Is wireless file transfer reliable?

  • Thread starter Thread starter chriske911
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chriske911

Parttime presented the following explanation :
I have two WIN2000 PC's that share the same access point (linksys router).
I have enabled file and printer sharing and that all works. PC-B finds PC-A
in Computers Near Me, and I signon using the password I have setup. I want
to copy a large number of files from PC-A to PC-B using the Windows Explorer
(file manager), then delete the files from PC-A.

My connection is stable, but how reliable is this type of data transfer?
Can I loose bits/bytes without knowing? Is there a crc/checksum in place to
ensure the accuracy of the data? Do I need to run a file compare to be
sure?

I had to install; Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing
for Microsoft Networks, Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), NetBEUI, and IPx/SPx to
enable sharing. I understand that tcp/ip ensures packet accuracy but I do
not know what protocol windows 2000 is using when the file manager is used.

Thanks for you time.

Cheers,
Jim
Click to expand...

it's just as reliable as a wired network
cause it has all the features of any other network but...

you have to consider the fact that the connection will break down much
easier thus
copying over large files witch takes a long time
will have a greater chance of failing due to lost connections

it doesn't mean that it will but keep it in mind

your luck is that you have only 2 clients on the network
the more clients there are, the bigger the risk and the smaller the
usable bandwidth
it is a shared medium after all

grtz
 
I have two WIN2000 PC's that share the same access point (linksys router).
I have enabled file and printer sharing and that all works. PC-B finds PC-A
in Computers Near Me, and I signon using the password I have setup. I want
to copy a large number of files from PC-A to PC-B using the Windows Explorer
(file manager), then delete the files from PC-A.

My connection is stable, but how reliable is this type of data transfer?
Can I loose bits/bytes without knowing? Is there a crc/checksum in place to
ensure the accuracy of the data? Do I need to run a file compare to be
sure?

I had to install; Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing
for Microsoft Networks, Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), NetBEUI, and IPx/SPx to
enable sharing. I understand that tcp/ip ensures packet accuracy but I do
not know what protocol windows 2000 is using when the file manager is used.

Thanks for you time.

Cheers,
Jim
 
You'll want to choose just 1 protocol to do the job. Stick with TCP/IP.

After that, you'll have to juggle throughput versus reliability. Most of
the time, this is automatic. Just remember, connection speed is inverse of
errors. If you want fewer errors/retries, manually adjust both NICs to
1Mbps.
 
You might want to use some checksums (like md5, sha1 or sfv) to verify your transfer has been done correctly.
I transfered some files over a wired network and lost some bits, which I detected using MD5, so this is not a wireless problem but a general transfer problem.

/David
 
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