Commit | Line | Data |
---|---|---|
1da177e4 LT |
1 | Documentation/networking/vortex.txt |
2 | Andrew Morton <andrewm@uow.edu.au> | |
3 | 30 April 2000 | |
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | This document describes the usage and errata of the 3Com "Vortex" device | |
7 | driver for Linux, 3c59x.c. | |
8 | ||
9 | The driver was written by Donald Becker <becker@scyld.com> | |
10 | ||
11 | Don is no longer the prime maintainer of this version of the driver. | |
12 | Please report problems to one or more of: | |
13 | ||
14 | Andrew Morton <andrewm@uow.edu.au> | |
979b6c13 | 15 | Netdev mailing list <netdev@vger.kernel.org> |
1da177e4 LT |
16 | Linux kernel mailing list <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org> |
17 | ||
18 | Please note the 'Reporting and Diagnosing Problems' section at the end | |
19 | of this file. | |
20 | ||
21 | ||
22 | Since kernel 2.3.99-pre6, this driver incorporates the support for the | |
23 | 3c575-series Cardbus cards which used to be handled by 3c575_cb.c. | |
24 | ||
25 | This driver supports the following hardware: | |
26 | ||
27 | 3c590 Vortex 10Mbps | |
28 | 3c592 EISA 10mbps Demon/Vortex | |
29 | 3c597 EISA Fast Demon/Vortex | |
30 | 3c595 Vortex 100baseTx | |
31 | 3c595 Vortex 100baseT4 | |
32 | 3c595 Vortex 100base-MII | |
33 | 3Com Vortex | |
34 | 3c900 Boomerang 10baseT | |
35 | 3c900 Boomerang 10Mbps Combo | |
36 | 3c900 Cyclone 10Mbps TPO | |
37 | 3c900B Cyclone 10Mbps T | |
38 | 3c900 Cyclone 10Mbps Combo | |
39 | 3c900 Cyclone 10Mbps TPC | |
40 | 3c900B-FL Cyclone 10base-FL | |
41 | 3c905 Boomerang 100baseTx | |
42 | 3c905 Boomerang 100baseT4 | |
43 | 3c905B Cyclone 100baseTx | |
44 | 3c905B Cyclone 10/100/BNC | |
45 | 3c905B-FX Cyclone 100baseFx | |
46 | 3c905C Tornado | |
47 | 3c980 Cyclone | |
48 | 3cSOHO100-TX Hurricane | |
49 | 3c555 Laptop Hurricane | |
50 | 3c575 Boomerang CardBus | |
51 | 3CCFE575 Cyclone CardBus | |
52 | 3CCFE575CT Cyclone CardBus | |
53 | 3CCFE656 Cyclone CardBus | |
54 | 3CCFEM656 Cyclone CardBus | |
55 | 3c450 Cyclone/unknown | |
56 | ||
57 | ||
58 | Module parameters | |
59 | ================= | |
60 | ||
61 | There are several parameters which may be provided to the driver when | |
62 | its module is loaded. These are usually placed in /etc/modprobe.conf | |
63 | (/etc/modules.conf in 2.4). Example: | |
64 | ||
65 | options 3c59x debug=3 rx_copybreak=300 | |
66 | ||
67 | If you are using the PCMCIA tools (cardmgr) then the options may be | |
68 | placed in /etc/pcmcia/config.opts: | |
69 | ||
70 | module "3c59x" opts "debug=3 rx_copybreak=300" | |
71 | ||
72 | ||
73 | The supported parameters are: | |
74 | ||
75 | debug=N | |
76 | ||
77 | Where N is a number from 0 to 7. Anything above 3 produces a lot | |
78 | of output in your system logs. debug=1 is default. | |
79 | ||
80 | options=N1,N2,N3,... | |
81 | ||
82 | Each number in the list provides an option to the corresponding | |
83 | network card. So if you have two 3c905's and you wish to provide | |
84 | them with option 0x204 you would use: | |
85 | ||
86 | options=0x204,0x204 | |
87 | ||
88 | The individual options are composed of a number of bitfields which | |
89 | have the following meanings: | |
90 | ||
91 | Possible media type settings | |
92 | 0 10baseT | |
93 | 1 10Mbs AUI | |
94 | 2 undefined | |
95 | 3 10base2 (BNC) | |
96 | 4 100base-TX | |
97 | 5 100base-FX | |
98 | 6 MII (Media Independent Interface) | |
99 | 7 Use default setting from EEPROM | |
100 | 8 Autonegotiate | |
101 | 9 External MII | |
102 | 10 Use default setting from EEPROM | |
103 | ||
104 | When generating a value for the 'options' setting, the above media | |
105 | selection values may be OR'ed (or added to) the following: | |
106 | ||
