[patch] re(4) problems on networks with disabled autonegotiation "solver" (WAS: Juniper e3k with ports limitied to...) -- REQUEST FOR REVIEW

[Marius Strobl]

On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 12:54:29PM +0300, Lev Serebryakov wrote:
> Hello, Marius.
> You wrote 13 ?????? 2011 ?., 1:59:07:
> 
> > Note that even the RealTek supplied driver always triggers an
> > auto-negotiation when manually setting the media though. However,
> > at the same time it also comes with tons of uncommented PHY fix-up
> > code which might be relevant for this or the previous issue.
>    One think I'm sure, that "mii-tool" on Linux helps now, and
> "ifconfig media / mediaopt" doesn't (without this patch & turned on
> option), so it seems, that Linux turn autonegotiation off when media
> is set manually.
>   And, yes, without manual setting media (with autonegatiotion) Linux
> has same problem -- half/full duplex mismatch.

I was talking about the driver RealTek provides on their homepage
for FreeBSD, not Linux.

> 
> > Unfortunately, I didn't get to checking whether the MAC versions
> > in question are amongst the ones that get patched so far.
> > In any case I don't think we can easily change this (default)
> > behavior after such a relatively long time as it would break POLA
> > for an unknown number of users, even if it probably shouldn't have
> > been made the default in the first place (but again on the other
>    It is why I do option in such way, that old users, for whom
> current implementation works, doesn't notice any difference -- rgephy
> works exactly the same way as usual untill you set option.
> 
>   And, yes, I think, that additional media option will be better, but
> it looks like major feature and not small patch :)
> 

That's no reason to not implement it properly :)

Marius