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I'm building a server which needs two ethernet ports on it. I have tried using both a DELL GX270 and a ThinkCentre (8171 WHB) and get the exact same result:
1. The computer (ether one) has a build in NIC (network card) and PCI slots.
2. When I put any 3Com card in the PCI slot (e.g, 3c905tx) it will show up in "lspci" (see below), but will never show a connection with mii-tool ("no link")
This isn't my first spin around the linux block, over the years I've build a number of servers like this ... in face one is operating in my basement. I've tried different NICs, different computers ... and Knoppix, Debian Lenny, and Ubuntu 10.0.4. I've tried modprobe 3c59x, rmmod 3c59x, then reinstalling. In the past I've used 3com cards because they are very linux friendly ... what am I missing here? Has something changed since my last server that I'm just not getting>
Could be a number of things going wrong, so more diagnosis is needed.
1) With only the built-in card installed, does that card work fine? You have a/the right driver for it, and it communicates ok?
2) If yes to #1, repeat for the second card: If possible, disable the built-in one via the BIOS, or if not possible, Install the second card, reboot, disable the built-in one by removing any kernel driver/module for it, shut down and restart the entire networking subsystem of the machine but only enable the second card. Now, does that card work and communicate fine? (Assuming you again have a correct driver for the card).
3) If after above, you have determined that each card works fine alone, and that the problem only happens when both cards are installed and have drivers inserted, I suggest three possibilities:
3-a) Whichever card is not working is defective.
3-b) Both devices are being given IP addresses which are on the same subnet -- this won't work -- assign different subnets to each respective card and try again.
3-c) or finally, something more hard to diagnose -- some sort of slot/IRQ conflict between the two cards, which has been known to occur on a variety of different machines. Assigning IRQ lines (and ports maybe) to each card via the BIOS *might* help.
Any chance you have monitored kernel log or syslog while playing around with this setup? The logs can provide clues about what's going on (or not) when trying to diagnose this sort of thing.
Sahsa, Thanks for quick response. I have tried all that you said. Indeed the onboard works just fine. I have disabled the on-board card via the bios and also by removing its module: Still the 2nd card was not recognized. I have tried other cards (in fact the one I'm use is from a fresh decomissioned server where it operated just fine until a few days ago). I've also, as I mentioned, tried both a Dell and a ThinkCentre.
The cards at not being assigned the same ip, although the issue occurs before this: The lights on the card should be showing a signal (which it does not) and mii-tool and ethtool should show a link (which they do not). I have, though, assigned addresses just to see if mii-tool and ethtool where giving me false responses: They were not ... I could not ping, e.g., with the non-working card. Also, ethtool -p eth1 will not light up the card, but it will light up eth0. (BTW: This holds for whichever of the five network cards I put in!) I have look at the IRQs and there doesn't SEEM to be a conflict, but I admit to being on shaky ground when it comes to interrupts!
I'm at wits end: I've set up a number of these and never had a problem, esp with 3Com cards .... I was sure it was the Dell or the card and that when I sticked to the ThinkCentre and another card all would be fine ... no go.
Tell me what look info you would like and I can give it to you.
Not only must the cards each have a different IP address, but also a different subnet. Watch:
card1= 192.168.2.6
card2= 192.168.2.7
Above, they are different IP's, but the same subnet (the mask would be 255.255.255.0 or in other words, the 2 is the same for both addresses)
Now look:
card1= 192.168.2.6
card2= 192.168.3.7
Notice I have put the second card on subnet 3 instead of 2, or in other words, the mask would be 255.255.0.0
So, please verify that you indeed have each card on its own subnet as well as (which it obviously will ) having a different IP.
I don't have any 3Com cards, so I can't give direct-experience sort of help with this specific make, but in my server here which has had 2 and 3 NIC's in it, I banged my head for a week or so before figuring out the subnet thing; the symptoms were similar to yours -- I could use one card, or the other, alone, but with more than one in the machine, one or more played dead! For the record, my server has Tulip-based NIC cards which work great.
And, as I said, I have no direct experience with 3Com, so I leave it to you to make sure you do have the right driver for your 3Com, and that the card works with the driver, and is not physically defective.
Plus -- remember to monitor the logs while fiddling around. A good way is to open two terminals, and use the `tail -f` command to follow each of kernel log and syslog; meanwhile, use a third terminal for your NIC fiddling.
Again thx for the prompt reply. I don't wish to comment on the subnet issue, but bear in mind that the error is happening at a lower level than card configuration. mii-tool will show whether the card is active and seeing ethernet signal regardless of whether it configured in /etc/network/interfaces. The key issue here is this: lspci sees the card, but mii-tool reports no signal. The error is happening well before the cards need to be configured. (For the record I did configure the cards correctly and it makes no difference ...)
In regards to cards: I tried five cards, and also two computers ... perhaps all the cards are dead, and perhaps the PCI slots in both computers are dead ... I suspect there is something else ... but will try a 3rd computer and a six card.
I'm intrigued; you've tried a lot of cards & computers, so definitely something subtle and elusive going on. Sorry I wasn't able to help, but please do let us know how this progresses!
Just for the record I got a SECOND ThinkCentre S51 and a ANOTHER 3com network card: It is behaving as before: lspci sees it fine; mii-tool doesn't detect signal from the cable (which works fine in the onboard adapter); ethtool has a fit with ethtool -p eth1 (this blinks the adapter, pretty handy trick when it works!)
Another thought: The build in controller is gigabit - Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM5705_2 Gigabit Ethernet. The manual for the S51 ThinkCentre lists an optional Intel Pro/1000T (22P6509) Network Adapter ... the 3Com cards I'm using are 100T max ... is it possible that I need to use the Intel 1000T card and not older 3Com ones?
on line 400, your card is supported. So I am going to say that the card is bad. If the link and activity lights are not coming on, that is usually a sign of a hardware problem. Can you put the card from the working server in the problematic box?
I was lead to the same conclusion so I kept changing 3Com 3c905 cards - some B, some C, etc, but all based on 3c905 - even using a previous working one ... I tried it in three computers (DELL, and two ThinkCentre S51s). When I dig up some old 3com documentation it seems that these cards should use module 3c905x and not 3c59x ... the former isn't in Knoppix or Lenny or Ubuntu Lucid, the latter is. I ordered an Intel Pro 1000T to see if a new card will work. I may well just be using out-dated equipment ....
Resolved: Indeed the newer version of linux didn't like my older network cards; I ordered an Intel Pro 1000T (as recommended by the ThinkCentre manual) and it worked fine out of the box - green lights when active ethernet cables plugged in. Thanks to all for help.
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) having a different IP.