107 | 0x8000 Set driver debugging level to 7 | |
108 | 0x4000 Set driver debugging level to 2 | |
109 | 0x0400 Enable Wake-on-LAN | |
110 | 0x0200 Force full duplex mode. | |
111 | 0x0010 Bus-master enable bit (Old Vortex cards only) | |
112 | ||
113 | For example: | |
114 | ||
115 | insmod 3c59x options=0x204 | |
116 | ||
117 | will force full-duplex 100base-TX, rather than allowing the usual | |
118 | autonegotiation. | |
119 | ||
120 | global_options=N | |
121 | ||
122 | Sets the `options' parameter for all 3c59x NICs in the machine. | |
123 | Entries in the `options' array above will override any setting of | |
124 | this. | |
125 | ||
126 | full_duplex=N1,N2,N3... | |
127 | ||
128 | Similar to bit 9 of 'options'. Forces the corresponding card into | |
129 | full-duplex mode. Please use this in preference to the `options' | |
130 | parameter. | |
131 | ||
132 | In fact, please don't use this at all! You're better off getting | |
133 | autonegotiation working properly. | |
134 | ||
135 | global_full_duplex=N1 | |
136 | ||
137 | Sets full duplex mode for all 3c59x NICs in the machine. Entries | |
138 | in the `full_duplex' array above will override any setting of this. | |
139 | ||
140 | flow_ctrl=N1,N2,N3... | |
141 | ||
142 | Use 802.3x MAC-layer flow control. The 3com cards only support the | |
143 | PAUSE command, which means that they will stop sending packets for a | |
144 | short period if they receive a PAUSE frame from the link partner. | |
145 | ||
146 | The driver only allows flow control on a link which is operating in | |
147 | full duplex mode. | |
148 | ||
149 | This feature does not appear to work on the 3c905 - only 3c905B and | |
150 | 3c905C have been tested. | |
151 | ||
152 | The 3com cards appear to only respond to PAUSE frames which are | |
153 | sent to the reserved destination address of 01:80:c2:00:00:01. They | |
154 | do not honour PAUSE frames which are sent to the station MAC address. | |
155 | ||
156 | rx_copybreak=M | |
157 | ||
158 | The driver preallocates 32 full-sized (1536 byte) network buffers | |
159 | for receiving. When a packet arrives, the driver has to decide | |
160 | whether to leave the packet in its full-sized buffer, or to allocate | |
161 | a smaller buffer and copy the packet across into it. | |
162 | ||
163 | This is a speed/space tradeoff. | |
164 | ||
165 | The value of rx_copybreak is used to decide when to make the copy. | |
166 | If the packet size is less than rx_copybreak, the packet is copied. | |
167 | The default value for rx_copybreak is 200 bytes. | |
168 | ||
169 | max_interrupt_work=N | |
170 | ||
171 | The driver's interrupt service routine can handle many receive and | |
172 | transmit packets in a single invocation. It does this in a loop. | |
173 | The value of max_interrupt_work governs how mnay times the interrupt | |
174 | service routine will loop. The default value is 32 loops. If this | |
175 | is exceeded the interrupt service routine gives up and generates a | |
176 | warning message "eth0: Too much work in interrupt". | |
177 | ||
178 | hw_checksums=N1,N2,N3,... | |
179 | ||
180 | Recent 3com NICs are able to generate IPv4, TCP and UDP checksums | |
181 | in hardware. Linux has used the Rx checksumming for a long time. | |
182 | The "zero copy" patch which is planned for the 2.4 kernel series | |
183 | allows you to make use of the NIC's DMA scatter/gather and transmit | |
184 | checksumming as well. | |
185 | ||
186 | The driver is set up so that, when the zerocopy patch is applied, | |
187 | all Tornado and Cyclone devices will use S/G and Tx checksums. | |
188 | ||
189 | This module parameter has been provided so you can override this | |
190 | decision. If you think that Tx checksums are causing a problem, you | |
