strange arp problem with bge nics

[Nikos Vassiliadis]

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:48:35 +0200, Tobias Ernst <tobi at casino.uni-stuttgart.de> wrote:

> I don't think this is an auto negotiation issue. How can a Windows
> machine that is connected to the same switch as my two FreeBSD machines
> and does not even talk to them explicitly influence the autonegotation
> of the FreeBSD NIC? 

I didn't say that a Windows machine can influence adversely a FreeBSD
machine. My question was about the NIC's link status. It's crystal clear
now that your links are up. But:
(Symptom is that the NIC reports the link as up (PCS synched) but
no traffic can be exchanged.)
This message is from revision 1.71 of the bge driver. In short I
would really try what's recommended there.


> 
> It must be something with ARP and TCP/IP in connection with that
> particular river, I suppose.

hm, there's nothing bge-specific in TCP/IP nor ARP.

> 
> The cards properly negotiate whatever the particular switch (tried
> several, 100 and 1000) supports and I also tried setting various fixed
> rates and duplex settings when using a cross link cable. This does not
> change anything.
> 
> The interface is live and running, it just does not properly perform ARP
> up to the point when I either put the interface in promiscuous mode for
> a while or send some Windows broadcasts.

hm, what happens if you disable ARP?
ifconfig intX -arp
and use static ARP?

I'd go the driver-fiddling way myself.

HTH

Nikos