network stalls on Fedora Core 3

[Keith Fetterman]

Tom,

The problem isn't limited to ssh or scp.  I also tested large files 
using FTP and the problem existed there too in the data channel.  Before 
I detected the problem with ssh, I had been experiencing problems with 
updating my system (both FC2 and FC3) using up2date.  It would 
periodically hang.  I had to continually cancel the up2date process and 
restart it to get uddates downloaded.  I had thought the problem was due 
to slow FC3 mirrors. Now, I realize that this problem was due to the 
network stalls.

I am surprised no one else is experiencing this problem.  The computer 
that is experiencing the problem is a stock Dell T700r (I think that is 
the right model number) that we bought back in 2000.  It isn't new but 
it isn't really old either.

Keith



Tom Trebisky wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 23, 2005 at 11:49:04AM -0700, Keith Fetterman wrote:
> 
>>Since this problem isn't a FC3 specific problem (I also discovered the 
>>same problem in the latest Ubuntu Linux), does anyone know the best 
>>mailing list/forum to that discusses kernel 2.6 and ethernet driver 
>>issues?  Maybe this problem has already been identified and workarounds 
>>suggested.
>>
>>I do know that this problem is not limited to a specific ethernet card. 
>> I have the same problem with both an OEM 3com ethernet card and an 
>>Intel ethernet card. I guess its possible they are the same chip inside 
>>so they are using the same driver, but I though Intel made their own 
>>network chips.
> 
> 
> I suspect the problem is well above the network driver level.  This is
> a fundamental TCP/IP stack problem, almost certainly a botch in the TCP
> code involving a retransmit timer or some such.
> 
> Actually, come to think of it I experience this issue exclusively
> with ssh connections (which is the bulk of what I do from home),
> which is definitely TCP.
> 
> Indeed intel has their own network chips and the 3Com has their own
> silicon as well; and the drivers are totally different.
> This is not a chip or driver problem.
> 
> If the kernel developers would just stop reinventing the wheel, ...
>  ...  (oops, I didn't say that).


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Keith Fetterman                          206-780-5670
Mariner Supply, Inc.                     kfetterman at go2marine.com
http://www.go2marine.com