Chapter 2 Configuring the Driver Software for Sun eri FastEthernet Device Drivers

This chapter includes information and instructions for configuring the driver software used by the Sun eri FastEthernet PCI adapter.

This chapter includes the following sections:

• " Configuring the Host File"

• "Booting From the Network"

• "Optional Post-Installation Procedures"

Configuring the Host File

The 64-bit driver is included with the Solaris CD.

Before using eri as your network interface, you will need to create and edit system host files, as described in the next section.

To Configure the Host File

1. At the command line, use the grep command to search the /etc/path_to_inst file for eri devices. For example:

   # grep eri /etc/path_to_inst "/pci@8,700000/network@5,1" 0 "eri"

2. Create an /etc/hostname.erinum file, where num is the instance number of each interface you plan to use.

   If you want to use the network interface from the example in Step 1, you will need to create a file:

   File Name	Instance Number
   /etc/hostname.eri0	0

   • Do not create /etc/hostname.erinum files for Sun eri FastEthernet network interfaces you plan to leave unused.

   • The /etc/hostname.erinum file must contain the host name for the appropriate network interface.

   • The host name should have an IP address that will need to be entered in the /etc/hosts file.

   • The host name should be different from any other host name of any other interface, for example: /etc/hostname.hme0 and /etc/hostname.eri0 cannot share the same host name.

   Using the instance examples in Step 1, the following example shows the two /etc/hostname.erinum files required for a system called zardoz that has a Sun eri FastEthernet (zardoz, zardoz-11).

   # cat /etc/hostname.hme0 zardoz # cat /etc/hostname.eri0 zardoz-11

3. Create an appropriate entry in the /etc/hosts file for each active eri network interface.

   Using the previous example, you will have:

   # cat /etc/hosts # # Internet host table # 127.0.0.1 localhost 129.144.10.57 zardoz loghost 129.144.11.83 zardoz-11

   ---

   Note -

   The Internet Protocol, version 6 (IPv6), expands the capabilities of IPv4, which is the current version and the default. The Sun eri FastEthernet device driver included in this release of the Solaris operating environment supports both IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 uses the /etc/hosts configuration file, but IPv6 uses a different configuration file. To transition to, manage, and implement IPv6, refer to the Solaris 8 System Administration Guide, Volume 3.

   ---

4. Reboot your system.

Booting From the Network

To use a Sun eri interface as the boot device, perform the following tasks:

To Boot From the Network

1. At the ok prompt type:

   ok show-nets

   The show-nets command lists the system devices. You should see the full path name of the eri devices, similar to the following examples:

   /pci@8,700000/network@5,1

   ---

   Note -

   You need to select only one of these eri devices for booting.

   ---

2. At the ok prompt type:

   ok boot full_path_name_of_the_eri_device

Optional Post-Installation Procedures

To customize the performance of the Sun eri FastEthernet driver, perform the tasks in the following sections.

Setting Driver Parameters

The eri device driver, which is loaded from the Solaris CD-ROM, controls the SUNW,eri Ethernet devices. The device driver selects the link speed using the auto-negotiation protocol with the link partner. Click on this link to the Appendix A, Appendix A, Auto-Negotiation, for further information.

You can manually set the eri device driver parameters to customize each SUNW,eri device in your system in one of three ways. Click on this link, Chapter 4, Setting Parameters, for more information on the ways you can customize your device.

To Force Network Speed Between 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps

1. At the ok prompt, use the show-devs command to list the system devices.

   You should see the full path names of the eri devices, similar to the following example:

   /pci@8,700000/network@5,1

2. Type:

   ok nvedit

3. Type the following, pressing the Return key at the end of line 0:

   0: probe-all install-console banner 1: apply transfer-speed=10 full_ path_name_of_a_eri_device

   ---

   Note -

   If you already have commands in NVRAM, append these lines to the end of the file.

   ---

4. Press Control-C after typing full_ path_name_of_a_eri_device.

   Perform Steps 2 to 4 to set the network speed for each eri network interface.

   ---

   Note -

   In the preceding example, the speed is forced to 10 Mbps. To force the speed to 100 Mbps, replace 10 with 100.

   ---

5. At the ok prompt type:

   ok nvstore ok setenv use-nvramrc? true

6. Reboot your system.

   See "Setting Forced Mode" for more information on forcing network speed.