Folding and networking

[BillR]

Folding and networking

I have been playing with this for a while now and have come to a few conclusions.

If you are running Windows or Linux and you are using a router you may well be costing yourself a notable point loss.

By default almost everyone uses DHCP when they set up a home network, face it, it’s easier that way. The problem comes about when you reboot, or have a momentary network dropout. This applies primarily to the SMP client and particularly with dual SMP clients.

If perchance you get or create a glitch and your router reassigns a new DHPC address to your machine this can cause the client to appear healthy, your cursor will blink in the folding window if you have it open, but folding may well have stopped.

If you are running VM it doesn’t seem to be an issue, however if you are running dual SMP clients in native windows it can and usually will shut you down.

The answer is pretty simple; assign each machine a static address first then turn off DHCP in your router.

One thing to keep in mind is wireless. I use a Linksys router and by default is starts its DHCP addresses at 192.168.1.100 and works it way up from there. I started my static addresses at 192.168.1.20, next 192.168.1.21, 22. 23 and on up the line.

For my laptop, or a customers laptop I enable DHCP but allow only one or two assignable DHCP addresses.

Thought it was an observation some might find useful

Fold on

 

[Sunin]

I will try this on my next router. This is exactly where I have had issues with my current router. It gets to a point where the DHCP client just hangs up and won't re-assign IP's period.

Great advice BillR and this is part of becoming stable and getting more PPD!

 

[digital_exhaust]

Thanks for the info BillR.... Looks like I have some work to do

 

[BillR]

I will try this on my next router. This is exactly where I have had issues with my current router. It gets to a point where the DHCP client just hangs up and won't re-assign IP's period.

Great advice BillR and this is part of becoming stable and getting more PPD!

You might not need a new router at all. Once you assign a permanant address to your computer the router doesn't need to decide any conflicts, it just routs

Make sure you router firmware is up to date as well

 

[SmokeRngs]

I guess it's a good thing I've always used static IPs on my systems. One of the first things I do with a new router is disable DHCP. Sure, it's somewhat of a pain to assign each machine an IP but it beats the hell out of trying to guess the IP of the machine or VM since I have the IPs of all my boxen memorized for VNC purposes.

 

[Sunin]

You might not need a new router at all. Once you assign a permanant address to your computer the router doesn't need to decide any conflicts, it just routs

Make sure you router firmware is up to date as well

Maybe not, but the one I am getting is low grade enterprise class and will allow for much more expansion. I am going to remove dhcp though, as is recommended here.