determining the reason for slow network speed in office

[g_1]

Our office has a very slow network with the download speeds about
269kbps(or lower) during all periods. We are part of a college where
other offices have speed of 22000kbps(I know it is high, but the
college has some gigabit network which provides such high speed). We
are connected through a backbone(which has a speed of 21000kbps) and
have a Fiber Ethernet Adapter in our machines. I don't know much on
how to trace the reason for slow speed. We have a IT support
department in our college, but they are least worried about our slow
speed. We have told them 7 times in past 2 months, but no response
from them.

I guess, a Fiber Ethernet Adapter(Allied Telesyn AT-2701FX PCI 100Mb
Fiber Ethernet Adapter) can support a speed of lot more than we are
getting.

The backbone network is something we don't control. So, when I am told
it provides speed of 21000kbps I have to just accept it. Is there a
way to measure it?

The network switches in the office are under lock and key in a shelf
where the key is with the IT support department for college.

The slow speed is occurring on all 10 machines in an office. There is
no adware, spyware or unwanted programs which are causing the slow
speed or using the network bandwidth. The machines have no virus. They
run a virus scanner whose definitions are updated daily. They run
Windows XP, have a speed of 2.79GHz and 1GB of RAM.

This slow speed was a problem since past two years. We did not do
something to the network to cause any disruption.

Question is, could the network switches be the cause of slow speed?
How can I verify that they are the cause and not something else? Can I
run some tests for that without having physical access to it?

Can someone please clarify?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Jack [MVP-Networking]]

Hi
All Network are Not alike, some networks can be even set to slow "Speed" as
a consideration of the total Network bandwidth. I.e it might be that the
network is capable to do more, and it is set deliberately to act this way.
When a network is under the control of an IT department you can not do your
own fiddling seeking advice from people who are not really familiar with the
specific Network in question. In most cases the end result is more trouble
rather than improvement. If you would like to act find who is in charge of
the IT people and voice there your concerns.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

 

[g_1]

Hi
All Network are Not alike, some networks can be even set to slow "Speed" as
a consideration of the total Network bandwidth. I.e it might be that the
network is capable to do more, and it is set deliberately to act this way..

Hi,
There is no reason to deliberately throttle us to such speeds when
other offices
in campus are not.

When a network is under the control of an IT department you can not do your
own fiddling seeking advice from people who are not really familiar with the
specific Network in question.

Yes, I can and will approach the IT department, but I need to do
more research to prove to them that something is faulty with the
network.