DirectWay & Networking Questions

PineRidge · Jan 10, 2004

I could use some advice on the DirectWay system. I currently have it networked to several other computers via 10/100 Ethernet cards and cat 5 wire. The main computer That is attached to the satellite receiver/transmitter is very quick in response to download times but the remainder of the computers are lacking in good download speeds. Is there an alternative networking solution that will help me to get the download speeds up on the other computers? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

OhioTC18 · Jan 10, 2004

Can you connect the DirectWay to a router, then have each computer access through there?

PineRidge · Jan 10, 2004

<font color="blue"> Can you connect the DirectWay to a router, then have each computer access through there?
</font>

OhioTC18 to be perfectly honest I am not sure myself. I was hoping someone with more experience than I have with networking might be able to tell me. For all I know my Ethernet cards may be as good as it gets.

OhioTC18 · Jan 10, 2004

I have a router on my cable access.....didn't have to change any settings or install any software on any of the other computers and they all connect through there. Even fired up a laptop running Win95 the other night with an ethernet card in it. Works great.
May be totally different on DirectWay though

tawilson · Jan 10, 2004

Did you install the latest upgrade? I noticed some improvement overall with it. I think it's 4.2.11 or something like that. It also has a utility to run on each of your networked computers to properly set them up. I didn't notice any difference with that, but I wasn't really having a problem with network performance.

OkeeDon · Jan 10, 2004

Not sure exactly what the problem could be. The download speed really has nothing to do with the computers. The fastest download I would expect to see from DirecWay might be between 1 and 2 Mbs. Even if you have standard ethernet, it communicates between the computers at 10 Mbs. There should be nothing in the network or the other computers that would choke down the speed.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe something in your connected computer, acting as a server for the others, is choking it down, but I don't have a clue what it might be.

The answer might be the new DW6000 modem/router from Direcway. Instead of hooking to a central computer with a USB connection, it puts the signal directly on your ethernet like a cable router/switch. I haven't used it myself, yet, but Heath, on this thread, has reported on it.

SethO · Jan 10, 2004

I may be able to help.

Can you provide the following details
Operating systems on all the computers
The sharing software you are using
How exactly are the computers connected
What version of the DW software you are using

SethO

MikePA · Jan 11, 2004

<font color="blue"> I currently have it networked to several other computers via 10/100 Ethernet cards and cat 5 wire. </font>
What device do these PCs all connect into, a hub or a switch?

tawilson · Jan 11, 2004

You could try moving a 10mb file from one computer to another to see how fast it transfers. That might tell you whether it is a network or a Direcway problem. I've had some problems with antivirus and firewall software screwing up my Direcway network. Try turning all that off and see if it improves.

Mrwurm · Jan 11, 2004

Mike, I have used Directway 4000 in the same configuration that you are describing. The Direcway 4000 connects to a host computer via USB connection. The host computer acts as a server and distributes the internet to the other computers via Microsoft ICS bound to the network adapter. The other computers on your network are considered 'clients' in this configuration. Downloading a program fron Direcway called 'Lan Client Configuration' (LCCU) will optomize the settings on the client computers so they will operate as fast as the host. I had the same problem you described and this fixed it for me. The good thing about LCCU is that it saves your old settings and you can execute the program and select 'restore' if things go awry. Do NOT run this program on the host machine.

I have recently switched to Direcway 6000. This system is self-hosted and requires no host computer. The modem uses network (cat5) connectivity and allows you to hook directly into a router/hub/switch. I use a switch if anyone really cares. I plugged the modem into a standard port on the switch and it works. No configuring or settings were needed. I understand that when using a hub/router, some configuring is needed if you use the WAN connection. This is where my knowledge ends and I get off this train.