[CFT] alc(4) QAC AR816x/AR817x ethernet controller support

[Yonghyeon PYUN]

On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 10:20:31AM +0200, Nils Beyer wrote:
> Hi Yonghyeon,
> 
> Yonghyeon PYUN wrote:
> > I've added support for QAC AR816x/AR817x ethernet controllers.  It
> > passed my limited testing and I need more testers.  You can find
> > patches from the following URLs. [...]
> 
> My NIC (System: "Dell Inc. Vostro 3460"):
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> none2 at pci0:2:0:0: class=0x020000 card=0x05621028 chip=0x10911969 rev=0x10 hdr=0x00
>     vendor     = 'Atheros Communications Inc.'
>     device     = 'AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet'
>     class      = network
>     subclass   = ethernet
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I've successfully applied both of your patches to 10.1-BETA3 (r272295) sources
> and rebuilt the kernel.
> 

Thanks for testing and detailed report.

> Then I've connected a network cable and rebooted. I've got a link and performed
> an "iperf" test. The results are really good: around 930 Mbit/s TX and 840
> Mbit/s RX. CPU load during that test: "70.75% kernel{alc0 taskq}".
> 

Hmm, the RX performance number looks bad to me.  You have to see
more than 920Mbps.  Could you show me the output of "pciconf
-lcbv"?

> Then I've dis- and reconnected the network cable. Unfortunately, I cannot get a
> link anymore; it stays at: "status: no carrier" - tried "ifconfig down/up", re-
> connecting the network cable several times, but it stays down. After another
> reboot the link can be established again.
> 
> That doesn't always happen. Sometimes I easily get a link again, sometimes not
> and I need to reboot.
> 

I thought I verified link lost condition before requesting test.
After reading your mail, I was successfully reproduce it with
engineering sample board.  It seems when link lost time lasts long
enough alc(4) fails to re-establish a link.  I don't have idea how
to address that at this moment but I'll let you know if I manage to
find a clue.

> If you need any further information or debugging, please let me know. For now,
> I'm using "if_alc" as an unloadable module - in case the NIC stalls for some
> reason; and am quite happy about being able to use that NIC now.
> 
> Thanks for having added support for these NICs.
> 
> 
> Because I'm not using CURRENT, I've replied to the "net" mailing list. I hope,
> it is okay for you...
> 

That's ok.