[eepro100] Transmitter Timeout

chris chris@soma.978.org
Sat, 29 Jul 2000 02:03:37 -0700


Just as an addednum to Paul's empirical data for the eepro100
transmitter lock-up, here is what I found:

I have a quad-eepro (82557 v5) 64-bit PCI card in a PC164 DEC Alpha
motherboard ( v1.06 of the driver, linux 2.2.14). . .

When any of the ports on the card is connected to a BayNetworks 350T
switch ( formerly NetICs ) or x-overed to a DEC-tulip card they function
fine, however, when they are x-overed to 3com 905b s the transmitter
locks right up about every 15 seconds when straming MPEG video and about
every two minues for MP3s (rather annoying while listening to
in-a-gagga-davida :) ).

The thing that confuses me is if I put a hub between the 905 and the
eepro100, the transmitter lock-up persists, however if I put a switch
(aka the 350T) between then it functions fine. . . 

I remember having a LOT of trouble getting any 3com product to
auto-negotiate properly with Bay products, so I am starting to think
that this problem may be another oddity of 3com's low-level hardware
implementation of ethernet seeing Paul's predicament with his 3com
switch. . . 

I am a educated but inexperienced programmer and am willing and able to
contribute to a fix for this. . . I would like to avoid duplicating
anyone's efforts, so before I take a shot at this, has anyone taken a
stab at this, and if so, what can I do to aide them in their efforts?

Thanks,

Chris