Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 14:08:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Bill Paul <wpaul@skynet.ctr.columbia.edu> To: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, freebsd-net@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: STILL looking for testers for ThunderLAN driver Message-ID: <199809131808.OAA05675@skynet.ctr.columbia.edu>
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This is my _third_ call for testers for the ThunderLAN PCI network driver. So far, response to the first two calls for testers has been totally underwhelming. Look people, this isn't hard: if you have a Compaq PCI Netelligent or NetFlex 3/P card or a Compaq system with a built-in Netelligent or NetFlex 3/P ethernet controller, or an Olicom ThunderLAN=based adapter, download the driver from http://www.freebsd.org/~wpaul/ThunderLAN and give it a try. If works great for you, then tell me. If it doesn't work, then also tell me, and give me lots of information about what doesn't work, what error messages you see, what hardware you have, and anything else that might make it easier for me to debug the problem. Apparently some people are unable to quite grasp this concept so I'm going to spell it out for you in graphic detail. You may wish to escort little children out of the room until I'm finished. This is what I want you to do: - If you have a Compaq system or Compaq network adapter, then establish whether or not it has a PCI ThunderLAN chip. Note that I said PCI. That's PCI: pee-see-eye. _NOT_ EISA. _NOT_ ISA. _NOT_ PCMCIA. Don't send me e-mail asking me what kind of card you have: YOU look in the manual and find out for yourself. Here's a hint: a NetFlex/E is an EISA bus card. A NetFlex/P is a PCI card. I'm not the least bit interested in the NetFlex/E, only the NetFlex/P. PCI ThunderLAN chips are about 1 inch square, have a Texas Instruments logo imprinted on them along with the word TLAN superimposed over a lightning bolt. There should be a part number that looks something like TNETE100A, or TNETE100PCM, or something to that effect. - If you can conclusively determine that you have a PCI ThunderLAN device, download the driver from http://www.freebsd.org/~wpaul/ThunderLAN and compile a new kernel. There are instructions there that explain how to do this. There's driver code for 3.0-current and 2.2.x (where x can be 5, 6 or 7; don't know about 2.2.1 or 2.2.2). - Boot the kernel and see if a tl0 device is detected and properly attached. If the driver complains that it couldn't read the station address from the EEPROM, then the attach will have failed. If you see 'tl0: Ethernet address: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx' then it succeeded. - It's possible you may have a ThunderLAN adapder who's PCI device ID does not appear in the device list in if_tlreg.h. If you think this is the case, try temporarily changing one of the PCI device IDs in if_tlreg.h to match your device's ID and see if the adapter is probed successfully. If so, e-mail me the device ID and the official name of the adapter (if you know it) so that I can update the list. - If the interface is attached correctly, connect the ThunderLAN NIC to a network and run some tests. See if you can get 100Mbps out of it. Beat up on it. Try to induce problems. Report back to me how well it works or fails to work. - Once you are satisfied that the driver works well, or you have found a problem, e-mail me at wpaul@skynet.ctr.columbia.edu and send me the following information: o The type of adapter you have and the type of system in which it is installed o If the adapter is integrated into your machine, provide the model number of the entire system o The version of FreeBSD you're using o An accurate and ___***DETAILED***___ description of any problem(s) you have encountered. Include _ALL_ error messages that you see. Quote the messages exactly: do not make half- hearted attempts to remember or interpret them. Just copy them down exactly and show them to me. o If you report a problem, be prepared to try patches that I might send you to fix the problem. Now here are examples of resports that I do not want to see, and the replies you're likely to get from me if see them: - "Hi, I have a Compaq GrumbleSmurf 2100 machine; does this system have a ThunderLAN adapter in it?" Don't send me questions like this. It's your hardware, you have the manuals for it, you can pop the cover and look inside it. _YOU_ tell _ME_ if it has a ThunderLAN PCI NIC in it. If I had a complete list of all Compaq models with ThunderLAN PCI NICs in them, I would have listed them here, but I don't. - "Hi, I have several Compaq systems with ThunderLAN NICs, but they're all in production running Windows NT and I can't shut them down to test them with FreeBSD." Then why did you bother writing me. - "Hi: I don't run FreeBSD, but do you know if your driver will work with Linux? I have a Compaq machine running Linux version mumble and I'm trying to set up networking on it." No, FreeBSD device drivers don't work with Linux. No, I will not help you set up Linux. If you want help with Linux, go subscribe to a Linux mailing list. If you persist in bothering me, agents of the sooper sekrit FreeBSD Cabal (tinfc) will sneak into your home, send me your machine so that I can do some decent testing, and replace it with a cardboard box with the word 'Compaq' written on it. Chances are you'll never notice the difference. - "Hi, I have a Compaq machine with a Netelligent NIC and I tried your driver, but I encountered some problems. Unfortunately, I'm going out of town for a month and I won't be able to give you any details or do any troubleshooting until then." I'm hoping to get this driver code into FreeBSD 3.0, which is due to ship inside of a couple of months, so I don't have time to wait for people to get back from their vacations/business trips/cruises/etc. Give me a break here people. - "Hi, I tried your driver but I got an error saying that something failed. Can you help me?" No. - "Hi, I have a Compaq machine running Windows 95. How do I install FreeBSD?" I'm sorry, this is device driver testing: brain implants are two doors down on the right. - "unsubscribe" Was it something I said? So come on people, I know there have to be some people out there with Compaq machines who want to use their built-in PCI NIC. If you don't have one, see if your friend has one. Or your friend's friend. If they're running Linux, convince them to try FreeBSD. Now's your big chance to contribute. Soon even you could be a member of the FreeBSD Cabal (tinfc). -Bill -- ============================================================================= -Bill Paul (212) 854-6020 | System Manager, Master of Unix-Fu Work: wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu | Center for Telecommunications Research Home: wpaul@skynet.ctr.columbia.edu | Columbia University, New York City ============================================================================= "It is not I who am crazy; it is I who am mad!" - Ren Hoek, "Space Madness" ============================================================================= To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-net" in the body of the message
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