JumpStart[TM]: How to disable ce Ethernet autonegotiation for boot net

Asset ID:	1-71-1003458.1
Update Date:	2017-07-11
Keywords:

Solution Type Technical Instruction Sure

Solution 1003458.1 : JumpStart[TM]: How to disable ce Ethernet autonegotiation for boot net

Applies to:

Sun Swift PCI Adapter - Version Not Applicable and later
Sun Quad GigaSwift Ethernet UTP Adapter - Version Not Applicable and later
Sun Quad GigaSwift PCI-X Adapter - Version Not Applicable and later
Sun Blade 1500 Workstation - Version Not Applicable and later
Sun Blade 2500 Workstation - Version Not Applicable and later
All Platforms

Goal

At Open Boot PROM (OBP) Level, all Ethernet interfaces default to use autonegotiation to connect with the highest possible speed/mode. Since most switches and interfaces use this default too, it is Sun's recommendation not to change it for regular use.

However, for a test or temporary workaround, is it possible to do it. This document explains how.

Solution

Turning autonegotiation off and setting speed/mode manually is called "forced mode". For the Sun[TM] GigaSwift on-board interfaces and Network Interface Cards (ce), and for bge on-board interfaces, boot in "forced mode" is possible.

In jumpstart "boot net", 3 steps are involved. The driver must be forced in all 3 steps of the jumpstart boot process.

1) Force the interface on the client's boot PROM:

ok boot /pci@1f,2000/pci@1/network@0:speed=100,duplex=full,

or

ok devalias net /pci@1f,2000/pci@1/network@0:speed=100,duplex=full,
ok boot net

To make this change persistent against OBP reset, use nvalias instead of devalias.

2) inetboot is loaded from the boot server:

An inetboot file which honours the "forced" ce setting is needed on the boot server. This is included in Solaris 8 Patch 111306-05; for Solaris 9, it is Patch 113578-01.
These patches must be applied on the boot server.

3) Client uses the OS from the filesystem of the boot server:

On the boot server, create a

../Boot/platform/sun4u/kernel/drv/ce.conf
(the same directory in which the ce 32 bit driver is located, one single line, example for 100 FDX):

adv_autoneg_cap=0 adv_1000fdx_cap=0 adv_1000hdx_cap=0 adv_100fdx_cap=1
adv_100hdx_cap=0 adv_10fdx_cap=0 adv_10hdx_cap=0;

Note: With some switches, adv_autoneg_cap=0 results in Link Down. Use adv_autoneg_cap=1 in this case (Autonegotiation enabled, Fixed Speed/Duplex)

References

<NOTE:1005843.1> - Sun[TM] GigaSwift Gigabit Ethernet Adapters First Checks
<NOTE:1006000.1> - Recommended Sun Systems Ethernet Port Configuration (Auto-Negotiation or Manual Configuration)
<NOTE:1001843.1> - bge Gigabit Ethernet - First Checks
<NOTE:1010261.1> - Solaris 100Mb SunFastEthernet[TM] PSD

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