[vortex] Problems with 3Com NIC, strange messages into the syslog.

[Docume]

Hi all,

Here is the copy of the text of the syslog:

Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: eth3: Transmit error, Tx status register 82.
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: Probably a duplex mismatch. See Documentation/networking/vortex.txt
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: Flags; bus-master 1, dirty 974653(13) current 974653(13)
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: Transmit list 00000000 vs. c712e540.
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 0: @c712e200 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 1: @c712e240 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 2: @c712e280 length 8000003e status 0001003e
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 3: @c712e2c0 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 4: @c712e300 length 80000042 status 00010042
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 5: @c712e340 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 6: @c712e380 length 8000009a status 0001009a
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 7: @c712e3c0 length 80000092 status 00010092
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 8: @c712e400 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 9: @c712e440 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 10: @c712e480 length 8000010 status 00010109
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 11: @c712e4c0 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 12: @c712e500 length 800005ea status 800105ea
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 13: @c712e540 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 14: @c712e580 length 80000036 status 00010036
Jan 21 17:51:33 fw-inet1 kernel: 15: @c712e5c0 length 80000109 status 00010109

Here is some information about that NIC:

# mii-tool eth3 -v
eth3: no autonegotiation, 10baseT-HD, link ok
product info: vendor 00:00:00, model 0 rev 0
basic mode: autonegotiation enabled
basic status: autonegotiation complete, link ok
capabilities: 100baseTx-FD 100baseTx-HD 10baseT-FD 10baseT-HD
advertising: 100baseTx-FD 100baseTx-HD 10baseT-FD 10baseT-HD
link partner: 10baseT-HD

# mii-diag eth3 -v
mii-diag.c:v2.00 4/19/2000 Donald Becker (becker@s...)
http://www.scyld.com/diag/index.html
MII PHY #24 transceiver registers:
3000 786d 0000 0000 01e1 0020 0014 2001
0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
0000 0fcf 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).
MII PHY #24 transceiver registers:
3000 786d 0000 0000 01e1 0020 0014 2001
0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
0000 0008 0810 0000 0000 0005 2001 0000
0000 2040 07cf 1c11 0011 1000 0000 0000.
Basic mode control register 0x3000: Auto-negotiation enabled.
Basic mode status register 0x786d ... 786d.
Link status: established.
Capable of 100baseTx-FD 100baseTx 10baseT-FD 10baseT.
Able to perform Auto-negotiation, negotiation complete.
This transceiver has no vendor identification.
I'm advertising 01e1: 100baseTx-FD 100baseTx 10baseT-FD 10baseT
Advertising no additional info pages.
IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD protocol.
Link partner capability is 0020: 10baseT.
Negotiation did not complete.

It is connected to a Cisco ethernet port, the configuration of that port 
is:

interface Ethernet0/0
ip address 10.1.2.254 255.255.255.0
no ip mroute-cache
full-duplex
no cdp enable


It is strange because the cisco's ethernet port is running using 
'full-duplex' but 3Com nic reports Half-duplex and 'Negotiation did not 
complete.'

why?
what is wrong?
Should I replace the NIC?

Thanks in advanced.