191 | may disable the feature with `hw_checksums=0'. | |
192 | ||
193 | If you think your NIC should be performing Tx checksumming and the | |
194 | driver isn't enabling it, you can force the use of hardware Tx | |
195 | checksumming with `hw_checksums=1'. | |
196 | ||
197 | The driver drops a message in the logfiles to indicate whether or | |
198 | not it is using hardware scatter/gather and hardware Tx checksums. | |
199 | ||
200 | Scatter/gather and hardware checksums provide considerable | |
201 | performance improvement for the sendfile() system call, but a small | |
202 | decrease in throughput for send(). There is no effect upon receive | |
203 | efficiency. | |
204 | ||
205 | compaq_ioaddr=N | |
206 | compaq_irq=N | |
207 | compaq_device_id=N | |
208 | ||
209 | "Variables to work-around the Compaq PCI BIOS32 problem".... | |
210 | ||
211 | watchdog=N | |
212 | ||
213 | Sets the time duration (in milliseconds) after which the kernel | |
214 | decides that the transmitter has become stuck and needs to be reset. | |
215 | This is mainly for debugging purposes, although it may be advantageous | |
216 | to increase this value on LANs which have very high collision rates. | |
217 | The default value is 5000 (5.0 seconds). | |
218 | ||
219 | enable_wol=N1,N2,N3,... | |
220 | ||
221 | Enable Wake-on-LAN support for the relevant interface. Donald | |
222 | Becker's `ether-wake' application may be used to wake suspended | |
223 | machines. | |
224 | ||
225 | Also enables the NIC's power management support. | |
226 | ||
227 | global_enable_wol=N | |
228 | ||
229 | Sets enable_wol mode for all 3c59x NICs in the machine. Entries in | |
230 | the `enable_wol' array above will override any setting of this. | |
231 | ||
232 | Media selection | |
233 | --------------- | |
234 | ||
235 | A number of the older NICs such as the 3c590 and 3c900 series have | |
236 | 10base2 and AUI interfaces. | |
237 | ||
238 | Prior to January, 2001 this driver would autoeselect the 10base2 or AUI | |
239 | port if it didn't detect activity on the 10baseT port. It would then | |
240 | get stuck on the 10base2 port and a driver reload was necessary to | |
241 | switch back to 10baseT. This behaviour could not be prevented with a | |
242 | module option override. | |
243 | ||
244 | Later (current) versions of the driver _do_ support locking of the | |
245 | media type. So if you load the driver module with | |
246 | ||
247 | modprobe 3c59x options=0 | |
248 | ||
249 | it will permanently select the 10baseT port. Automatic selection of | |
250 | other media types does not occur. | |
251 | ||
252 | ||
253 | Transmit error, Tx status register 82 | |
254 | ------------------------------------- | |
255 | ||
256 | This is a common error which is almost always caused by another host on | |
257 | the same network being in full-duplex mode, while this host is in | |
258 | half-duplex mode. You need to find that other host and make it run in | |
259 | half-duplex mode or fix this host to run in full-duplex mode. | |
260 | ||
261 | As a last resort, you can force the 3c59x driver into full-duplex mode | |
262 | with | |
263 | ||
264 | options 3c59x full_duplex=1 | |
265 | ||
266 | but this has to be viewed as a workaround for broken network gear and | |
267 | should only really be used for equipment which cannot autonegotiate. | |
268 | ||
269 | ||
270 | Additional resources | |
271 | -------------------- | |
272 | ||
273 | Details of the device driver implementation are at the top of the source file. | |
274 | ||
275 | Additional documentation is available at Don Becker's Linux Drivers site: | |
276 | ||
277 | http://www.scyld.com/network/vortex.html | |
278 | ||
279 | Donald Becker's driver development site: | |
280 | ||
