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Asset ID: 1-71-1001729.1
Update Date:2009-01-11
Keywords:

Solution Type  Technical Instruction Sure

Solution  1001729.1 :   dmfe Ethernet Interface Parameters  


Related Items
  • Sun Netra X1 Server
  •  
  • Sun Fire V100 Server
  •  
Related Categories
  • GCS>Sun Microsystems>Servers>Entry-Level Servers
  •  

PreviouslyPublishedAs
202355


Description
This document covers the driver settings for the dmfe driver for the
Davicom DM9102A Ethernet chipset used in the Netra[TM] X1 and Sun Fire[TM]
V100 servers.


Steps to Follow
1.0 Driver Software

Package information (from the pkginfo output) for Solaris[TM] 8 and
Solaris [TM] 9 Operating System drivers:

    system      SUNWdmfex      Sun Davicom 10/100Mb Ethernet Drivers (64-bit)

Files in package:

    /platform/SUNW,UltraAX-i2/kernel/drv/dmfe.conf
/platform/SUNW,UltraAX-i2/kernel/drv/sparcv9/dmfe

There are no 32 bit drivers because the Netra[TM] X1 and Sun Fire[TM] V100
only run in 64 bit Kernel mode. This driver is part of the Solaris 8 2/02 hardware
release and also available in all releases of Solaris 9.

The man page for the dmfe interface for Solaris 8 is provided with revision
38 or later of patch 108808. The dmfe man page for Solaris 9 is included as
part of the SUNWman package.

------------------------------------------
2.0 Configuring the IP address and netmask
------------------------------------------

2.1 Configuring a static IP address and netmask
------------------------------------------

Configuring the system to set a Static IP and netmask on boot is done by
using the hostname.interface, hosts, and netmasks files. For example, to
configure dmfe0 for a static IP address and netmask, the following
configuration files will be used:

/etc/hostname.dmfe0 - Contains either the name or IP address (but not
both) for the interface.

/etc/inet/hosts - Contains the name and IP address of the interface.
The name in this file must exactly match the name
that is used in the hostname.dmfe0 file.

/etc/inet/netmasks - Contains the network address and netmask for the
interface's IP address.

Making changes to these files will take effect when the system is rebooted.
The ifconfig command can be used to change interface settings without
rebooting. Changes made using ifconfig will not be preserved when the
system reboots.

2.2 Configuring an interface as a DHCP client
---------------------------------------------

The dhcp.interface and hostname.interface files are used to configure an
interface as a DHCP client on boot. For example, to make interface dmfe1
use DHCP on boot, create the following empty files:

 /etc/dhcp.dmfe1
/etc/hostname.dmfe1

When the system reboots, dmfe1 will use DHCP to configure its IP address
and netmask.

3.0 Checking and setting driver parameters using the ndd command
----------------------------------------------------------------

In the following examples /dev/dmfe0 is used for interface dmfe0. To use
ndd with the dmfe1 interface, specify /dev/dmfe1 when using the ndd command.

NOTE: Unlike other Sun Ethernet interfaces, the instance number is
specified at the command line by specifying /dev/dmfe0 or /dev/dmfe1
instead of using ndd to set the instance value for the driver.

To check the speed and mode the interface is operating in, run the
following commands as root:

 ndd -get /dev/dmfe0 link_status
( 0 = link down, 1 = link up )
ndd -get /dev/dmfe0 link_speed
( 100 = 100 megabit, 10 = 10 megabit, 0 = link down )
ndd -get /dev/dmfe0 link_mode
( 0 = half duplex, 1 = full duplex )

