Microsoft KB Archive/929707

Knowledge Base

You experience poor video quality or slow performance when you use Windows Media Extender features on a home network that uses a Gigabit Ethernet switch on a Windows Vista-based computer

Article ID: 929707

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Windows Vista Ultimate
• Windows Vista Home Premium

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SYMPTOMS

You have a Windows Vista-based computer that is connected to the home network through a Gigabit Ethernet switch. When you use Windows Media Center Extender features on the computer, you experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Poor video quality
• Slow performance
• Video content does not play

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the buffer of the Gigabit Ethernet switch is insufficient. If flow control is disabled, many consumer-grade Gigabit Ethernet switches cannot handle the large flow of Media Center Extender video stream traffic that is from a Gigabit connection to a 100 Megabit (100 Mbps) connection. A Gigabit connection flows at 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps).

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Change the link speed to 100 Mbps Full Duplex

To change the link speed to 100 Mbps Full Duplex, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type ncpa.cpl in the Start Search box, and then click ncpa.cpl in the Programs list.
   

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

1. Right-click the Gigabit network connection, and then click Properties.
   

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

1. On the Networking tab, click Configure.
2. On the Advanced tab, click the property that is in the Property box.
3. In the Value box, click the value that represents the 100 Mbps Full Duplex setting, and then click OK.

Method 2: Manually enable flow control in the receive (Rx) direction

To manually enable flow control in the receive (Rx) direction for the Gigabit network connection, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type ncpa.cpl in the Start Search box, and then click ncpa.cpl in the Programs list.
   

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

1. Right-click the Gigabit network connection, and then click Properties.
   

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

1. On the Networking tab, click Configure.
2. On the Advanced tab, click the flow control property that is in the Property box.
3. In the Value box, click the value that enables flow control in the receive (Rx) direction, and then click OK.

Keywords: kbnetwork kbexpertiseinter kbprb kbtshoot KB929707

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