Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 13:31:38 -0800
From: "Robin H. Johnson" <robbat2@gentoo.org>
To: Auke Kok <auke-jan.h.kok@intel.com>
Cc: Pavel Machek <pavel@ucw.cz>, "Robin H. Johnson" <robbat2@gentoo.org>,
       linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: e1000/ICH8LAN weirdness - no ethtool link until initially forced up
Message-ID: <20061107213138.GA16523@curie-int.orbis-terrarum.net>
References: <20061106013153.GN15897@curie-int.orbis-terrarum.net> <20061107071449.GB21655@elf.ucw.cz> <4550AB7A.10508@intel.com>
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On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 07:51:22AM -0800, Auke Kok wrote:
> >I think you should cc e1000 maintainers, and perhaps provide a patch....
> I've read it and not come up with an answer due to some other issues at=
=20
> hand. E1000 hardware works differently and this has been asked before, bu=
t=20
> the cards itself are in low power state when down. Changing this to bring=
=20
> up the link would make the card start to consume lots more power, which=
=20
> would automatically suck enormously for anyone using a laptop.
>=20
> Unfortunately, we have no way to distinguish directly between mobile and=
=20
> non-mobile adapters, since they are usually the same.
>=20
> Your application should really `ifconfig up` the device before checking f=
or=20
> link.
Actually pushing the link up in userspace doesn't specifically help my
applications, as I care about actual link status (as reported by
ethtool).

Is there no way to keep the link status correct (within 0.5 seconds),
without bringing the card to full power? Maybe a timer that fires a
proper check (with the power implications).

Would a patch that adds a modparam (not enabled by default) running the
behavior I'm after, be acceptable, so the e1000 driver can act identical
to all of the other drivers?

--=20
Robin Hugh Johnson
E-Mail     : robbat2@gentoo.org
GnuPG FP   : 11AC BA4F 4778 E3F6 E4ED  F38E B27B 944E 3488 4E85

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