Autonegotiation endless loop

[Donald Becker]

On Fri, 22 Oct 1999, William Montgomery wrote:

> I am using Linux kernel version 2.0.37 with the tulip driver
> v0.91 dated 4/14/99.

You'll be seeing the following from me a lot in the future:

First, try the driver in the latest development kernel.  That version,
although old and unlikely to work, is the official version.  If it does not
work, send email to both Linus and to the linux-kernel@vger.rutger.edu
mailing list.

>  The CPU is a Pentium III 500MHz and uses
> the DEC21143-TB with a SYM-PHY (QS6611).  The EEPROM correctly
> reflects this configuration and things work fine at 10mbs.
> 
> The problem comes about when I connect to a 100mbs ethernet hub.
> The autonegotiation seems sucessful, then something happens to 
> cause a link status interrupt and the autonegotiation starts all
> over again, it loops forever in this manner.

Does this happen immediately, or only after a while?

> eth0: 21143 link status interrupt 41e1d2ce, CSR5 f0668010, fffbffff.
> eth0: Switching to 100baseTx-FD based on link partner advertisement 41e1.
> eth0: 21143 link status interrupt 41e1d2cd, CSR5 f8668000, fffbffff.
> eth0: 21143 100baseTx-FD link beat good.

That's good.

> eth0: 21143 link status interrupt 41e192cf, CSR5 f8668000, fffbffff.

OOHHHHhhh, you lost link beat.
What is the timestamp on these events?.

Donald Becker
Scyld Computing Corporation, and
USRA-CESDIS,   becker@cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov