giant packets SUMMARY

From: The Terminator (dpc@metagen.co.uk)
Date: Sat Mar 19 1994 - 23:33:58 CST


original request....

> I have recently started using MX-10 micro-tranceivers on my Sun workstat
> ions
> and they have all started reporting the following message on the console
> ..
>
>
>
> le0: Receive: giant packet from ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
> le0: Receive: STP in rmd cleared
>
> Does anyone know how to fix the problem?
>

The problem seems to have gone away after I did the following...

1) restarted the local bridge attached to the LAN.
2) Connect the Micro-Transceivers to the SPARC's via short drop cables
   instead of directly to the AUI.
3)Checked for duplicat IP addresses on either side of the bridge.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have had some suggestions from other sun-managers:

Have you got the SQE heartbeat switched on? There is a little opening on the
side into which you have to stick a pen to flick the switch. You need to make
sure it is off.

glenn@atm.ch.cam.ac.uk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We had something similar a while back on a 10/51. Eventually with
    the aid of a LAN sniffer we tracked the problem back to a
    "SpiderPort" (I think) on the LAN which was putting out duff
    packets.

    If you have the same problem, a little "snooping" on the LAN
    wouldn't go amiss; also has anyone put any new kit on recently ?

derek@cso2.uucp@britain.eu.net

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   We have had the same problem with a Sun 4/330 and others also in the past.
>From various summaries to Sun-Managers etc it appears that this is a hardware
problem which is serious if frequent. The causes can be:
   bad cables,
   bad bridges, routers
   bad ethernet cards
   mixed protocols eg Novell IPX and TCP/IP on the same cable
   someone testing their 3COM 3C503 with the diagnostic software
and maybe others

   We tracked our problem down to a Multiconnect repeater which only
misbehaved when the power was cycled (on purpose or by the power company). We
are living with the problem, but have a spare board ready to put in if it
gets worse. If your problem is recent it could be that one of the new
transceivers is defective.

richard@biocell.irmkant.rm.cnr.it
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have gotten similar messages from some Fibercom equipment. The Fibercom
network provided a proprietary FO ring between the multi port transceiver
units. The message was indicative of poor transmissions on the ring.
Perhaps in your case the transceivers are having a hard time handling the
interframe gap so that the chip on your workstations cannot pick out the
end of the packet. SQE test maybe???

Dave Russell
Martin Marietta Corp

russell@sde.mdso.vf.ge.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am convinced that those micro-transceivers can cause the problem but I cant pin it down.

Many thanks to all who replied
Diarmuid Coyle

Name : Diarmuid Coyle (UNIX Systems Manager)
EMAIL : dpc@metagen.co.uk

Company: Meta Generics Ltd
         The Jeffreys building
         Cowley Road
         Cambridge
         CB4 4WS

Tel : 0223 420651
Fax : 0223 420608



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Fri Sep 28 2001 - 23:08:57 CDT