[vortex] Slow thoughput / failed downloading large files from win hosts using linux 2.2.18/3c59x.c

[lmonin@metaconcept.com]

Thanx for your comments.
Here are some precisions :

On 21 Fév, Bogdan Costescu wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Feb 2001 lmonin@metaconcept.com wrote:
> 
>> 	i've got very slow transfer rate, and downloading files with large sizes ( > 50Mbytes) it often failed
>> 	with network errors ( sometimes tx82 errors are produced ).
> 
>>From http://www.scyld.com/network/vortex.html:
> 
> 0x82
> 	Out of window collision. This typically occurs when some other
> 	Ethernet host is incorrectly set to full duplex on a half duplex
> 	network.

I tried to change duplex settings via hardware config ( with dos utilities provided by 3com) or via
3c95x module options without any success

> 
> You probably have a duplex mismatch between your card and your hub/switch.
> 
>> 	Searching mail archives i found an old patch solving this problem ( it works here ), but i need
>> 	to apply it to all new kernels.
> 
> I don't quite see how this patch and the duplex mismatch play together, it
> probably only hides the real problem.

this patch get it to work great ;) but i'm agree with you : where is the real problem ...
Why has this patch a positive impact ??
 
> 
>>  Transceiver/media interfaces available:  100baseTx 10baseT.
>> Transceiver type in use:  Autonegotiate.
>>  MAC settings: half-duplex.
> 
> Can you download mii-diag and run it with 'mii-diag -v' ?
This is the result :

mii-diag.c:v2.00 4/19/2000  Donald Becker (becker@scyld.com)
 http://www.scyld.com/diag/index.html
Using the default interface 'eth0'.
 MII PHY #24 transceiver registers:
   3000 786d 0000 0000 01e1 0020 0004 2001
   0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
   0000 0ecf 1fdd 0000 0000 0005 2001 0000
   0000 2040 07cf 1c11 0011 1000 0000 0000.
 Basic mode control register 0x3000: Auto-negotiation enabled.
 You have link beat, and everything is working OK.
   This transceiver is capable of  100baseTx-FD 100baseTx 10baseT-FD 10baseT.
   Able to perform Auto-negotiation, negotiation complete.
 Your link partner is generating 10baseT link beat  (no autonegotiation).


Note than i obtain exactly the same output with or without the patch 

> 
>> 	Is it a configuration problem ( and is there a mean to get it to works without patch ) ?
> 
> My guess is that you somehow force duplex settings either on the card or
> on the switch (if it's a switch) or the autonegotiation fails for some
> reason.

I'm using a 10baseTx 8 ports hub EtherPRIME EP-1008m
no configuration is possible.
Note that i've done some tests with another hub ( doesnt remember reference ) many months ago, without better results

> 
>> 	Is anybody having the same or similar problem ?
> 
> If you don't specify details about your hub/switch and how is everything
> configured, any comparison is meaningless.

Very simple configuration :

3c905B_linux_2.2.18-----HUB-------first_ne2000pci_win98
                         |--------second_ne2000pci_win98

There's no known problem between win98 machines (oops only one : window$ ;) ).



Laurent MONIN