[fnark]

Hello, im doin a peice of college work, and i just need to know if setting up a network bridge can slow down a network connection, in the same way that the slowest server on a connection will slow that whole network down?

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slowest server on a connection will slow that whole network down?

this is only true on a bus topology where all traffic goes in a straight line...any other topology (other than a topology mixed with a bus) doesn't have this effect

a bridge (if slower than the other connecting devices i.e. switches, hubs, routers, nic cards) will slow down whatever network segment is connected to that bridge...however...once the traffic passes the slow part...it will speed back up.. Example:

if you've got 12 computers with Gigabit NIC's hooked to a standard 10/100 bridge then the traffic leaving those pcs will leave the bridge at 10/100 even though they have gigabit nics...now if the bridge is then connected to a gigabit switch...the traffic will come into the switch at 10/100 but leave the switch at gigabit speed...untill the traffic hit's the next slower device (if you had another 10/100 hub or switch etc.. in line)

[dsenette]

slowest server on a connection will slow that whole network down?

this is only true on a bus topology where all traffic goes in a straight line...any other topology (other than a topology mixed with a bus) doesn't have this effect

a bridge (if slower than the other connecting devices i.e. switches, hubs, routers, nic cards) will slow down whatever network segment is connected to that bridge...however...once the traffic passes the slow part...it will speed back up.. Example:

if you've got 12 computers with Gigabit NIC's hooked to a standard 10/100 bridge then the traffic leaving those pcs will leave the bridge at 10/100 even though they have gigabit nics...now if the bridge is then connected to a gigabit switch...the traffic will come into the switch at 10/100 but leave the switch at gigabit speed...untill the traffic hit's the next slower device (if you had another 10/100 hub or switch etc.. in line)