Linux Networking Question

[Techwhore]

I've built a router/firewall out of an old machine (p100, 32 MB RAM), it's got two PCI Ovislink Ethernet adapters which use the Realtech 8029 chipset. This chipset supports 10/100 Mbps, but I'm only seeing 10 Mbps on all my intranet xfers.

The router/firewall is running a very trimmed and locked down version of Red Hat 7.1 which uses the 2.4.6 kernel. I don't know much about linux or kernel capabilities yet, but I would assume that it'd have 10/100 support.

To eliminate other possible factors, I'm using a Netgear FS105 10/100 5 port switch behind the router. I've used this switch in my old network and acheived speeds upwards of 100 Mbps. I have layed out Cat 5e and crimped it myself. That should make it pretty clear the hold up is in the adapters.

In my workstation, I'm using a 3com Fast Ethernet 10/100 and have acheived xfers upwards of 100 Mbps on my old network.

At least 1 of my other machines can only run at 10 Mbps, the other two may be capable of 100 Mbps. Leave those out of the equation though, because I'm talking about xfers between my workstation and the router. Even if every other machine can only do 10, those two can do 100 and should do it.

Like I said, I'm pretty new to linux, so please be clear as to what I should do.

I appreciate any help I can get, thank you so much.

 

[DaHitman]

What do the lights on the switch say?? Using 10 or 100?

 

[Techwhore]

Well, i'm not in front of the set up so I can't say with certainty, but last i checked, the switch didn't have a LED for 10 or 100. It's got data and collision LEDs. I'll repost later tonight when I know for sure.

 

[Koeppster]

Have you checked Donald Becker's site? As I see it, this page appears to be the one you should read.

One page up from this, he includes a note: "PCI NE2000 driver (local page) Note: This driver supports the RTL8029. Do not use the 'rtl8029.c' driver which just a improperly renamed copy of an old 'ne.c' driver."

 

[Techwhore]

Thanks for the link Koeppster! Unfortunately, I think it may have made the answer all too clear...

"The similarly-numbered RealTek RTL8139, Via "Rhine" 86c100, and Winbond 89c840 chips are unrelated the chips above, and each has its own driver. All of these unrelated chips are 10/100Mbps designs, while all of the chips supported by the ne2k-pci driver are 10Mbps only. "

If it's true that my cards at infact the 8029 chipset, they're only 10 Mbps 🙁 It's been a long time since i've checked and I may be mistaken. The 8129's ARE 100 Mbps, perhaps I have those and mistakenly said 8029's... it's doubtful 🙁. Either way, I checked the models through the device manager in X when this box used to run Mandrake 7. Now that i'm command line only, how do i check? Thanks again for the help.

 

[Koeppster]

You could try this: cat /proc/pci

The output of that command will probably give you some device info.

 

[Techwhore]

Thanks for all the help Koeppster. Turns out that I am infact using two 8029's 🙁... I guess that'll explain it. Now, since i'm using a 10/100 switch behind this router, any machines capable of xfers at 100 Mbps should do it, correct? They shouldn't need to at any point go through the router unless leaving the network.

The router is there to simply provide NAT and firewall capabilities, it shouldn't be subject to network xfers. I do have a stand alone file server in the works though, this will hopefully have a 100 Mbps card. I will be able to see this speed between my workstation and that file server won't i? I'm 99.999% sure i'm right, just wanna check.

Thanks again for the help.