Network Newbie Question

[sonofmof]

Hi,
Apologies if this is not the best forum but, not sure where else it fits.

I have a gigabit network at home running the 4 Macs and Apple TV in my sig. I also have a linux box which is running an amahi server system (http://www.amahi.org)which acts as a dns server, DHCP server and file server.

However, the mac mini is now not is use and could be used as the file server which would remove the need for my noisy P4 linux box.

My question is, if i set the dhcp and dns stuff all back to the router will that impact the network speed when transferring files between machines ? The router is only 100mb not gigabit. currently i think its fast because the linux box is gigabit too and so I assume local traffic doesn't even touch the router.

I know a gigabit router would fix this but, the router i have has a 3g fall back when is essential because the adsl line here fails at least once a month, (its actually off now since yesterday at 4pm) so I don't think i can change it. (http://www.dhgate.com/wholesale-vodafone-3g-wireless-huawei-hg553/r-ff8080812b0acfc8012b0af7a75e404f.html)

Alternatively, could the mini run tiger server (which I have a license for) , and act as the dhcp, dns and fileserver ?

Which would be better ?

Thanks
Chris

 

[Alrescha]

if i set the dhcp and dns stuff all back to the router will that impact the network speed when transferring files between machines ?

No.

Alternatively, could the mini run tiger server (which I have a license for) , and act as the dhcp, dns and fileserver ?

It could, but it won't serve files any faster than regular OS X.

OS X Server has nice GUI configuration of services, and fine user-by-user access control. If you need those things, you might consider OS X Server. For most individuals, regular OS X is the right thing.

A.

 

[sonofmof]

Thanks Alrescha,

so to clarify, a 100mb router doing the DNS and DHCP won't slow down file transfers between the macs on gigabit ethernet ?

I thought everything would have to travel through the router if I went back to this setup.

cheers,
Chris

 

[Alrescha]

a 100mb router doing the DNS and DHCP won't slow down file transfers between the macs on gigabit ethernet ?

DNS and DHCP are information lookup services. Where they are located has nothing to do with the speed or routing of traffic (sure, a slow DNS server might slow you down 10 milliseconds, but that lookup is done at most once per connection - and usually much less often).

Your DNS could be located on the other end of a slow modem in Australia and your file transfers will be just as fast (once they get started, of course

A.

 

[sonofmof]

great, thanks

simple leopard file server it is then

 

[Detrius]

so to clarify, a 100mb router doing the DNS and DHCP won't slow down file transfers between the macs on gigabit ethernet ?

I thought everything would have to travel through the router if I went back to this setup.

If everything is physically connected to the router via 100Base-T, then it'll slow down, but the solution is to connect a gigabit switch to the router. Then, your local network traffic between machines will go across the gigabit switch. It's only when things need to be routed off your local network (i.e. Internet) that it'll hit the 100Base-T.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

If everything is physically connected to the router via 100Base-T, then it'll slow down, but the solution is to connect a gigabit switch to the router. Then, your local network traffic between machines will go across the gigabit switch. It's only when things need to be routed off your local network (i.e. Internet) that it'll hit the 100Base-T.

Or the brief instant when DNS is needed. DHCP is less than negligible traffic. Even local DNS isn't needed much either. On the question of where to put DNS/DHCP, we recommend using the router to host those services. Software sometimes fails and usually at a bad time. The stories of screwed up DHCP are just out there in orbit somewhere...

People so far are right: get a gigabit switch with either 10/100/1000 per port, or a dedicated 10/100 port. Connect everything to the switch, use good wire, and you are good to go.

 

[cwaddell2002]

+1 on the gigabit network switch connected to the 100mb router/3g gateway.