By default, the dmfe interfaces will attempt to auto negotiate speed and
mode. The ndd command can be used to force the interfaces to a specific
speed and mode instead of using auto negotiation. To force the dmfe0
interface to run at 100 megabit full duplex and disable auto negotiation,
run the following commands as root:

 ndd -set /dev/dmfe0 adv_100fdx_cap 1    (enable 100 megabit full duplex)
ndd -set /dev/dmfe0 adv_100hdx_cap 0    (disable 100 megabit half duplex)
ndd -set /dev/dmfe0 adv_10fdx_cap 0     (disable 10 megabit full duplex)
ndd -set /dev/dmfe0 adv_10hdx_cap 0     (disable 10 megabit half duplex)
ndd -set /dev/dmfe0 adv_autoneg_cap 0   (turn auto negotiation off)

Changes made by the ndd command are not preserved when the system reboots.
For permanent entries you can create a script in the /etc/rc2.d directory
to set the interface on boot. If that is the case, then just use ndd
commands as specified above.

It is usually recommended that the script be called S68net-tune to indicate
that this particular script is specific to tuning network parameters on
that specific host.

4.0 Forcing speed and mode using the dmfe.conf file
---------------------------------------------------

Forcing speed and mode of the interfaces can also be done using the
/platform/SUNW,UltraAX-i2/kernel/drv/dmfe.conf file. For example, the
following entries in dmfe.conf would force all dmfe interfaces to run at
100 megabit full duplex mode:

 speed=100;
full-duplex=1;

To force 10 megabit half duplex mode, the following entries would be used
in the dmfe.conf file instead:

 speed=10;
full-duplex=0;

5.0 Forcing speed and mode using the /etc/system file
-----------------------------------------------------

It is not possible to set autonegotiation, or force speed and mode for the
dmfe driver using the /etc/system file.

-------------------------------------------------------
6.0 Patches
-------------------------------------------------------

6.1 Hardware patches
--------------------
111952 Hardware/PROM: Netra X1 / Sun Fire V100 PROM upgrade patch

6.2 Patches for Solaris 8
-------------------------
108808 Manual Page updates for Solaris 8
109202 /kernel/misc/gld and /kernel/misc/sparcv9/gld patch
112168 patch dmfe and mii header file

6.3 Patches for Solaris 9
-------------------------
113449 Kernel Update Patch
114388 dmfe driver patch

7.0 Related documentation
-------------------------
806-6137 Netra X1 Server Product Notes
816-2128 Platform Notes: The dmfe Fast Ethernet Device Driver

8.0 References
--------------

8.1 Web References
------------------
http://www.sun.com/servers/entry/X1/
http://www.sun.com/servers/entry/v100/
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/Servers/

8.2 Sunsolve Infodocs and SRDBs
-------------------------------
Technical Instruction <Document: 1004421.1> How does 100baseT ethernet auto-negotiation work?
Technical Instruction <Document: 1010261.1>  Solaris 100Mb SunFastEthernet PSD
Technical Instruction <Document: 1003034.1>  Flash PROM patches / Minimum OE revisions for Sun systems
Technical Instruction <Document: 1004579.1> Should auto-negotiation be changed to force the speed and
mode on Ethernet interface adapters?
Technical Instruction <Document: 1006000.1>  Recommended Ethernet Port Configuration



Product
Netra X1 Server
Sun Fire V100 Server
Solaris

Internal Comments
For internal Sun use only.

Author information:


   Martin Winkelman
mw@sun.com

Document history:


5-15-2001 - First draft

6-4-2002 - Updated Solaris 8 information and added Sun Fire V100

comments.

7-25-2003 - Added info for Solaris 9, and updated documentation, references

and dmfe.conf sections.

4-6-2004 - Updated patches and references. Added IP address section.


dmfe, driver, davicom, ethernet, netra, Sun Fire, DM9102A
Previously Published As
26947

Change History
Date: 2005-04-25
User Name: 7058
Action: Approved
Comment: Fixed format/spacing problems.
Enabled STM to offset preformatted text and activate links.
Tags and review date OK..republishing.
Version: 4
Date: 2005-04-25
User Name: 7058
Action: Accept
Comment:
Version: 0

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