Confused about NFS & SMB

[thestrangebrew]

Hi all,

I just recently purchased a zyxel powerline starter kit and I've been doing a little research about them. It appears (based on a few forums posts on other sites) that streaming 1080p content using NFS vs SMB works better. I've setup an ubuntu desktop pc and I've enabled SMB to share files between my windows machines, but I'm going to be streaming media from the ubuntu pc to my PS3, and not from a windows PC using Playstation Media Server. My question is, will the ubuntu pc stream the media files via NFS or SMB? Or do I need to tell it which one I want it to stream off of? If so, how do I go about doing that? I'm not concerned with transfer speeds between the windows pc and the ubuntu server, I'm just concerned with streaming speeds to the PS3. I haven't rec'd the adapters yet, I just purchased them yesterday morning but I hooked the server up both wirelessy and wired to the PS3 and noticed stuttering in video and the audio would be off every once in awhile in just 720p so I have some concerns when it comes to 1080p video. The specs on the server are:

amd 4400+
asus a8n 32 sli deluxe mobo
2 gb ddr RAM
1tb samsung spinpt hdd
antec truepower 600w psu

My other thought was maybe the stuttering is a hardware issue due to my ancient parts.

 

[GhislainG]

When using a wired network, did you connect the server and the PS3 at gigabit speed?

 

[thestrangebrew]

I assumed gigabit speed was the default via wire. Is it not? Do I need to configure the ps3 & server for gigabit speed?

 

[GhislainG]

It all depends on how you connected them. Did you use a crossover cable or a router? If a router was used, is it a gigabit router? Most inexpensive routers are 100 mbps only.

 

[thestrangebrew]

I just connected them via my router, a wrt54g linksys wireless g. Wireless only goes to 54mbps not sure about wired though

 

[thestrangebrew]

Should I get a gigabit switch or something? A rosewill switch is shell shocker deal for like $16.99 I think

 

[GhislainG]

Is the server LAN controller configured as Auto or 100 mpbs/full-duplex? What about the PS3? Gigabit is easier (Auto always works fine), but it might not be absolutely necessary.

 

[thestrangebrew]

Is the server LAN controller configured as Auto or 100 mpbs/full-duplex? What about the PS3? Gigabit is easier (Auto always works fine), but it might not be absolutely necessary.

Sorry but this is out of my scope. I didn't configure the server LAN for anything other than to share files with my windows pc. I automatically assumed that once I plugged the cat 5 it would stream @ max speed, but noticed the stuttering. Basically my setup is this:

Cable ->modem
Modem->wrt54g router
Ubuntu pc-> wrt54g router
Ps3 -> router (wireless/wired)
Windows 7 pc (where I rip DVDs) -> router

Like I mentioned, I bought a gigabit switch & power line starter kit which I plan to hook up like this:

Router->modem
Router->switch
Switch->Ubuntu pc (where I stream from)
Switch->power line adapter
Power line adapter(other plug about 20'away) ->ps3
Windows 7pc-> router

From what I understand, whatever's connected to the switch would be gigabit, whatever's accessing the router would be bottlenecked by the router. I don't mind low transfer speeds reduced by the router being somewhat slower, I just want to have enough speed to stream 1080p to my ps3.

 

[GhislainG]

Test your PS3 again when your server is connected at gigabit. If there still is stuttering, then connect it directly to the switch at gigabit speed to determine if the link speed is the issue. I have no clue how fast a powerline adapter is; all I know is that they aren't gigabit.

 

[thestrangebrew]

Test your PS3 again when your server is connected at gigabit. If there still is stuttering, then connect it directly to the switch at gigabit speed to determine if the link speed is the issue. I have no clue how fast a powerline adapter is; all I know is that they aren't gigabit.

The ones I ordered are only 200gbps max so we'll see how they work with the streaming. I'll test it again when I get the switch and see what's up.

 

[JFerrera]

I just connected them via my router, a wrt54g linksys wireless g. Wireless only goes to 54mbps not sure about wired though

I do not believe that the WRT54G is a gigabit router, only 10/100Mb.

 

[thestrangebrew]

I do not believe that the WRT54G is a gigabit router, only 10/100Mb.

It's not. I got the powerline hooked up to it, and my speeds stated something like 12mbps updload, 1.xxmbps download. I didn't have too much time to look into it last night and I fig'd I'd be getting my switch today sometime so I can fool around with it in the next couple of days to see how it goes.

 

[GhislainG]

Few users reach 100 mpbs transfer rates using powerline adapters.

 

[thestrangebrew]

Few users reach 100 mpbs transfer rates using powerline adapters.

I was't expecting 100mbps, but I was hoping for at least 20-50+ considering the speeds these adapters are rated for. I'm a complete noob to this stuff though so I'll fool around with it in the next few days.

 

[thestrangebrew]

OK got my switch. Setup was the following:

1. Cable modem -> Router
2. Router -> Switch
3. Switch -> powerline adapter
4. Powerline adapter -> PS3

Wired result: 9.6 mbps upload
~3mbps dl

Ubuntu PC I'm streaming from -> Router (Maybe I should've put that on the switch too?) Didn't think about that till now

I tried the following:

Moved the switch to the other powerline adapter closer to the PS3.

Powerline -> Switch
PS3 -> Switch

Same results.

I'll move the switch back to the router and plug the streaming pc into the switch to see if that ups the upload a bit.

 

[thestrangebrew]

Best answer selected by thestrangebrew.