diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/networking/vortex.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/networking/vortex.txt | 450 |
1 files changed, 450 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/networking/vortex.txt b/Documentation/networking/vortex.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fa12a9e --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/networking/vortex.txt @@ -0,0 +1,450 @@ +Documentation/networking/vortex.txt +Andrew Morton <andrewm@uow.edu.au> +30 April 2000 + + +This document describes the usage and errata of the 3Com "Vortex" device +driver for Linux, 3c59x.c. + +The driver was written by Donald Becker <becker@scyld.com> + +Don is no longer the prime maintainer of this version of the driver. +Please report problems to one or more of: + + Andrew Morton <andrewm@uow.edu.au> + Netdev mailing list <netdev@oss.sgi.com> + Linux kernel mailing list <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org> + +Please note the 'Reporting and Diagnosing Problems' section at the end +of this file. + + +Since kernel 2.3.99-pre6, this driver incorporates the support for the +3c575-series Cardbus cards which used to be handled by 3c575_cb.c. + +This driver supports the following hardware: + + 3c590 Vortex 10Mbps + 3c592 EISA 10mbps Demon/Vortex + 3c597 EISA Fast Demon/Vortex + 3c595 Vortex 100baseTx + 3c595 Vortex 100baseT4 + 3c595 Vortex 100base-MII + 3Com Vortex + 3c900 Boomerang 10baseT + 3c900 Boomerang 10Mbps Combo + 3c900 Cyclone 10Mbps TPO + 3c900B Cyclone 10Mbps T + 3c900 Cyclone 10Mbps Combo + 3c900 Cyclone 10Mbps TPC + 3c900B-FL Cyclone 10base-FL + 3c905 Boomerang 100baseTx + 3c905 Boomerang 100baseT4 + 3c905B Cyclone 100baseTx + 3c905B Cyclone 10/100/BNC + 3c905B-FX Cyclone 100baseFx + 3c905C Tornado + 3c980 Cyclone + 3cSOHO100-TX Hurricane + 3c555 Laptop Hurricane + 3c575 Boomerang CardBus + 3CCFE575 Cyclone CardBus + 3CCFE575CT Cyclone CardBus + 3CCFE656 Cyclone CardBus + 3CCFEM656 Cyclone CardBus + 3c450 Cyclone/unknown + + +Module parameters +================= + +There are several parameters which may be provided to the driver when +its module is loaded. These are usually placed in /etc/modprobe.conf +(/etc/modules.conf in 2.4). Example: + +options 3c59x debug=3 rx_copybreak=300 + +If you are using the PCMCIA tools (cardmgr) then the options may be +placed in /etc/pcmcia/config.opts: + +module "3c59x" opts "debug=3 rx_copybreak=300" + + +The supported parameters are: + +debug=N + + Where N is a number from 0 to 7. Anything above 3 produces a lot + of output in your system logs. debug=1 is default. + +options=N1,N2,N3,... + + Each number in the list provides an option to the corresponding + network card. So if you have two 3c905's and you wish to provide + them with option 0x204 you would use: + + options=0x204,0x204 + + The individual options are composed of a number of bitfields which + have the following meanings: + + Possible media type settings + 0 10baseT + 1 10Mbs AUI + 2 undefined + 3 10base2 (BNC) + 4 100base-TX + 5 100base-FX + 6 MII (Media Independent Interface) + 7 Use default setting from EEPROM + 8 Autonegotiate + 9 External MII + 10 Use default setting from EEPROM + + When generating a value for the 'options' setting, the above media + selection values may be OR'ed (or added to) the following: + + 0x8000 Set driver debugging level to 7 + 0x4000 Set driver debugging level to 2 + 0x0400 Enable Wake-on-LAN + 0x0200 Force full duplex mode. + 0x0010 Bus-master enable bit (Old Vortex cards only) + + For example: + + insmod 3c59x options=0x204 + + will force full-duplex 100base-TX, rather than allowing the usual + autonegotiation. + +global_options=N + + Sets the `options' parameter for all 3c59x NICs in the machine. + Entries in the `options' array above will override any setting of + this. + +full_duplex=N1,N2,N3... + + Similar to bit 9 of 'options'. Forces the corresponding card into + full-duplex mode. Please use this in preference to the `options' + parameter. + + In fact, please don't use this at all! You're better off getting + autonegotiation working properly. + +global_full_duplex=N1 + + Sets full duplex mode for all 3c59x NICs in the machine. Entries + in the `full_duplex' array above will override any setting of this. + +flow_ctrl=N1,N2,N3... + + Use 802.3x MAC-layer flow control. The 3com cards only support the + PAUSE command, which means that they will stop sending packets for a + short period if they receive a PAUSE frame from the link partner. + + The driver only allows flow control on a link which is operating in + full duplex mode. + + This feature does not appear to work on the 3c905 - only 3c905B and + 3c905C have been tested. + + The 3com cards appear to only respond to PAUSE frames which are + sent to the reserved destination address of 01:80:c2:00:00:01. They + do not honour PAUSE frames which are sent to the station MAC address. + +rx_copybreak=M + + The driver preallocates 32 full-sized (1536 byte) network buffers + for receiving. When a packet arrives, the driver has to decide + whether to leave the packet in its full-sized buffer, or to allocate + a smaller buffer and copy the packet across into it. + + This is a