[Beds] Slow network operation on Mandrake/FreeBSD finally resolved

[Neil Darlow]

Hi All,

Those of you who have attended LUG meetings might recall me mentioning
slow network operations between my Mandrake-9.2 desktop and FreeBSD-4.9
server. Finally I have solved the problem.

Looking at the switch front-panel lights gave me a clue. They indicated that 
the attached VIA Rhine II NIC in my desktop system was operating at 10Mbps 
and Half-duplex.

The problem was caused by the MII_NOT_SUPPORTED variable in my ifcfg-eth0 
file. Under Mandrake-9.1 it was a yes/no switch but under Mandrake-9.2 it is 
just tested whether defined. The value "no" was causing ifplugd to be ignored 
when bringing-up eth0 - hence no autonegotiation of the link.

Removing MII_NOT_SUPPORTED and using mii-tool to restart negotiation and let 
the switch know the NIC's full capability has given me 100Mbs and Full-duplex 
indications on the switch front panel and mii-tool says:

eth0: negotiated 100baseTx-FD flow-control, link ok
  product info: vendor 00:40:63, model 50 rev 5
  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 flow-control
  link partner: 100baseTx-FD 100baseTx-HD 10baseT-FD 10baseT-HD flow-control

A result, I think :-)

Regards,
Neil Darlow M.Sc. - Beds LUGMaster
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