[eepro100] Re: Problem on Intel Pro/100 751767-004 adapter

[thhsieh@linux.org.tw]

: > However, we suddently found
: > that its performance behaves very strange. For example, if we use
: > ftp to transfer a file with size 50MB in the full duplex mode, we found
: > that to get such a file the transfering rate is only around 36-40 KB/s,
: > and to send such a file the transfering rate is around 8300 KB/s.
: 
: Typical duplex mismatch.
: 
: > If we tune off the full duplex mode, both to get and send the file have
: 
: Why were you forcing full duplex?

Because we are setting up a cluster to do the parallel computing.
With our perious experiences, the Intel's PRO/100 adapter has good
performance and cheap enough, so we decide to buy them. At that
time we also use forced full duplex, and everything seems work fine.

However, this model seems have problems, and we cannot find the
previous models to buy.

: Check for errors in /proc/net/dev.

Seems no error here. In forced full duplex mode, after getting and
sending a 50MB file, the result is

Inter-|   Receive                                                
 face |bytes    packets errs drop fifo frame compressed multicast
    lo:     420       6    0    0    0     0          0         0
  eth0:53900558   53746    0    0    0 13905          0         0

Inter-|   Transmit
 face |bytes    packets errs drop fifo colls carrier compressed
    lo:     420       6    0    0    0     0       0          0
  eth0:55308225   70386    0    0    0     0       0          0

: Why are you forcing the speed and duplex?  The driver works best with
: the default setting -- autonegotation.

OK, I tested with the default mode (without applying any options):

eepro100.c:v1.09j-t 9/29/99 Donald Becker http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/eepro100.html
eepro100.c: $Revision: 1.36 $ 2000/11/17 Modified by Andrey V. Savochkin <saw@saw.sw.com.sg> and others
PCI: Found IRQ 10 for device 00:0a.0
eth0: Intel Corporation 82557 [Ethernet Pro 100], 00:02:B3:48:78:26, IRQ 10.
  Board assembly 751767-004, Physical connectors present: RJ45
  Primary interface chip i82555 PHY #1.
    Secondary interface chip i82555.
  General self-test: passed.
  Serial sub-system self-test: passed.
  Internal registers self-test: passed.
  ROM checksum self-test: passed (0x3258698e).

The result is the same: getting files with speed only 33.7 KB/s, and sending
files with speed 8318.0 KB/s. The /proc/net/dev is:

Inter-|   Receive                                                
 face |bytes    packets errs drop fifo frame compressed multicast
    lo:     420       6    0    0    0     0          0         0
  eth0:53899595   53687    0    0    0     0          0         0

Inter-|   Transmit
 face |bytes    packets errs drop fifo colls carrier compressed
    lo:     420       6    0    0    0     0       0          0
  eth0:55307415   70347    0    0    0     0       0          0


I think that, this card should have the performance of 100 Mbs
and full duplex. But such a strange performance reveals that there
might be something wrong.

BTW. I also tested the driver from Intel:

http://appsr.intel.com/scripts-df/Detail_Desc.asp?ProductID=61&DwnldID=2896

This driver works very well for me. The result is:

Getting file with speed: 11503.2 KB/s, Sending file with speed 11511.0 KB/s.

Inter-|   Receive                                                
 face |bytes    packets errs drop fifo frame compressed multicast
    lo:     420       6    0    0    0     0          0         0
  eth0:53078738   52647    0    0    0     0          0         0

Inter-|   Transmit
 face |bytes    packets errs drop fifo colls carrier compressed
    lo:     420       6    0    0    0     0       0          0
  eth0:53812511   52622    0    0    0     0       0          0

Although I could just use this driver without boring you. But I think
that it is cool if we could improve the native driver in Linux kernel
to work as good as the driver provided by the vander. :-)))


Best Regards,

T.H.Hsieh