16 audio=20 card=20
  • Diamond 56K external modem (when = required)

    • Test Machine Two - = "T400"

  • Intel Celeron = 400mhz=20
  • Soyo SY-7IWM/L = motherboard=20
  • 64 meg SDRAM=20
  • 10 gig Maxtor UDMA drive (7200=20 rpm)=20
  • Toshiba 4X CD-ROM =
  • On-board AGP graphic = card=20
  • On-board audio =

    •  

    ********

    Updated 6/00 - For Reviews = prior to=20 11/00

    For our Ethernet reviews, we = currently use=20 three main tests. We will try our best to keep these as = consistent and=20 standard as possible, but expect that we'll have to make changes = based=20 on industry changes every 6 months or year.

    For evaluations and reviews of = Ethernet kits,=20 we use our two test machines as detailed below. We use a clean = install=20 of the original Windows 98. We install the operating system = clean for=20 every new test and have no other software or peripherals = installed other=20 than what you see listed. We follow the manufacturer's install=20 instructions for both network interface cards and use the = drivers=20 provided with the kit. Obviously, we connect both interface = cards to the=20 hub or switch provided with the kit.

    For evaluations and reviews of = Ethernet=20 network interface cards, we install the test card on our Celeron = 400=20 (known as T400) machine. The other machine (a Pentium II-266, or = T266)=20 has a D-Link DFE-530TX+ 10/100 Adapter card because we found it = to be=20 among the most stable that we've tested so far. This card and = the card=20 being tested on T400 are connected to a Netgear FS308 10/100 = switch.=20

    For both kits and cards, we set up = the=20 software as follows: We install, in order, TCP/IP, then IPX, = then=20 NetBEUI. We remove the others so only one protocol is installed = at a=20 time. With all protocols, we leave the default settings as is.=20

    For the actual tests, we currently = use three=20 main procedures.

    First, we use a 30-meg file and = copy it from=20 one machine to the other. For lack of a better term we call each = test a=20 read or a write. Since all tests are conducted from the Celeron = 400, a=20 read is copying the 30-meg file from the P2-266 machine to = Celeron 400.=20 The write is copying the file from the Celeron 400 to the P2 = machine.=20 This provides good measure on the "real-world" speed of the = network=20 cards and the hub or switch included with a kit. =

    To more fully test the bandwidth of = a hub or=20 a switch, we use the same file along with a 13 meg file and copy = them=20 back and forth between 4 machines at the same time. = Specifically, we use=20 four computers connected to the switch or hub. We'll call them = Test1, or=20 T1, T2, T3 and T4. From T1, we copy a 30 meg file to T2. From = T2, we=20 copy a 13 meg file to T1. From T3, we copy a 30 meg file to T4. = And from=20 T4, we copy a 13 meg file to T3. In short, two 30 meg files and = two 13=20 meg files are transferred across the switch at the same time. We = run the=20 same test twice, average the results and report the result in = seconds to=20 complete all file copying. This test puts more demands on the = network=20 hardware and helps reveal the performance gains from = higher-bandwidth=20 equipment such as switches.

    Finally, to ensure even more = objectivity to=20 the test, we use Qcheck, a freeware networking testing utility, = that=20 uses software "endpoints" on both test computers and a small = utility to=20 actually run the tests. For all tests, the utility sends data = packets=20 back and forth between the two computers. The utility tests true = network=20 performance and tries to avoid complications from the actual = performance=20 issues of the computers. For a response time test, Qcheck = returns the=20 minimum, maximum and average number of seconds it took to = complete a=20 transaction. For our tests, the transaction we use is sending a = 32,000=20 bytes back and forth 10 times. We report the average response = time in=20 milliseconds reported by Qcheck. We run the test using both IPX = and=20 TCP/IP protocols.

    For a throughput test, Qcheck = returns the=20 amount of data per second that was successfully sent between the = two=20 endpoints. For our test, we send 1 megabyte across the network.=20

    For a streaming test, Qcheck = returns the rate=20 that streaming data was received by the second endpoint, the = amount of=20 packet loss that occurred and the CPU utilization for both = endpoint=20 computers. In short, the test reveals whether your computers and = network=20 connections are "capable" of streaming video performance. For = our tests,=20 we ran a 1Mbps test for 30 seconds.

    Our test machines -- prior = to=20 11/00

    We have two machines set up to help = us=20 install, set up and test hardware and software products of = interest to=20 home PC networkers. Here's a quick review:

    Test Machine One - = "T400"=20

  • Intel Celeron = 400Mhz=20
  • Soyo SY-7IWM/L = motherboard=20
  • 64 meg SDRAM=20
  • 5.7 gig Maxtor UDMA = drive=20
  • Teach 32X CD-ROM=20
  • On-board AGP graphic = card=20
  • Zoom 56K external modem (when=20 required)

    •  

    Test Machine Two - = "T266"

  • Pentium II - = 266Mhz=20
  • Abit BH6 = motherboard=20
  • 64 meg SDRAM=20
  • 5.7 gig Maxtor UDMA = drive=20
  • Toshiba 4X CD-ROM =
  • ATI Rage IIc graphic = card=20

    •  

    Privacy=20 statement

    All content =A9 1998-2003 by = homePCnetwork,=20 inc.

    This=20 page last updated 11/30/2002=20

     


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