FreeBSD 4.11 router problems using Compaq NC3131

[jshamlet at comcast.net]

> [Please wrap your mail before 80 columns]
> 
> On Tue, 2005-Mar-08 21:45:02 +0000, jshamlet at comcast.net wrote:
> >The problem is that packets seem to "hiccup" all the time. The actual
> >data rate is fine, but the packet stream will "pause" for nearly a
> >second, then continue.
> 
> I presume you've checked that there's not a half/full duplex mismatch.
> Is netstat reporting any network errors?
> 
> >FYI - I attempted to run 5.3-REL, and the problem appears to go
> >away. I would be tempted to just run 5.3, except that I have had
> >stability problems with it, even after turning ACPI support off.
> 
> You could look at the differences between the fxp driver in 4.11 and
> 5.3.  You might be able to back-port the changes.
> 
> Rather than try to fix 4.11, I'd suggest that you look at fixing 5.3.
> Whilst 4.11 is still supported, you will probably find more people
> interested in fixing stability problems in 5.x.  Have you tried using
> -STABLE (5.4-PRERELEASE)?
> 
> -- 
> Peter Jeremy

Peter,
There shouldn't be any problems with full/half duplex on this network. The board worked fine under 5.3-REL, and the switch (a Dlink DES-3624) works great with even marginal boards. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check netstat on this system. I didn't even think about it - partly due to my wife grumbling about the phone not working... (we use vonage)

So, I decided to go ahead and pull the board, and just live with the rl interface for now. It "works", and given how much my wife talks on the phone, I'm not sure I can afford the downtime ;) That said, the router "feels" slower. It could be the lower speed processor (850/100MHz PIII vs a 1.2G/133MHz PIII), but this router was never CPU bound (load average never budged from 0, unless I was compiling new packages). 

That said, I can drop the board in the old router chassis, and check out the netstat info; but you are probably right about the legacy support. I'll install 5.3, and cvsup to 5.4 on the old machine, and give it another go. I was just so surprised at seeing kernel panics (after having gone for several years without seeing one) that I  probably over-reacted.

 Argh - I'll be glad when the 5.x line settles down. I remember 4.0 - ~4.4 not being terribly stable either at the time, but 4.8 through 4.11 have been incredible. Other than power failures and upgrades, I haven't had any service outages on these systems. Very nice :)

Thanks,
Seth Henry


> [Please wrap your mail before 80 columns]
> 
> On Tue, 2005-Mar-08 21:45:02 +0000, jshamlet at comcast.net wrote:
> >The problem is that packets seem to "hiccup" all the time. The actual
> >data rate is fine, but the packet stream will "pause" for nearly a
> >second, then continue.
> 
> I presume you've checked that there's not a half/full duplex mismatch.
> Is netstat reporting any network errors?
> 
> >FYI - I attempted to run 5.3-REL, and the problem appears to go
> >away. I would be tempted to just run 5.3, except that I have had
> >stability problems with it, even after turning ACPI support off.
> 
> You could look at the differences between the fxp driver in 4.11 and
> 5.3.  You might be able to back-port the changes.
> 
> Rather than try to fix 4.11, I'd suggest that you look at fixing 5.3.
> Whilst 4.11 is still supported, you will probably find more people
> interested in fixing stability problems in 5.x.  Have you tried using
> -STABLE (5.4-PRERELEASE)?
> 
> -- 
> Peter Jeremy