Problem

When working with SOLIDWORKS files in a network environment or when working remotely, users can run into two issues that can cause performance concerns: packet loss and latency. To test for both, the recommendation is to use a PING test.

Solution

To perform a basic ping test, open a command prompt window and simply type ping [server_name].  The Command Prompt will show results of the ping test, where latency is measured in milliseconds (ms), and packet loss is measured in percentage.

However, there are some advanced commands we can add to the ping test string to run the test for an extended period of time, change the size of the packets, and even create an output file of the results.

As with the basic example, we start with ping [server_name].  However, to run a ping test indefinitely, add -t after the server name. Then, add -l with a value after it to change the packet size (in bytes) to that specified value.  Finally, adding >[file_path] will create a text file of the results.

In the example below, this command will ping the server indefinitely using a packet size of 1500 bytes, and will create an output file on the C: drive named pingtest.txt.

ping [server_name] -t -l 1500 > c:\pingtest.txt

To end the ping test, press Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Once the ping test has ended, we should see an overall summary at the bottom of the text file.

Running the ping test for 5-10 minutes should give enough data points to know the general packet loss statistics. Packet loss greater than 1% will lead to more frequent network errors and timeouts.

Additionally, average latency times of approximately 50ms may see minor performance issues, such as delays when acquiring licenses from the SolidNetwork License Manager or storing files on the server. These delays will become more noticeable as latency time increases.

Additional Notes

• [server_name] should be the name of the machine the test connection is going to. The brackets should be removed when writing in the real machine name. We can also use an IP address, especially if DNS is not functioning properly.
• The default packet size is 32 bytes. Increasing this value to a significantly larger amount may affect network performance.
• Using a single bracket > means to create or overwrite the file. However, using double brackets >> means to APPEND to an existing file. 
• Make sure the user has rights to create a file in this folder. If they do not, they can choose to create the file in another folder by simply modifying this path.
• Connectivity errors will display as Request timed out. within the text file.

For additional support, existing customers can submit a ticket or new customers can contact Hawk Ridge Systems.