[1583] in linux-net channel archive
Very SLOW Ethernet., Intel EExpres cards :-(
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Chris Albertson)
Wed Jan 3 17:12:04 1996
From: chris@topdog.pas1.logicon.com (Chris Albertson)
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 96 19:16:57 PST
To: linux-net@vger.rutgers.edu
Cc: chris@topdog.pas1.logicon.com
Hello,
I have a very simple network - two PCs both running Linux 1.2.13
connected by ethernet coax cable. One is a 486/66 the other a P-100.
Problem is, things work about like if they were connected via a 1200
baud SLIP link rather then 10mb/sec Ethernet.
I have to assume my /etc files are configured corectly because
things _do_ work. Telnet, NFS, rlogin, FTP, X11 and ping all work
but are just slow. Under telnet I can type faster then the
characters echo even when both systems are otherwise idle.
NFS acts as if the connection were over a slow modem. It takes
five minutes to copy a 1.5 meg. file. Under Microsoft Windows
for Workgroups things work fine so I assume there is no hardware
problem.
I suspect the problem is with the driver for my Intel EtherExpress
16bit ISA cards. Both the 486/66 and Pentium 100mhz systems have
this card. The ethernet HOWTO talks breifly about this problem showing
up on fast systems but not on slower ones. I have used this card (and Kernel)
in a 386/25 to talk with a Sun IPX. This works so I beleive to combination
of a fast CPU and the current EtherExpress driver just doesn't work.
The easy fix would be to replace both ethernet cards. At $25.00 each
for mail-order clones this is not a big deal. I would however like to fix
the driver. Problem is I don't understand the hardware well enough.
Comments in the driver code basicaly warn that reading Intel's
documentation will not help. Has anyone else looked into this? If anyone
has some hints or suggestions I'm willing to try them out and post any
patches that work.
If I do have to buy some new cards does anyone know what gives the best bang/$
I'm thinking NE2000 clones are the best deal for Linux.
--Chris Albertson
chris@topdog.logicon.com Voice: 818-351-0089
Logicon RDA, Pasadena California Fax: 818-351-0699
