eepro100.c (v 1.06 and v1.09l) problems
Brian E. Bothwell
brian@wisdomtools.com
Thu Sep 9 12:22:26 1999
Hi, I have a Intel PCI EtherExpress Pro100 (Intel 82557), and am having
some problems with it that seem to be very similar to those others have
reported. I am about at wits end, and I am dead meat if I don't get this
server working correctly by tomorrow (we have clients starting to hit one
of our web-based apps). I'm willing (and leaning towards) replacing the
Intel NIC with another new card if that's what will get me up and running
ASAP.
here are the stats:
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Redhat Linux 6.0, kernel 2.2.5-22, PPro 200, 100Mb full-duplex
networking connected to a Netgear FS308 switch. I am forcing 100Mb-FD
in all cases (to avoid negotiation problems I have had before). I am
loading the module like so: "insmod eepro100 debug=1 options=0x30,0,0"
I was having the infamous "Transmit timed out...trying to restart the
transmitter" with eepro100.c v1.06, which I think I narrowed down to
Netatalk/AppleTalk traffic (when the main AppleTalk router when down, it's
error messages seemed to cause my card to spit out the error messages
Sep 8 21:35:34 gonzo kernel: eth0: Trying to restart the transmitter...
Sep 8 21:36:29 gonzo kernel: eth0: Transmit timed out: status 0050 0000 at 75041/75057 command 00000000.
Sep 8 21:36:29 gonzo kernel: eth0: Trying to restart the transmitter...
Sep 8 21:39:04 gonzo kernel: eth0: Transmit timed out: status 0050 0000 at 75114/75130 command 00000000.
etc....
So I upgraded to eepro100.c v1.091, and now I am getting tons of error
messages (any time there is heavy traffic) like the following:
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: Transmit timed out: status 0050 0000 at
23094/23106 command 000c0000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: Tx ring dump, Tx queue 23106 / 23094:
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 0 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 1 400ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: =2 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 3 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 4 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 5 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 6 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 7 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 8 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 9 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 10 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 11 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 12 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 13 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 14 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 15 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 16 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 17 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 18 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 19 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 20 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 21 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: * 22 000c0000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 23 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 24 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 25 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 26 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 27 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 28 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 29 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 30 000ca000.
Sep 9 09:57:08 gonzo kernel: eth0: 31 000ca000.
The speeds I am getting on the eepro100.c v1.091 were really slow
(900-1200Kbs) , but giving the vast amount of error messages I wasn't
surprised. I dropped back to the v1.06 version, and just got 7200Kbs
during a SMB (Samba) file trasfer from the Linux box. (but Netatalk speeds
are still pathetic, around 20-50Kbs from a 10Mbs iMac).
If I were to go out and buy a new 10/100 Mbs NIC for this Linux box, which
one should I get to avoid any of these problems? I had a 3Com 3c595
Vortex in this same box before, and it was acting flaky so I decided to
drop in the Intel NIC in its place. I have an onboard 3C905B in our other
Linux box (a Dual PIII-450 running 2.2.5-22-smp and Redhat 6.0), and
while I have heard bad things about these, once I forced 100Mbs-FD on it,
it works like a charm and has good transfer rates (6-9Mbs). Maybe I
should go back to a 3Com NIC in the PPro200? If so, which one?
Thanks much!!
-Brian
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Brian Bothwell brian@wisdomtools.com
System & Network Administrator http://www.wisdomtools.com
WisdomTools, Inc. 812-856-4200 #7
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