3x Netgear NICs refuse to run at gigabit speed?

[FyreLance]

I have 3 Netgear GA302T 32-bit PCI Gigabit Ethernet adapters.

Some excerpts, directly from the box:

- Runs at 1000 mbps using standard Cat 5 networking cables
- Automatically detects speed, duplex, and crossover/uplink
- Designed for Pentium II/III or comparable PCs
- Automatically operates at 33MHz PCI bus speed


The machine I'm currently trying to run it on is a Pentium II 400.


Basically, the scenario is that one of my users at work had two of these Netgear adapters in two separate machines, connected with a crossover cable, running at 1000mbps. Everything worked fine for about a year. Then all of a sudden, he had no link between the two machines. No link light or anything. He also handed me another adapter (same type) which he had from a year prior which was doing the same thing. They ended up buying new ones, which were these two. They worked for a year or so and then stopped.

- If configured for auto, the cards do not function.
- - - This includes connected via crossover, or connecting to a gigabit switch.
- - - Have tried multiple known-good cables.
- If manually set to 100mpbs full duplex (NOT 1000), it will work. At 100mpbs.
- There is no selection to force it to 1000mpbs full duplex. Only 10 or 100.
- I duplicated the same problem in a completely different machine.
- The user replaced the cards with a different brand, working like a champ.


So do these cards just stop functioning at gigabit speeds after a year or so of use?? What gives?

 

[Hardlin]

I don't use any Netgear equipment (had bad experiences with their early switches), but I will bump this to keep it up top.

 

[Czar]

basic cat5 is only rated at 100mbps, you should use cat5e for 1gbps

 

[EndGame]

My guess without actually working with/seeing the systems/setup would be heat/lack of cat 5e or cat 6.............

 

[Thoreau]

You might try *not* using a crossover cable as well. Those NICs should be capable of auto MDI/MDIX and I have heard of a couple (albeit rare) instances where some friends could only get them to stay connected with a straight-through cable. Not guaranteed to work, but certainly worth a shot.

 

[FyreLance]

Originally posted by: Thoreau
You might try *not* using a crossover cable as well. Those NICs should be capable of auto MDI/MDIX and I have heard of a couple (albeit rare) instances where some friends could only get them to stay connected with a straight-through cable. Not guaranteed to work, but certainly worth a shot.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I have had the same luck with connecting with a straight-thru cable to a gigabit switch.

My guess without actually working with/seeing the systems/setup would be heat/lack of cat 5e or cat 6.............

However, there is NO selection to force 1000mbps at all. Only 10 / 100. And as I said, the user replaced the cards with a different brand, working like a champ. Using same cables.

Odd!

 

[spikespiegal]

However, there is NO selection to force 1000mbps at all

You are running Windows 2000 or XP, right?

Note that a PII 400 isn't capable of moving data faster than a 100meg NIC can handle unless you have one heck of a fast disk subsystem and aren't running Windows.

I disagree with the comments about Cat5e above. While I'd certainly stick with a long run of 5e for gigabit concerns, it doesn't make much of a difference for a short run.