Symptom
Mac OS 8.6 clients experience slower observed AFP network throughput when connecting to Mac OS X Server 10.0.3 or later.
Solution
You should upgrade earlier systems to Mac OS 9.2.2.
Alternative workaround
If for any reason you cannot upgrade to Mac OS 9.2.2, you may use the following workaround.
Warning: The following workaround improves performance, but it has not been fully tested and qualified by Apple Computer. Therefore, the workaround is provided by Apple on an "AS IS" basis. AS PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, APPLE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO ANY MATTER WHATSOEVER RELATING TO THE USE OF THE WORKAROUND, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND IN NO EVENT SHALL APPLE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF SUCH USE. Technical support cannot be provided for any potential complication that arises from using the following workaround. Use of the workaround is at your own risk. Possible consequences of an unqualified network configuration include data loss.
Follow these steps:
1. Go to Apple Software Downloads (http://www.apple.com/swupdates/).
2. Download Apple Ethernet Update 2.0.
3. Double-click the disk image file (.smi). The disk Apple Ethernet Update 2.0 appears on the desktop, or in the Computer directory if you are performing this step in Mac OS X.
4. In the disk Apple Ethernet Update 2.0, navigate to:
/Installer Files/Ethernet/Installer Files/
5. Here you find Apple Enet extension version 2.4.3. Copy this to your hard disk.
6. Copy Apple Enet 2.4.3 to the Extensions folder of any Mac OS 8.6 to 9.1 client system.