[255] in linux-net channel archive
Re: 3C503 quits responding to network
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Andrew Howell)
Sat Apr 29 10:54:58 1995
From: andrew@kryten.it.com.au (Andrew Howell)
To: linux-net@vger.rutgers.edu, linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu
Date: Sat, 29 Apr 1995 21:57:27 +0800 (WST)
In-Reply-To: <9504280804.AA02426@sys3.pe1chl.ampr.org> from "Rob Janssen reading Linux mailinglist" at Apr 28, 95 10:04:30 am
> According to Gary Anderson:
> > Trying to troubleshoot a recently set up a 386/33 with Linux, kernel
> > 1.2.4 (and 1.2.6), along with Paul Gortmaker's NE2000/8390 patches against
> > 1.2.6, using a 3C503 for the interface. Problem is, and has been, that
> > periodically the machine stops responding to the net. The machine itself
> > doesn't lock up, it just goes deaf and won't even respond to pings. However,
> > if we walk over to the console, do something on it _outbound_ to the net
> > (e.g. - ping another machine) it begins responding to the net again.
> This is a problem not related to recent changes, it has been present for
> a long time. It looks like it is related to the speed of the machine.
> We have only seen it with an 8-bit 3c503 operating in a 386SX/20 machine.
> When the same card was plugged into a 486DX/33 it never happened.
> Indeed, fixes like you proposed (we have also used a continuous
> ping with a long interval) solve the problem, but aren't very clean...
> It looks like some timing problem. Probably something happens when the
> driver does not pay attention to a certain event quickly enough?
> Rob
It never used to happen when I was using my 3c503 with my 386dx40 isa
motherboard with 8 meg of RAM. But I've since upgraded to a vlb
motherboard with a amd 486dx2-80 chip, i've overclocked it to 100. But
I think the big problem might be the fact that I've only got 4 meg
of ram at the moment because the new motherboard only has 4 30 pin
simm sockets.
Anyway it's not just a 386 problem. I'm running a plain 1.2.6 kernel.
Andrew
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dehydration - 34%, Recollection of previous evening - 2%, embarrassment
factor - 91%. Advise repair schedule:- off line for 36 hours, re-boot
startup disk, and replace head - wow, what a night!
-- Kryten in Red Dwarf `The Last Day'
Andrew Howell andrew@it.com.au
Perth, Western Australia howellaa@cs.curtin.edu.au