281 | http://www.scyld.com/network | |
282 | ||
283 | Donald's vortex-diag program is useful for inspecting the NIC's state: | |
284 | ||
285 | http://www.scyld.com/diag/#pci-diags | |
286 | ||
287 | Donald's mii-diag program may be used for inspecting and manipulating | |
288 | the NIC's Media Independent Interface subsystem: | |
289 | ||
290 | http://www.scyld.com/diag/#mii-diag | |
291 | ||
292 | Donald's wake-on-LAN page: | |
293 | ||
294 | http://www.scyld.com/expert/wake-on-lan.html | |
295 | ||
296 | 3Com's documentation for many NICs, including the ones supported by | |
297 | this driver is available at | |
298 | ||
299 | http://support.3com.com/partners/developer/developer_form.html | |
300 | ||
301 | 3Com's DOS-based application for setting up the NICs EEPROMs: | |
302 | ||
303 | ftp://ftp.3com.com/pub/nic/3c90x/3c90xx2.exe | |
304 | ||
305 | Driver updates and a detailed changelog for the modifications which | |
306 | were made for the 2.3/2,4 series kernel is available at | |
307 | ||
308 | http://www.uow.edu.au/~andrewm/linux/#3c59x-2.3 | |
309 | ||
310 | ||
311 | Autonegotiation notes | |
312 | --------------------- | |
313 | ||
314 | The driver uses a one-minute heartbeat for adapting to changes in | |
315 | the external LAN environment. This means that when, for example, a | |
316 | machine is unplugged from a hubbed 10baseT LAN plugged into a | |
317 | switched 100baseT LAN, the throughput will be quite dreadful for up | |
318 | to sixty seconds. Be patient. | |
319 | ||
320 | Cisco interoperability note from Walter Wong <wcw+@CMU.EDU>: | |
321 | ||
322 | On a side note, adding HAS_NWAY seems to share a problem with the | |
323 | Cisco 6509 switch. Specifically, you need to change the spanning | |
324 | tree parameter for the port the machine is plugged into to 'portfast' | |
325 | mode. Otherwise, the negotiation fails. This has been an issue | |
326 | we've noticed for a while but haven't had the time to track down. | |
327 | ||
328 | Cisco switches (Jeff Busch <jbusch@deja.com>) | |
329 | ||
330 | My "standard config" for ports to which PC's/servers connect directly: | |
331 | ||
332 | interface FastEthernet0/N | |
333 | description machinename | |
334 | load-interval 30 | |
335 | spanning-tree portfast | |
336 | ||
337 | If autonegotiation is a problem, you may need to specify "speed | |
338 | 100" and "duplex full" as well (or "speed 10" and "duplex half"). | |
339 | ||
340 | WARNING: DO NOT hook up hubs/switches/bridges to these | |
341 | specially-configured ports! The switch will become very confused. | |
342 | ||
343 | ||
344 | Reporting and diagnosing problems | |
345 | --------------------------------- | |
346 | ||
347 | Maintainers find that accurate and complete problem reports are | |
348 | invaluable in resolving driver problems. We are frequently not able to | |
349 | reproduce problems and must rely on your patience and efforts to get to | |
350 | the bottom of the problem. | |
351 | ||
352 | If you believe you have a driver problem here are some of the | |
353 | steps you should take: | |
354 | ||
355 | - Is it really a driver problem? | |
356 | ||
357 | Eliminate some variables: try different cards, different | |
358 | computers, different cables, different ports on the switch/hub, | |
359 | different versions of the kernel or ofthe driver, etc. | |
360 | ||
361 | - OK, it's a driver problem. | |
362 | ||
363 | You need to generate a report. Typically this is an email to the | |
364 | maintainer and/or linux-net@vger.kernel.org. The maintainer's | |
365 | email address will be inthe driver source or in the MAINTAINERS file. | |
366 | ||
367 | - The contents of your report will vary a lot depending upon the | |
