watchdog timeout problem

[Ernie Luzar]

Posted this 10/31/2017  got no reply.

Been getting these error messages since about release 10.0 I think.
Have changed to new hardware box and new cable modem and still having
the same error messages. Also occurs when I use em0 interface to connect 
to the public internet instead of vge0.

vge0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST>
         metric 0 mtu 1500
	options=389b<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,VLAN_HWCSUM,
         WOL_UCAST,WOL_MCAST,WOL_MAGIC>
	ether 00:0b:db:19:33:18
	hwaddr 10:00:60:21:00:93
	inet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx netmask 0xfffff000
         broadcast 255.255.255.255
	nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
	media: Ethernet autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex,master>)
	status: active



Oct 30 23:43:38 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 30 23:43:38 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 30 23:43:42 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 30 23:58:39 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 30 23:58:39 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 30 23:58:43 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 31 01:08:38 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 01:08:38 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 01:08:42 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 31 01:53:39 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 01:53:39 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 01:53:43 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UPdob
Oct 31 04:58:46 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 04:58:46 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 04:58:50 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 31 05:23:49 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 05:23:49 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 05:23:52 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 31 05:57:40 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 05:57:40 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 05:57:43 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 31 09:21:43 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 09:21:43 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 09:21:47 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP
Oct 31 09:28:21 fbsd kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
Oct 31 09:28:21 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
Oct 31 09:28:25 fbsd kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP


11/2/2017 posting this now as a update

I have continued to research this problem.
The "man watchdog" says that the command,
watchdog -d  will provide debugging info, and
watchdog -t  will set a new timeout timer value

When I issue either of those commands I get this error message
watchdog: patting the dog: Operation not supported

The man page also says a value of -t 0  disables the watchdog function.

Issuing "watchdog -t 0" does not get that above error message, but the 
watchdog function is still enabled because I am still getting the

  kernel: vge0: watchdog timeout
  kernel: vge0: link state changed to DOWN
  kernel: vge0: link state changed to UP

messages.

Production box is running RELEASE AMD64 11.1 and has 16 MB memory, with 
2 Gigabit interface cards em0 & vge0.

Development box is running RELEASE i386 11.1 beta 1 and has 2 MB memory, 
with 2 100bps interface cards rl0 & xl0.

The 2 boxes are desktops manufactured by 2 different name brand 
companies.  Both computers run the same host services. Both computers 
experience the same watchdog problems.

This watchdog problem is also present in RELEASE 11.0 and if my memory 
is correct also occurred in the 10.x series.

I never paid attention to this problem until lately when I am now 
streaming HULU and the show stops because the internet connection is 
lost due to the link state being reset by watchdog. Now this problem is 
really a problem that is impacting me.

Can't see how this could be a configuration problem on my part. That is 
why I am posting here before I post a bug report.

Watchdog is in the kernel and debugging the kernel is way outside my 
abilities. Trying to get this problem in front of the correct audience.