Using sysconfig or the command line to change nic speed and duplex settings

[Westy]

i'm asking how to use sysconfig or the command line to change the nic speed and duplex settings. i posted up a few days back now, and got a reply to use the web gui to change the settings, which worked great. but, i'd like to know how to do it from the command line or sysconfig.

[maurox]

On splat there are two commands:
ethtool and miitool.
try with a mii-tool ( or ethtool) --help for see all the options ; commands can be put at the end of /etc/rc.local startup script to survive reboot.
Maurox

[Westy]

I tried both mii and ethtool, neither worked. also tried editing the ifcfg-eth0 file and rebooted the server, that didn't work either.

[maurox]

Neither works ?
what didn't work , the command or the speed ?
Are you in expert mode ?

[Westy]

I was in Expert mode. The nic is set to 10 Mb's half duplex. Here's the commands I used.

ifdown eth0 'take the interface down
ethtool -s eth0 speed 100 duplex full autoneg off 'make the changes
ifup 'bring the interface up
ethtool eth0 'check the interface settings

next i tried.

ifdown eth0
mii -tool -F 100baseTx-FD eth0
ifup etho
ethtool eth0

next i tried, editing the ifcfg-eth0 file by adding this line to the end of the file.

ethtool_opts="speed 100 duplex full autoneg off"

And, then restarted the server.

None of these attempts worked. Ethtool showed the interface was still set to 10 Mb's half duplex, and I still had collisions occuring.

uname -r returns 2.4.21-20cp

Do these commands work on your SPLAT box?

[SamuelB]

Are you using NGX R60? If so, have you tried the eth_set utility?

[Westy]

I am using NGX R60, and no, I've not tried the eth_set utility. I'll have a look at Help on the command syntax. Thanks for letting me know about eth_set.

[Youngy]

I found this whilst looking for fixes to the issue you posted up. I hope it helps!

Using mii-tool or ethtool to configure speed and duplex in secure platform



NOTE: mii-tool does not work with all NIC's. ethtool has been provided to configure non mii-compliant NIC's.

In expert mode, use "mii-tool" to hard code link speed and duplex settings of network interfaces.

For example:
# mii-tool eth1 -F 100baseTx-FD

This will force the eth1 interface to 100 Mbps link speed, full duplex.

# mii-tool eth0 -F 10baseT-HD

Will force eth0 to 10Mbps link speed and half duplex.

The commands can be put at the end of the /etc/rc.local startup script in order to survive a reboot.

The full usage of the command is:
mii-tool [-v, --verbose] [-V, --version] [-R, --reset] [-r, --restart] [-w, --watch] [-l, --log] [-A, --advertise=media,...] [-F, --force=media] [interface ...]

OPTIONS
-v, --verbose
Display more detailed MII status information. If used twice, also display raw MII register contents.
-V, --version
Display program version information.
-R, --reset
Reset the MII to its default configuration.
-r, --restart
Restart autonegotiation.
-w, --watch
Watch interface(s) and report changes in link status. The MII interfaces are polled at one second intervals.
-l, --log
Used with -w, records link status changes in the system log instead of printing on standard output.
-F media, --force=media
Disable autonegotiation, and force the MII to either 100baseTx-FD, 100baseTx-HD, 10baseT-FD, or 10baseT-HD operation.
-A media,..., --advertise=media,...
Enable and restart autonegotiation, and advertise only the specified media technologies. Multiple technologies should be separated by commas. Valid media are 100baseT4, 100baseTx-FD, 100baseTx-HD, 10baseT-FD, and 10baseT-HD

[Westy]

Here's a tidbit I found in CP SecureKnowledge. Solution ID: sk26592
This is for a 1 gb nic. If it's a 100 mhz, drop a zero.
modify the /etc/modules.conf file by adding this line.

option e1000 Duplex=2,2,2 Speed=1000, 1000, 1000

I'm a bit puzzled because this is what my modules.conf looks like now.
alias eth0 e100
alias eth1 e100
alias scsi_hostadapter sym53c8xx
alias scsi_hostadapter cpqarray
alias scsi_hostadapter1 sym53c8xx
alias usb-controller usb-ohci

[JasonS]

I have used the ethtool and it has been successful, exact command:
ethtool -s eth0 speed 100 duplex full autoneg off
i also added this to the rc.local file and it survives a reboot. not sure were i read it but you can't force a speed 1000, this only works if autonegotiated. though that may have been old.