[realtek] No Link Indication

[Dave Borg]

I installed a D-Link DFE-538TX Ethernet card and used the
recommended rtl8139 driver v1.09. The card works and I am able to
transfer files over my network.

However the Link Indicator LED on the back of the card does not
light in Linux. The LED is active under Windows and during the
Linux boot process. However when the rtl8139 driver is loaded the
light goes out and stays out.

mii-diag reports "You have link beat, and everything is working
OK."

The card exhibited the same behaviour with older versions of the
rtl8139 driver as well.

Why does the Link Indicator not light?
Is there a setting to fix this?
 Since my network card seems to work, is this indicator even
needed?

Dave