speed/space tradeoff. + + The value of rx_copybreak is used to decide when to make the copy. + If the packet size is less than rx_copybreak, the packet is copied. + The default value for rx_copybreak is 200 bytes. + +max_interrupt_work=N + + The driver's interrupt service routine can handle many receive and + transmit packets in a single invocation. It does this in a loop. + The value of max_interrupt_work governs how mnay times the interrupt + service routine will loop. The default value is 32 loops. If this + is exceeded the interrupt service routine gives up and generates a + warning message "eth0: Too much work in interrupt". + +hw_checksums=N1,N2,N3,... + + Recent 3com NICs are able to generate IPv4, TCP and UDP checksums + in hardware. Linux has used the Rx checksumming for a long time. + The "zero copy" patch which is planned for the 2.4 kernel series + allows you to make use of the NIC's DMA scatter/gather and transmit + checksumming as well. + + The driver is set up so that, when the zerocopy patch is applied, + all Tornado and Cyclone devices will use S/G and Tx checksums. + + This module parameter has been provided so you can override this + decision. If you think that Tx checksums are causing a problem, you + may disable the feature with `hw_checksums=0'. + + If you think your NIC should be performing Tx checksumming and the + driver isn't enabling it, you can force the use of hardware Tx + checksumming with `hw_checksums=1'. + + The driver drops a message in the logfiles to indicate whether or + not it is using hardware scatter/gather and hardware Tx checksums. + + Scatter/gather and hardware checksums provide considerable + performance improvement for the sendfile() system call, but a small + decrease in throughput for send(). There is no effect upon receive + efficiency. + +compaq_ioaddr=N +compaq_irq=N +compaq_device_id=N + + "Variables to work-around the Compaq PCI BIOS32 problem".... + +watchdog=N + + Sets the time duration (in milliseconds) after which the kernel + decides that the transmitter has become stuck and needs to be reset. + This is mainly for debugging purposes, although it may be advantageous + to increase this value on LANs which have very high collision rates. + The default value is 5000 (5.0 seconds). + +enable_wol=N1,N2,N3,... + + Enable Wake-on-LAN support for the relevant interface. Donald + Becker's `ether-wake' application may be used to wake suspended + machines. + + Also enables the NIC's power management support. + +global_enable_wol=N + + Sets enable_wol mode for all 3c59x NICs in the machine. Entries in + the `enable_wol' array above will override any setting of this. + +Media selection +--------------- + +A number of the older NICs such as the 3c590 and 3c900 series have +10base2 and AUI interfaces. + +Prior to January, 2001 this driver would autoeselect the 10base2 or AUI +port if it didn't detect activity on the 10baseT port. It would then +get stuck on the 10base2 port and a driver reload was necessary to +switch back to 10baseT. This behaviour could not be prevented with a +module option override. + +Later (current) versions of the driver _do_ support locking of the +media type. So if you load the driver module with + + modprobe 3c59x options=0 + +it will permanently select the 10baseT port. Automatic selection of +other media types does not occur. + + +Transmit error, Tx status register 82 +------------------------------------- + +This is a common error which is almost always caused by another host on +the same network being in full-duplex mode, while this host is in +half-duplex mode. You need to find that other host and make it run in +half-duplex mode or fix this host to run in full-duplex mode. + +As a last resort, you can force the 3c59x driver into full-duplex mode +with + + options 3c59x full_duplex=1 + +but this has to be viewed as a workaround for broken network gear and +should only really be used for equipment which cannot autonegotiate. + + +Additional resources +-------------------- + +Details of the device driver implementation are at the top of the source file. + +Additional documentation is available at Don Becker's Linux Drivers site: + + http://www.scyld.com/network/vortex.html + +Donald Becker's driver development site: + + http://www.scyld.com/network + +Donald's vortex-diag program is useful for inspecting the NIC's state: + + http://www.scyld.com/diag/#pci-diags + +Donald's mii-diag program may be used for inspecting and manipulating +the NIC's Media Independent Interface subsystem: + + http://www.scyld.com/diag/#mii-diag + +Donald's wake-on-LAN page: + + http://www.scyld.com/expert/wake-on-lan.html + +3Com's documentation for many NICs, including the ones supported by +this driver is available at + + http://support.3com.com/partners/developer/developer_form.html + +3Com's DOS-based application for setting up the NICs EEPROMs: + + ftp://ftp.3com.com/pub/nic/3c90x/3c90xx2.exe + +Driver updates and a detailed changelog for the modifications which +were made for the 2.3/2,4 series kernel is available at + + http://www.uow.edu.au/~andrewm/linux/#3c59x-2.3 + + +Autonegotiation notes +--------------------- + + The driver uses a one-minute heartbeat for adapting to