Unreliable ethernet file transfer

[jimzzzak]

I have a large, organic network at home with some ethernet and mostly wi-fi connections.

The problem I am having is that when I transfer music files over my network via ethernet to my music server computer, the transfers seem unreliable in that when I verify with MD5 hashes, they do not match the original file.

Here is the network:

Ubee DVW32CB cable modem/router
Windows 7 computer connected via ethernet to router
Windows 10 computer (music server) connected via ethernet to router
6 x 3 TB hard drives, in a multi-drive hard drive cabinet, connected by USB 3 connection on computer to the Windows 10 computer (this this the music server's music storage area)

When I transfer a music file of say 20 MB size to one of the six drives, Teracopy, the file transfer utility I use, indicates that all the hash tags are mismatched when the verify option is ticked.

Coincidentally, a friend has noticed how many of my music files have small defects when they play.

What can I do to trouble shoot this issue?

My thoughts are as follows:

1. Try another computer to send files
2. Try another computer to serve as the music server or receiver of the files
3. Try another cable modem/router (have to exchange it with the cable co.)
4. Try transferring the files to the hard drive of the Win 10 computer

I'm using the network connection on the motherboard of the Win 7 and Win 10 computers. I add a network card in the Win7 computer but not the Win 10 computer.

Any diagnostic software out there?

Thanks.

 

[t53186]

1. Transfer the files to the windows 10 PC internal hard drive using windows copy.

 

[Alabalcho]

How do you compare the files?

I would install a hash / CRC utility on both "music server" and client computer, and check CRCs / hashes (one hopes such a small file would be transferred without errors). This way you'd know wether the problem is with file transfer (highly unlikely), or something at the source.

 

[t53186]

File size is a good comparison. Hash/CRC is a bit overboard. What kind of defects are you having and do they occur on the original files or only after transferring.

Ethernet is as reliable as it gets when transferring files.

 

[InvalidError]

Ethernet and the SMB protocol have their own data integrity checks, it would be extremely unlikely for data to get corrupted in-transit through the LAN without detection unless your router/switch is corrupting the data and rewriting the CRCs to pass the corrupted data as good.

If the files magically get corrupted in transit between the networking protocol stack and storage, I'd suspect bad RAM, a bad OC or other system issue.

 

[jimzzzak]

I answered my own question, as usual, but I appreciate all the experts above weighing in.

What I did:

1. I transferred a file directly to the hard drive of the music server from the Win 7 computer over ethernet: no errors
Conclusion: This is not an ethernet issue.

2. I transferred a file from the hard drive of the music server computer to the USB 3 cabinet: multiple errors
Conclusion: possible USB problem with cabinet or computer

3. I transferred a file from the hard drive of the music server computer to another USB hard drive: no errors
Conclusion: possible bad USB port to cabinet or bad cabinet

4. I switched USB ports on the music server computer for the hard drive cabinet and transferred a file: no errors
Conclusion: bad USB port on music server computer had been connected to hard drive cabinet

Thanks to all that replied, again.

J