[plug] Network card works yesterday, not today

[Cameron Patrick]

Onno Benschop wrote:

| > | I've been banging my head against this rather weird problem for a
| > | while now with little success.
| 
| Have you tried going into the BIOS and resetting the data - I forget
| what it's called, something like "parameter data" - like the PRAM on a
| Mac :-)

I looked for that option but couldn't find it.  (Normally it's "Reset
ESCD area" or something like that, but it doesn't seem to be there on
this machine.)  *sigh*

James Devenish wrote:

| As for 'link detected'...does it still say that if you unplug the
| cable?

Yes, it thinks there's a link regardless of whether there actually is
with the 2.4.26 kernel.  With a 2.6.6 kernel it says "Link detected:
no" in either state.

| What if you've got a crossover cable and it doesn't detect the mistake
| unless using Windows or something (actually, I would have thought all
| the autodetection would have been done in hardware and therefore not
| dependent on the software driver, except if you are forcing manual
| configuration).

I'm not using a crossover cable.  I don't think the adapter can do
auto-un-crossover-ing (it's not a Mac you know :-P). Everything works
under Windows.

| It's a shame that the driver seems to make so little information
| available.

Yes.  The information below comes from Dad's laptop's interpretation
when plugged into the same end of the same network cable.  Dunno if
it's remotely useful.

Settings for eth0:
        Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Speed: 100Mb/s
        Duplex: Full
        Port: Twisted Pair
        PHYAD: 15
        Transceiver: internal
        Auto-negotiation: on
        Supports Wake-on: pumbags
        Wake-on: ub
        SecureOn password: 00:00:00:00:00:00
        Current message level: 0x000040c5 (16581)
        Link detected: yes

| I'm guessing the switch is not one from which you can readily obtain
| information about /its/ interpretation of status?

Nope.  Generic cheapo switch that Just Works without any funky
management stuff.

Cameron.