changes in + the external LAN environment. This means that when, for example, a + machine is unplugged from a hubbed 10baseT LAN plugged into a + switched 100baseT LAN, the throughput will be quite dreadful for up + to sixty seconds. Be patient. + + Cisco interoperability note from Walter Wong <wcw+@CMU.EDU>: + + On a side note, adding HAS_NWAY seems to share a problem with the + Cisco 6509 switch. Specifically, you need to change the spanning + tree parameter for the port the machine is plugged into to 'portfast' + mode. Otherwise, the negotiation fails. This has been an issue + we've noticed for a while but haven't had the time to track down. + + Cisco switches (Jeff Busch <jbusch@deja.com>) + + My "standard config" for ports to which PC's/servers connect directly: + + interface FastEthernet0/N + description machinename + load-interval 30 + spanning-tree portfast + + If autonegotiation is a problem, you may need to specify "speed + 100" and "duplex full" as well (or "speed 10" and "duplex half"). + + WARNING: DO NOT hook up hubs/switches/bridges to these + specially-configured ports! The switch will become very confused. + + +Reporting and diagnosing problems +--------------------------------- + +Maintainers find that accurate and complete problem reports are +invaluable in resolving driver problems. We are frequently not able to +reproduce problems and must rely on your patience and efforts to get to +the bottom of the problem. + +If you believe you have a driver problem here are some of the +steps you should take: + +- Is it really a driver problem? + + Eliminate some variables: try different cards, different + computers, different cables, different ports on the switch/hub, + different versions of the kernel or ofthe driver, etc. + +- OK, it's a driver problem. + + You need to generate a report. Typically this is an email to the + maintainer and/or linux-net@vger.kernel.org. The maintainer's + email address will be inthe driver source or in the MAINTAINERS file. + +- The contents of your report will vary a lot depending upon the + problem. If it's a kernel crash then you should refer to the + REPORTING-BUGS file. + + But for most problems it is useful to provide the following: + + o Kernel version, driver version + + o A copy of the banner message which the driver generates when + it is initialised. For example: + + eth0: 3Com PCI 3c905C Tornado at 0xa400, 00:50:da:6a:88:f0, IRQ 19 + 8K byte-wide RAM 5:3 Rx:Tx split, autoselect/Autonegotiate interface. + MII transceiver found at address 24, status 782d. + Enabling bus-master transmits and whole-frame receives. + + NOTE: You must provide the `debug=2' modprobe option to generate + a full detection message. Please do this: + + modprobe 3c59x debug=2 + + o If it is a PCI device, the relevant output from 'lspci -vx', eg: + + 00:09.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX [Fast Etherlink] (rev 74) + Subsystem: 3Com Corporation: Unknown device 9200 + Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 19 + I/O ports at a400 [size=128] + Memory at db000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128] + Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=128K] + Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2 + 00: b7 10 00 92 07 00 10 02 74 00 00 02 08 20 00 00 + 10: 01 a4 00 00 00 00 00 db 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 + 20: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 b7 10 00 10 + 30: 00 00 00 00 dc 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 01 0a 0a + + o A description of the environment: 10baseT? 100baseT? + full/half duplex? switched or hubbed? + + o Any additional module parameters which you may be providing to the driver. + + o Any kernel logs which are produced. The more the merrier. + If this is a large file and you are sending your report to a + mailing list, mention that you have the logfile, but don't send + it. If you're reporting direct to the maintainer then just send + it. + + To ensure that all kernel logs are available, add the + following line to /etc/syslog.conf: + + kern.* /var/log/messages + + Then restart syslogd with: + + /etc/rc.d/init.d/syslog restart + + (The above may vary, depending upon which Linux distribution you use). + + o If your problem is reproducible then that's great. Try the + following: + + 1) Increase the debug level. Usually this is done via: + + a) modprobe driver debug=7 + b) In /etc/modprobe.conf (or /etc/modules.conf for 2.4): + options driver debug=7 + + 2) Recreate the problem with the higher debug level, + send all logs to the maintainer. + + 3) Download you card's diagnostic tool from Donald + Backer's website http://www.scyld.com/diag. Download + mii-diag.c as well. Build these. + + a) Run 'vortex-diag -aaee' and 'mii-diag -v' when the card is + working correctly. Save the output. + + b) Run the above commands when the card is malfunctioning. Send + both sets of output. + +Finally, please be patient and be prepared to do some work. You may end up working on +this problem for a week or more as the maintainer asks more questions, asks for more +tests, asks for patches to be applied, etc. At the end of it all, the problem may even +remain unresolved. + |
