Hello everyone, I've just registered to the mailing list following the recommendation of Peter Waskiewicz from Intel.
Here is the situation: I've designed an embedded x86 board with a Intel 82580 NIC (both dual and quad GigE). We're seeing some packet loss when using either "ping -f", "iperf" and "netperf" under Linux. After investigating a little more, I found the DOS LANConf tool that can be used to test the NIC according to IEEE standards. Our embedded application is a real-time image analysis system, and the image frames are sent via UDP packets to another computer (point-to-point). We're seeing some packet losses and are trying to debug this. Sorry for using Tinypic links for the screenshot... but I believe that the server do not support attachment. Feel free to request a personal email with the properly named attachment. Questions: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Can you recommend an Intel PCIe NIC "reference" card that can be used as traffic generator? I was thinking about the "Intel PRO/1000 PT Server Adapter", but maybe you have a better recommendation. Right now, I'm using the LOM 82578DC NIC from an Intel DH55TC motherboard as the traffic generator for LANConf. According to the Intel "1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T Physical Layer Compliance Tests Manual", version 4.3, the recommended NIC is a 82543, but it's now listed as "end of life" on Intel's website... And it only has a PCI interface which is not fast enough for full speed GigE testing (confirmed with an old Intel 82541 based PCI card) What is the architectural differences between the client and server NICs? I need to convince my boss to spend the money on the correct card :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) When doing the Send/Receive LANConf test between my 82580 and the 82578DC LOM, I get "Mpc" and "Rnbc" errors on the 82578DC, but no error on the 82580. There is about 5 Mpc errors per seconds, and about 15 Rnbc errors per seconds. Embedded 82580 screenshot - with link to Intel LOM.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/35inm7b.jpg Intel LOM screenshot - with link to 82580.jpg http://i44.tinypic.com/2q1f34o.jpg Is this somehow normal?? I also get Mpc and Rnbc errors on both my T60p laptop and the LOM NIC when testing between them. Check those two screenshot: Lenovo T60p screenshot - with link to Intel LOM.jpg http://i41.tinypic.com/11l6k5t.jpg Intel LOM screenshot - with link to T60p.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/sfvswk.jpg ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) When looking at the bandwidth values, they seems half of what they should be on the 82580. The 82580 total report ~1020Mbps and the partner (LOM) reports 2046Mbps.... Embedded 82580 screenshot - with link to Intel LOM.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/35inm7b.jpg Intel LOM screenshot - with link to 82580.jpg http://i44.tinypic.com/2q1f34o.jpg Any explanation?? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) The BER test between the 82580 and the LOM is failing in one direction. BER screenshot between 82580 and Intel LOM - 82580 is RX.jpg http://i44.tinypic.com/k9b86s.jpg BER screenshot between 82580 and Intel LOM - LOM is RX.jpg http://i42.tinypic.com/15qclfl.jpg Tested at GigE speed Any suggestion of what to check?? Here is what I've checked so far: - Mounted a 25MHz 2ppm TCXO oscillator (not xtal) on the 82580 - 1000BASE-T Peak Differential Output Voltage and Level Accuracy - 1000BASE-T Maximum Output Droop - 100BASE-TX Differential Output Voltage (UTP) - 100BASE-TX Waveform Overshoot - 100Base-TX Rise and Fall Times - 100Base-TX Duty Cycle Distortion (DCD) - 100Base-TX Transmit Jitter All of the test above at well within the limits specified in "1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T Physical Layer Compliance Tests Manual" Using LANConf v1.18.8.1 under Win98SE DOS boot disk. Cable is Cat5E STP (not UTP), 2 meter long, point-to-point ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you very much for you time, Alexandre Desnoyers Electronic Design Engineer Qtechnology A/S Valby Langgade 142, 1.sal - 2500 Valby - Denmark - www.qtec.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RSA® Conference 2012 Save $700 by Nov 18 Register now http://p.sf.net/sfu/rsa-sfdev2dev1 _______________________________________________ E1000-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/e1000-devel To learn more about Intel® Ethernet, visit http://communities.intel.com/community/wired
