Failure of Network Communications

Description of the Problem

The system cannot communicate with a network if the system and the network hub are not set in the same way for the Ethernet link integrity test. This problem particularly applies to 10BASE-T network hubs, where the Ethernet link integrity test is optional. This is not a problem for 100BASE-T networks, where the test is enabled by default.

If you connect the system to a network and the network does not respond, use the OpenBoot command watch-net-all to display conditions for all network connections:

ok watch-net-all

For SBus Ethernet cards, the test can be enabled or disabled with a hardware jumper, which you must set manually. For the TPE and MII onboard ports on the I/O+ board, the link test is enabled or disabled through software, as shown below.

Remember also that the TPE and MII ports are not independent circuits and as a result, both ports cannot be used at the same time.

Some hub designs do not use a software command to enable/disable the test, but instead permanently enable (or disable) the test through a hardware jumper. Refer to the hub installation or user manual for details of how the test is implemented.

Determining the Device Names of the I/O+ Boards

To enable or disable the link test for an onboard TPE (hme) port, you must first know the device name for the I/O+ board. To list the device names:

1. Shut down the system and take the system into OpenBoot.

2. Determine the device names of the I/O+ boards:

   1. Type:

      ---

      ok show-devs
      

      ---

   2. In the show-devs listing, find the node names.

      Node names take the general form /sbus@3,0/SUNW,hme@3,8c00000.

Solution 1

Use this method while the operating system is running:

1. Become superuser.

2. Type:

   ---

   # eeprom nvramrc="probe-all install-console banner apply disable-link-pulse \
   device-name "
     (Repeat for any additional device names.)
   # eeprom "use-nvramrc?"=true
   

   ---

3. Reboot the system (when convenient) to make the changes effective.

Solution 2

Use this alternate method when the system is already in OpenBoot:

1. At the monitor OpenBoot prompt, type:

   ---

   ok nvedit
   0: probe-all install-console banner
   1: apply disable-link-pulse device-name
   (Repeat this step for other device names as needed.) 
   (Press CONTROL-C to exit nvedit.)
   ok nvstore
   ok setenv use-nvramrc? true

   ---

2. Reboot to make the changes effective.