Linux vs. Windows XP routing latency

donsapo@artquitect.com.ar
Wed, 02 Jun 2004 15:01:37 -0000

Hello, I have a problem with the latency of the packets passing a Linux router,
and I thought perhaps you could put some light on it.
It''s quite simple. I have one ADSL connection, and a LAN. The gateway
is the Linux machine or a Windows XP machine. When the wXP is routing, for a
host inside the LAN, the latency of, for example, the Counter Strike game to a
given server is around 20 to 30 ms. When the Linux box is routing, the latency
of the same game to same server increases to 60 to 80 ms. Even pinging that
server''s IP you can see the same difference.
This is a hard blow for me, I''m a Linux fan, and I thought Linux was
going to perform better than Windows.
For testing I have disabled firewall, bandwidth limiting, everything except NAT,
which is done by masquerading. Also tried SNAT, same result.
I''m using the 2.4.22 kernel.

Thanks in advance.

Ernesto.