slow transfer over TR

[gary.post@amd.com]

I have four computers with 3c319 cards in a test network - they are
connected together with a 3com SuperStack II Hub TR (no management
module) - I can ftp a 39M file from any computer to any other but can
only get 200-250Kbytes of transfer speed - the hub says I have the 16M
rate enabled and it never wavers - there is an error light about every
10-20 seconds (random) - I am expecting a greater transfer rate, should
I be getting a better rate, or am I missing something

computer 1 is sitting idle, zero network traffic to or from it
computer 2 is only getting the file, no other tasks running on it
computer 3 is also doing nothing but supplying the 39M file for
transfer, idle when not transferring
computer 4 is running X with nearly zero cpu idle time, no network
traffic generated from it
it is not like I have loaded the network or the computers down yet

all computers have a fresh Infomagic (April 97) kernel 2.0.29 install -
ibmtr.c 49,699 bytes 29aug96 compiled and loaded as a module - running a
K6 at 150M with 32M ram in each computer - have tried a couple different
brands of motherboards with same results

do I have to set up a master server - it would seem to me that the hub
is taking care of passing out the tokens - can someone point me to a
source of web reading that explains setting up a reliable TR network

I would be interested in a pointer to some diagnostic software that
could enlighten me as to what is happening - the only sniffers that I
have run across have been for stealing passwords out of network traffic
and serve no other useful purpose - I am looking for something/someone
that can give me a micro-second by micro-second account as to what is on
the 'wire' - not what byte contains what, but time between packets, how
long a packet is (time), minimum time between packets from the same
source and so on

thanks y'all

gary post