JumpStart[TM]: How to disable ce Ethernet autonegotiation for boot net

Asset ID:	1-72-1003458.1
Update Date:	2009-11-11
Keywords:

Solution Type Problem Resolution Sure

Solution 1003458.1 : JumpStart[TM]: How to disable ce Ethernet autonegotiation for boot net

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PreviouslyPublishedAs
204845

Symptoms
At Open Boot PROM (OBP) Level, all Ethernet interfaces default to use autonegotiation to connect with the highest possible speed/mode. Since most switches and interfaces use this default too, it is Sun's recommendation not to change it for regular use.

However, for a test or temporary workaround, is it possible to do it. This document explains how.

Resolution
Turning autonegotiation off and setting speed/mode manually is called "forced mode". For the Sun[TM] GigaSwift on-board interfaces and Network Interface Cards (ce), and for bge on-board interfaces, boot in "forced mode" is possible.

In jumpstart "boot net", 3 steps are involved. The driver must be forced in all 3 steps of the jumpstart boot process.

1) Force the interface on the client's boot PROM:

 ok boot /pci@1f,2000/pci@1/network@0:speed=100,duplex=full,
or
ok devalias net /pci@1f,2000/pci@1/network@0:speed=100,duplex=full,
ok boot net

(To make this change persistent against OBP reset, use nvalias instead of devalias.)

2) inetboot is loaded from the boot server:

An inetboot file which honours the "forced" ce setting is needed on the boot server.
This is included in Solaris 8 Patch 111306-05; for Solaris 9, it is Patch 113578-01.
These patches must be applied on the boot server.

3) Client uses the OS from the filesystem of the boot server:

On the boot server, create a
../Boot/platform/sun4u/kernel/drv/ce.conf
(the same directory in which the ce 32 bit driver is located, one single line, example for 100 FDX):

 adv_autoneg_cap=0 adv_1000fdx_cap=0 adv_1000hdx_cap=0 adv_100fdx_cap=1
adv_100hdx_cap=0 adv_10fdx_cap=0 adv_10hdx_cap=0;

Note: With some switches, adv_autoneg_cap=0 results in Link Down.
Use adv_autoneg_cap=1 in this case (Autonegotiation enabled, Fixed Speed/Duplex)

Relief/Workaround

Additional Information
For supported long-term solutions Sun recommends to use Autonegotiation (default).

See also:

 <Document: 1010261.1>   Solaris 100Mb SunFastEthernet[TM] PSD
<Document: 1005843.1>   Sun[TM] GigaSwift Gigabit Ethernet Adapters
<Document: 1006000.1>   Recommended Ethernet Port Configuration
<Document: 1001843.1>   bge Gigabit Ethernet

Product
Sun GigaSwift Ethernet PCI Adapter

Internal Comments
These parameters 'speed' & 'duplex' are part of a new set of device-arguments and properties
for network booting, defined in project 2002/345 which has been approved by the
Firmware Architecture Review Committee (FWARC):

Network Device Arguments: "Best Practice" for Sun's Network Devices.

http://sac.eng/arc/FWARC/2002/345/committment.materials/devargs.txt

Feedback to: [email protected]

More Info on TSC product pages

jumpstart, speed, duplex, bootprom, prom, ok, ethernet, cassini, cauldron, obp, force
Previously Published As
72647

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