We are currently updating a customer from 5.x/10.x to 11.04 and some ThinClients losing their network link during the upgrade and after a while the link comes back as in half duplex mode.
The affected clients are having a special LAN cabling combination (see the very professional Image).
In the office there are two in-wall RJ45 ports with a typical 8 wired network cable and there is an IGEL and a printer attached. Then the two cables (with 8 wires) are going into an splitter which is reducing 4 wires from every cable.
Another splitter is doing the same vice versa and finally I have two cables with 8 wires which are going into the switch port.
You’re allowed to laugh now!
But anyways there is literally NOTHING that we can do to change cabling or introducing desktop switches etc. pp.
The funny thing is, with all 11.03. firmwares we tested the auto negotiation is working like a charm and we get full duplex but as soon as we going to 11.04. there is just half duplex possible and we can wait several hours until the firmware bits are flowing into the IGEL.
Disable auto negotiation isn’t an option.
I compared rls notes from 11.03. and 11.04. and yep, theres a newer kernel and newer “NetorkManager” in 11.04. but not sure if that is the magic sauce which is kicking in here.
Maybe somebody have an idea? 🙂
Hi Markus, „interesting“ construct indeed. Just in case: yes, between 11.03 and 11.04 there was one of the biggest move in igel OS beside the 32 to 64Bit move: we had a Kernel Update from 4=>5
This included a lot of driver changes…
Which kind of devices are concerned?
If you would put a Mini Switch between wall port and endpoint, all is good, right?
I would like to send you a Testversion with an even newer Kernel you might try. Will send you a PM.
Thanks Sebastien.
Sent it to the customer and he let me know by end of next week…
I ran into quite a few networking issues when moving to 11.04. The network stack on the new version seems to be a lot more strict, I was running into issues where auto-negotiation would fail and the device wouldnt get back on the network. I found one work around where I could manually force the link to 100full on either the client or the switch and it would connect. The other workaround was provided by support through a ticket I opened. Starting in 11.04.200, a registry option is available to disable networkmanager link configuration. Changing this also allow the device to auto-negotiate again.
I should preface the previous reply with saying that in almost all areas where we ran into this networking issue, it was also corrected by replacing the network/patch cables or by pulling new cable runs to the drop. So it seems to be an issue where the updated OS does not get along with instances of degraded cabling.
Thanks Jeremy. Cabling is the issue I see…
Fixing NIC to 100 Full is also possible but what happens if the ThinClient get relocated to a GBit switch, then it will operates with 100 MBit full and can have much more powers 😀
I agree, I am also hesitant to force the client to 100mbps. Disabling network manager may be the better work-around…unless this gets addressed in a future firmware update somehow.
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