Need helping understanding this network.

[Heliocentrical]

I've set up tons of small networks with shared printers, mapped drives, broadband ect.

I'm no whiz by any means but I know how to follow instructions

The question I have is about a small network I was recently asked to maintain. The network consists of two dell workstations, one network laser printer and an external network hard drive for backups. They are connected to router which also provides web access. There are two issues:

1)The network is only running at 10mbps which makes data backups painfully slow.
2) The internet connection is extremely slow. I tested the speed several times and it averaged 128kbps.

The install was done about 3 years ago. Shouldnt the router and nics be 100mbps capable? What kind of broadband runs at 128kbps? ISDN? Why in the world would you use that? Aside from that, when tracing the cat5 cable running into the cieling I found the telephone wire was spliced directly into an ethernet cable. No adapter..Just a bunch of tiny exposed wires twisted together without tape, clips or fasteners of any kind. I've never seen something like this and dont even know where to start. Advice or comments?

 

[moetop]

The install was done about 3 years ago. Shouldnt the router and nics be 100mbps capable? What kind of broadband runs at 128kbps? ISDN? Why in the world would you use that? Aside from that, when tracing the cat5 cable running into the cieling I found the telephone wire was spliced directly into an ethernet cable. No adapter..Just a bunch of tiny exposed wires twisted together without tape, clips or fasteners of any kind. I've never seen something like this and dont even know where to start. Advice or comments?

They should "Probably" be 100 Mb. Make sure noone hard set the speed /duplex, or get them a switch.

Yes ISDN is 128 Mb (2 Bonded 64K channels) It might be a DSL line provisioned at 128 or 144 . Check local cable and DSL providers for a faster line (if they realy need it and or it's cheaper)

They would use it because it may either have been or is the only thing availiable or that they can afford.

That splice needs to go away. That could easly screw things up! I would rewire everything. After seing something like that and with all the other possible unknowns I wouldent second guess anything.

 

[RoBo]

An ethernet cable is bridged with a phone line? That will screw things up. I really hope nobody was planning PoE with that.

 

[Shadowspawn]

First thing I would do is ask for their ISP details. Second thing would be to get rid of that splice. Find the far end of the connection. My guess would be a phone junction box - the box that their phone service enters the building/office at. I would have their ISP come out and take a look at it. If it's not at least DSL I would research their options and provide the boss with the various choices he can go.

Next would be to look at the router. Make and model? Look at every NIC on the network, including the NAS and determine their speed capabilities. Find the source of your speed issues. 10mb is not good, to state the obvious.