eepro100 frame errors with SMP

[gandalf]

>Langis, Richard wrote:
>> I'm no expert on anything, but I DO have a quad-processor system with one
>> Pro/100B and one Pro/100+, running kernel 2.2.0.  ifconfig shows no TX (or
>> RX, for that matter) errors.  cat /proc/pci shows latency at 128 for both
>> adapters. 
>
>It is especially the OTHER PCI devices that are interesting in this
>respect.
>
>I have the impression that some chipsets can get into a state where
>the CPU is banging on main-memory, that PCI busmasters don't get their
>bandwidth requirement. 

I once struggled with similar problems when using an eepro100 in an 2.2.x
SMP system.
I was getting heavy (>10%) packet loss on that interface, but I tracked the
problem down to be something between the eepro100 and that cheap
(Lantronix) 10mbit switch i was using... 
Attached to a 3com 10/100 switch, I wasn't getting any packet loss at all
with the eepro100.
This was definitely _not_ a speed-autosensing failure, I set the card
manually to all possible speeds / duplex values...

Another funny thing about this Lantronix "switch" was that it was causing
collisions as well (how on earth is that possible on a switch?)

I ended up upgrading that switch with a 3com 10/100mbit autosensing switch
and everything is working just fine.

gandalf