Slow network connectivity, and general network troubleshooting
Network drives are substantially more complicated than regular hard disks. They are standalone servers, and manage all data in the same way as a computer does. Because of this, problems can be located in a variety of locations.
The best place to start troubleshooting a network problem is to disable any firewalls, anti-virus programs, or other security software. This is the most common cause regarding most networking issues.
If the situation does not improve, try accessing the Ethernet disk from a different computer. If there is still a connectivity problem, this moves the problem to the router or switch as the next place to look for a failure. To test this aspect of the network, try to transfer data to a different computer on the same router or switch. If that works properly, the problem then moves to the cable connecting the drive, or the drive itself.
If one of the computers on the network is a Macintosh, or has an "Auto-switching" network interface, connect the Ethernet disk directly to the computer with an Ethernet cable. If the network interface on the PC is not known to have this feature, try using a crossover cable to accomplish the same goal.
Restart both the computer, and the Ethernet Disk. Once they have been powered on for a few minutes, attempt to connect again. Note that the IP address may be different when connected this way.
What is the situation you are facing?
