On Sat, 10 Feb 2007, Don Annas wrote:
We are seeing a lot of issues with our Mikrotik routerboards (x86 based) keeping sync with Cisco 2950 switches. We have tried hardcoding both ports and letting them auto negotiate. Regardless, they eventually seem to lose sync. We haven't seen this problems on the MTIK units, but only the MTIK cards in PCs. Is there an additional driver that needs to be loaded when using a MTIK routerboard in a PC?
Cisco has problems with syncing with a LOT of chipsets, but the problem is especially noticable with Linux drivers and the Realtek chipsets. The RB44 is a Realtek, by the way. Setting both sides to 100M/FDX is the only way around the problem, and (as you mention), I've not had 100% consistent results even doing that. If you can put a non-cisco switch there, that will make the problem go away, as it is certainly the cisco-linux negotiation problem. FWIW, this problem is well known and even some cisco to cisco ports will not properly negotiate. Having said that, the other thing you can try is to move away from the realtek chipset. There are several choices on eBay and other sites.
-- Butch Evans Network Engineering and Security Consulting 573-276-2879 http://www.butchevans.com/ My calendar: http://tinyurl.com/y24ad6 Training Partners: http://tinyurl.com/smfkf Mikrotik Certified Consultant http://www.mikrotik.com/consultants.html -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
