Gigabit network?

running server2003 with 2 gigabit network cards and a linksys gigabit switch, along with six workstations with netgear ga311 gigabit network cards. Question is if hard setting the cards to send larger packets over the network will really improve speed or will it become undepenable? Any other suggetions?

At the moment there is cat5e running through the office until we addon upstairs next month and then we will run cat6 everwhere. I installed all the cards in the workstations last week and a very noticable improvement is seen especially when opening large shared files. There are two gigabit cards in the server and we are using one, what is the purpose of a second card

Purpose of the second card in the server is for redundancy. Servers are very important to any network, moreso than the workstations. If a server goes down, it's very crippling to the network. The 2nd card provides cover in case the first card goes down.

As per you first question, sending larger packets over a network usually will not help increase network performance. If/when larger packets get lost, they have to be re-sent. This requires much more time than re-sending a smaller packet.

Good Answer on the first post; Redundancy is awesome, but here is something else in addition that might be the reason for the additional gigabit card.

If your server is assigning DHCP, you didn't mention using a firewall. It could have 2 nics because one of the cards is for your private subnet and the other is for the public IP side.

Otherwise, one connects to your router or modem and the other connects to your switch or private subnet.

As for the first question, or suggestion;

Keep in mind the internal operating speed of a machine. Most clients do not operate internally at Giga speed.