368 | problem. If it's a kernel crash then you should refer to the | |
369 | REPORTING-BUGS file. | |
370 | ||
371 | But for most problems it is useful to provide the following: | |
372 | ||
373 | o Kernel version, driver version | |
374 | ||
375 | o A copy of the banner message which the driver generates when | |
376 | it is initialised. For example: | |
377 | ||
378 | eth0: 3Com PCI 3c905C Tornado at 0xa400, 00:50:da:6a:88:f0, IRQ 19 | |
379 | 8K byte-wide RAM 5:3 Rx:Tx split, autoselect/Autonegotiate interface. | |
380 | MII transceiver found at address 24, status 782d. | |
381 | Enabling bus-master transmits and whole-frame receives. | |
382 | ||
383 | NOTE: You must provide the `debug=2' modprobe option to generate | |
384 | a full detection message. Please do this: | |
385 | ||
386 | modprobe 3c59x debug=2 | |
387 | ||
388 | o If it is a PCI device, the relevant output from 'lspci -vx', eg: | |
389 | ||
390 | 00:09.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX [Fast Etherlink] (rev 74) | |
391 | Subsystem: 3Com Corporation: Unknown device 9200 | |
392 | Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 19 | |
393 | I/O ports at a400 [size=128] | |
394 | Memory at db000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128] | |
395 | Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=128K] | |
396 | Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2 | |
397 | 00: b7 10 00 92 07 00 10 02 74 00 00 02 08 20 00 00 | |
398 | 10: 01 a4 00 00 00 00 00 db 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 | |
399 | 20: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 b7 10 00 10 | |
400 | 30: 00 00 00 00 dc 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 01 0a 0a | |
401 | ||
402 | o A description of the environment: 10baseT? 100baseT? | |
403 | full/half duplex? switched or hubbed? | |
404 | ||
405 | o Any additional module parameters which you may be providing to the driver. | |
406 | ||
407 | o Any kernel logs which are produced. The more the merrier. | |
408 | If this is a large file and you are sending your report to a | |
409 | mailing list, mention that you have the logfile, but don't send | |
410 | it. If you're reporting direct to the maintainer then just send | |
411 | it. | |
412 | ||
413 | To ensure that all kernel logs are available, add the | |
414 | following line to /etc/syslog.conf: | |
415 | ||
416 | kern.* /var/log/messages | |
417 | ||
418 | Then restart syslogd with: | |
419 | ||
420 | /etc/rc.d/init.d/syslog restart | |
421 | ||
422 | (The above may vary, depending upon which Linux distribution you use). | |
423 | ||
424 | o If your problem is reproducible then that's great. Try the | |
425 | following: | |
426 | ||
427 | 1) Increase the debug level. Usually this is done via: | |
428 | ||
429 | a) modprobe driver debug=7 | |
430 | b) In /etc/modprobe.conf (or /etc/modules.conf for 2.4): | |
431 | options driver debug=7 | |
432 | ||
433 | 2) Recreate the problem with the higher debug level, | |
434 | send all logs to the maintainer. | |
435 | ||
436 | 3) Download you card's diagnostic tool from Donald | |
437 | Backer's website http://www.scyld.com/diag. Download | |
438 | mii-diag.c as well. Build these. | |
439 | ||
440 | a) Run 'vortex-diag -aaee' and 'mii-diag -v' when the card is | |
441 | working correctly. Save the output. | |
442 | ||
443 | b) Run the above commands when the card is malfunctioning. Send | |
444 | both sets of output. | |
445 | ||
446 | Finally, please be patient and be prepared to do some work. You may end up working on | |
447 | this problem for a week or more as the maintainer asks more questions, asks for more | |
448 | tests, asks for patches to be applied, etc. At the end of it all, the problem may even | |
449 | remain unresolved. | |
450 |