NASLite Network Attached Storage

Hello
I decided to upgrade my naslite from (2.04 before AFP was added) as we use OSX, I have been hacking the nsmb.conf to use pain text passwords to the OSX computers could login using SMB/CIFS.
This worked fine. I decided to upgrade NasLite so I could use the AFP, then I wouldn't have to edit this file any more, but I have found problems which has made me to go back to the old system for awhile.
Problems are as follows.
Browsing a AFP share on Snow Leopard is very slow (big pause when opening folder 2-10 seconds wait)
Coping from NasLite is slow on 10.6 fine on 10.5.
Now the above I can live with as the drive is only a backup drive, so access to it is only now and then.
Biggest problem is the time stamp. When you copy a file over, the date is changed to Today. I've done finder copy and use a synchronizer software to do the transfer.
The date on the file is changed to "Today" which makes doing backup very hard, as it copies everything again, as nothing matches date wise.
If I mount the drive onto the Mac via SMB, the date is correct. If I copy via SMB the date stays correct, doesn't change to "Today".
So any file I copy via AFP, the date will change to "Today" but that same file when drive is mounted via SMB will show the correct date.
If I copy via SMB from the Mac, the date stays as the correct date.
Any ideas on what I could try?
Thx

Edit:
Have also noticed something with AFP, when looking at the network page I see I am getting a lot of dropped packets.
When I'm using SMB to transfer the same amount of data, I'm getting zero dropped packets.
Hope this help.

more info
Used foldersynchronizer to copy a backup of one of my drives (around 345Gb) I connected via SMB.
All transferred fine. Now when I or anyone else mount this using AFP, the dates are correct for the files.
If any one copies a file over (while connected using AFP) the date changes to "Today" but not straight away. If you click on the file the date changes to the correct date, then back to Today. Click again and again it changes back to the correct date for a short time (about 1-3 seconds), then back to Today. After around 20seconds or so, it will stay on Today. If you are mounted using SMB, the file has the correct date, and it never changes.
At the moment, I've got no other option but to either turn off AFP or go back to 2.04.

I also have a Thecus N5200 using AFP and a W2k3 server using AFP. I don't have any problems with either of these devices. Coping is fast, and dates are correct.

Well I have been doing more tests.
Using 10.5.8 and 10.6.5 and 4 different types of Macs. MacPro, iMacs i5 and i7.
Only the older MacPro dual quad Xeon is running 10.5.8, rest are running 10.6.5.

Both have the date problem when connected using AFP
Both have slower transferring to and from when connected using AFP (10.6.5 computers are slower than 10.5.8 computers)
Both show lots of dropped packets on the NasLite server when coping/sending
Both work fine when connecting and using the N5200 or W2K3 server connecting via AFP
Both work fine when connecting the the NasLite using SMB (after applying a hack so you can connect)
Have tried a different PCI slot and NIC, no difference.
Unless there is something else to try, all I can think of is the way the AFP is implemented in NasLite.
Anyone else using AFP?

I am using AFP and this date problem is nuts. Files copied from the Mac to the NAS don't retain their modification dates, but change the dates to today. That makes them newer than the originals, fouling up my backup software.

Does anyone know if this can be fixed on my end?
Had to go back to SMB as I can not use AFP in its current state
I now have to go around to all the new macs to hack a file so they can access the Naslite server.

drop a pm to Ralph - he may not have seen this - i know he does all the development work on a Mac - so if anybody has an idea he should have

I also had to go back to SMB ... Glo8al, did you also find that using AFP left strange unexpected files on the server?

Yep, I did work out what they were, but can't remember right now. I remember the file names were gibberish.
Will send Ralph a PM, but can't do anything for the next two weeks due to holidays

Any movement on this?
The date thing make AFP pretty useless, have been using Naslite for a while but this is becomeing more of an issue for us now.

Nothing at all.
I did PM Ralph, but that was on 12th Aug.
I've stopped using AFP as it is useless to me with all the problems its got.
Speed and time is its biggest problem.

This is a shame, we're an all mac company so i don't really want to go with smb.
I haven't found speed to be a problem tho?

I'm just upgrading to 2.6 from i think 2.2 now.

We shall see.

Ralph, you out there?

I can't duplicate any of the issues described.

AFP is faster than SMB on my network, and I don't have any dropped packets.

I use AFP with both my iMac and Macbook Pro daily.

As far as the date issue, are you sure your not looking at the . file AFP creates? This would have a date of today on it.

Example : ._googlesitemap.dmg

This is a scratch file AFP creates.

when using 10.5.X AFP speed is faster than 10.6.X.
I have tested speed on 7 Macs now. MacPros running 10.5.8, iMac i5-i7 running 10.6.6 & 10.6.7, Macbook Pro 10.6.7.
AFP runs quicker on 10.5.8, but no where near as fast as SMB.
Macbook pro boot into Win7, SMB speed excellent, boot to OSX, SMB speed excellent, mount as AFP speed very slow.
All macs get faster transfers when drive is mounted as SMB, all macs get the same slow speed when mounted as AFP also dropped packets when using AFP.

I am not looking at the resource fork ._filename (as I remember, you only get ._filename when using SMB not when using AFP) Any file with "." infront of the name will be invisible when drive is mounted as AFP, unless you change your OSX to see invisible files.
All folders and files get "Today" as their dates, no file will retain their mod date.

If I mount the drive via AFP and copy a file created on the 1/4/11, this date will change to "Today", if I unmount the drive, and remount via SMB, I will see the correct date 1/4/11. Unmount drive, remount via AFP, date will still be "Today".

I have a very basic network, no active directory, DC etc etc, all connected to a HP Procurve Gigabit switch.

I don't know what else to try.

Update.
Getting no where with this AFP problem. I took the NASLite server home, and tried in on a different network.
I have a Macbook Pro C2D, Netgear (metal case) Gigabit switch and get the same problem as I do at work .
I am going to look at replacing the unit, as SMB and Macs can play together, they do have their problems especially with 10.6.X.
Disappointing, as I don't know what else to try, and no one suggested anything to try, looks like I have no other option.