First, the configuration:
- I have a desktop and a laptop running Windows 7.
- I have a server running Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition.
- The workstation and server connect to the same Gigabit switch via Cat6 cables.
- The server connects to that switch with two CAT6 cables, though the later described problem occurs when using only one.
- The laptop connects via wifi-G. The WAP connects back to the same switch via Cat5 (100bT).
- The workstation has drives D: thru O: mapped to physical drives D: thru O: on the server (i.e. D: = \\bleh\D$). The laptop does not; connecting only through UNC paths (i.e. \\bleh\D$).
- I am not on a domain, nor using that homegroup nonsense. Plain vanilla networking and sharing.
- The server is almost always idle.
Now, the odd part:
- When I try to open one of these shared drives, whether via a mapped drive or via UNC share, and from either computer, it occasionally takes up to a minute to populate the contents of the window. Despite only having a dozen or so folders. I do not hear a drive spinning up during this time, so I think that rules out the drive being asleep.
- When I open one of these shared drives locally from the server, it always opens immediately.
- Once a connection is established and I can see the folders, I can sustain transfers of around 50 to 70 MB/s; plenty fast.
Finally, the question:
Given that I have fast hardware, and fast throughput, why do these shares open so slowly?
