[vortex] 3c905CX-TXM link problems

[Raul Dias]

Hi,

I just bought some 3C905CX-TXM cards to use in a router.
This is a model 23 rev 7 3com card.

I found out that either the card or the driver has some autonegotioation
problems.

I have found some mails in the list about similar problems, but no mail
lead to a conclusion.

Here is what is happening.

Connecting this card to a 100MB switch, works fine.
to a 100MB hub, works fine.
to a 10MB hub, works fine.
to another 3C905CX-TXM (thru a crossover cable), no autonegotiated link!
to a different 3c905xxxx board (thrua a crossover cable), works fine.

So, the only problem showed up when using the same NIC on both ends.

I could solve the problem using 'mii-tool -R eth4', which reset the 
tranceiver.

This is a 2.4.21 kernel, from the file: drivers/net/3c59x.c,

#define DRV_NAME        "3c59x"
#define DRV_VERSION     "LK1.1.16"
#define DRV_RELDATE     "19 July 2001"


So what I would like to know is:
 - Is this a driver problem?  So it will be correct some time in the
future.
 - Is this model (3C905CX-TXM) , garbage? So I should not rely on this
and use a different model.
 - I am expect to use 'mii-tool -R' on boot and not to worry about the
card quality (which is good)?


Thanks,

Raul Dias