[vortex] frame errors under 2.4.18 with 3c900B

[syn]

Hello all,

I have a 3c900B which has worked fine in windows for years with no frame
errors at all. I recently installed the NIC under mandrake linux with the
following variations in driver/kernels:

default mandrake kernel with 3c59x as a module
2.4.18 compiled from source kernel with 3c59x as both kernel and module
2.4.18 compiled from source kernel with 3c59x in kernel

All give me the same problem.. frame errors. While the number of errors is
low, it does cause a problem with I am uploading and downloading at the same
time. (It kills my download speeds).

my 3c900 connects to my ADSL RTU and the 8139 I have in the box connects to
my LAN subnet.

The 8139 in this box and that seems to work fine with no errors of any kind.

An example:

          RX packets:167472 errors:1165 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:1165
          TX packets:115634 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

They are also showing up under /proc/net/dev

I have tried the most recent testing driver as a module as well with no
difference in results. Since the nic works fine with no errors under windows
there must be a driver or resource problem under linux. I wouldn't care
except for the fact that I can no longer get acceptable performance out of
my connection while uploading and downloading at the same time. While my
upload speed remains great the download speeds will suffer hugely as soon as
I start sending data.

If you need more info please let me know and I would be happy to provide.

here's some info that you may or may not want:

lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 3112
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device b112
00:07.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super South]
(rev 40)
00:07.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:07.4 Bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI] (rev 40)
00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139 (rev
10)
00:0c.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c900B-TPO [Etherlink XL TPO]
(rev 04)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1

lspci -v:
00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139 (rev
10)
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RT8139
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 10
        I/O ports at dc00 [size=256]
        Memory at e4400000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=64K]

00:0c.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c900B-TPO [Etherlink XL TPO]
(rev 04)
        Subsystem: 3Com Corporation 3C900B-TPO Etherlink XL TPO 10Mb
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
        I/O ports at e000 [size=128]
        Memory at e4401000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=128K]
        Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 1

mii-tool:
eth1: 10 Mbit, full duplex, link ok
  product info: vendor 00:00:00, model 0 rev 0
  basic mode:   10 Mbit, full duplex
  basic status: link ok
  capabilities: 10baseT-FD 10baseT-HD
  advertising:  10baseT-FD
  link partner: 10baseT-HD

no kernel errors or warnings.

p.s. I have tried with and without the 8139 present and it makes no
difference