EBOX 3350 network problem
EBOX 3350 network problem
by b2051758
Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:07 pm
Hi there,
I'm wondering if you guys can help. Having a rather strange problem with my new ebox.
Got everything working fine, did a nlite install of xp pro sp3. Installed the correct drivers, disabled pagefile, everything running smoothly even without ewf however I have a network connectivity problem.
The ebox is connected straight to my router and when I start up everything is fine. After a while of downloading ( I use my ebox to share my drives on the network and do my downloads) it looses connection to the internet.
I've done some testing and even though it says the lan is still connected, I'm unable to ping the router or anyone else. I try to repair the connection, ipconfig release renew and all that but still no joy. It is statically assigned and only seems to happen when I start large downloads for any amount of time.
The only way I can get connectivity back is by disabling and re enabling the network adapter, or by restarting.
Any ideas?
I notice there are receive flow control and transmit flow control in the driver settings for the nic, could enabling these help?
Ok tried the flow control, no help. At the same time as downloaing, alot of the time I loose connection is when I'm logging in remotely at the same time.
I'm guessing the heavy network traffic is causing the nic to fail somehow or shut down?
Thanks for any info
Tom
I'm wondering if you guys can help. Having a rather strange problem with my new ebox.
Got everything working fine, did a nlite install of xp pro sp3. Installed the correct drivers, disabled pagefile, everything running smoothly even without ewf however I have a network connectivity problem.
The ebox is connected straight to my router and when I start up everything is fine. After a while of downloading ( I use my ebox to share my drives on the network and do my downloads) it looses connection to the internet.
I've done some testing and even though it says the lan is still connected, I'm unable to ping the router or anyone else. I try to repair the connection, ipconfig release renew and all that but still no joy. It is statically assigned and only seems to happen when I start large downloads for any amount of time.
The only way I can get connectivity back is by disabling and re enabling the network adapter, or by restarting.
Any ideas?
I notice there are receive flow control and transmit flow control in the driver settings for the nic, could enabling these help?
Ok tried the flow control, no help. At the same time as downloaing, alot of the time I loose connection is when I'm logging in remotely at the same time.
I'm guessing the heavy network traffic is causing the nic to fail somehow or shut down?
Thanks for any info
Tom
by PedroR
Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:34 pm
Hi Tom
We don't have information about the performance of the NIC under stress/heavy load.
I will email DMP and try to find out what might be the issue. In theory it should not loose connectivity over time.
The first line of troubleshooting I would try is using a different Ethernet cable.
If, after changing the Ethernet cable the symptoms remain, could you please let us know some additional information:
1) When using nLite did you remove any specific Windows Components?
Any that may be network related?
There are a number of Windows components that depend on another (which in turn depend on another).
2) Could you let us know where you downloaded the LAN drivers? Were they downloaded from our servers/from our Windows XP installation Tutorial or from some other source?
3) Finally, if you have the opportunity to install Ubuntu to a second/separate SD card would you be able to check if the same symptom occurs under Ubuntu?
With regards to the driver settings about flow control, etc I don't think these would affect performance or behaviour significantly.
We don't have any indication in this direction so I would recommend leaving the default settings.
Kind Regards
Pedro
We don't have information about the performance of the NIC under stress/heavy load.
I will email DMP and try to find out what might be the issue. In theory it should not loose connectivity over time.
The first line of troubleshooting I would try is using a different Ethernet cable.
If, after changing the Ethernet cable the symptoms remain, could you please let us know some additional information:
1) When using nLite did you remove any specific Windows Components?
Any that may be network related?
There are a number of Windows components that depend on another (which in turn depend on another).
2) Could you let us know where you downloaded the LAN drivers? Were they downloaded from our servers/from our Windows XP installation Tutorial or from some other source?
3) Finally, if you have the opportunity to install Ubuntu to a second/separate SD card would you be able to check if the same symptom occurs under Ubuntu?
With regards to the driver settings about flow control, etc I don't think these would affect performance or behaviour significantly.
We don't have any indication in this direction so I would recommend leaving the default settings.
Kind Regards
Pedro
by b2051758
Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:56 am
Hi Pedro,
Thanks for the reply. Changed the cable for a known good one, still the same problem.
I'm fairly sure I didn't leave out any network components when doing the nlite setup however I can't be 100 % sure because I didn't take note of what I took out.
With regards to the drivers, I received them from yourself in email when asking about the ebox. I do have a spare sd card so I think trying Ubuntu will be a good idea.
Hopefully I can get this sorted, it a great little machine. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks
Tom.
Thanks for the reply. Changed the cable for a known good one, still the same problem.
I'm fairly sure I didn't leave out any network components when doing the nlite setup however I can't be 100 % sure because I didn't take note of what I took out.
With regards to the drivers, I received them from yourself in email when asking about the ebox. I do have a spare sd card so I think trying Ubuntu will be a good idea.
Hopefully I can get this sorted, it a great little machine. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks
Tom.
by ozfiddler
Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:54 pm
Hi Tom,
Do you have a way to try wireless? I'm wondering if it might be worth trying a USB wireless adapter to see if you get the same problem. I've never actually used the ethernet cable at all - always worked through wireless and it's the one aspect of the eBox that has never given me any trouble.
Do you have a way to try wireless? I'm wondering if it might be worth trying a USB wireless adapter to see if you get the same problem. I've never actually used the ethernet cable at all - always worked through wireless and it's the one aspect of the eBox that has never given me any trouble.
by PedroR
Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:41 pm
Hi Tom
After speaking with the manufacturer they've asked if you could please let us knot the following please:
- Unit SN (it's on a sticker at the bottom)
- BIOS version.
Please let me know this information so that I can pass it on to the manufacturer to try and get some more feedback from them.
Also the suggestion from ozzfiddler is an interesting one:
- His suggestion would rule out any issue with Networking components missing from the Win Xp install
- My suggestion with Linux would essentially show us if it's something related to WinXP (or the Xp LAN driver) or if it's some sort of Hardware limitation.
I guess BIOS version and S/N are the easiest to provide
if you can let me know that I'll forward it to the manufacturer.
Kind Regards
Pedro.
After speaking with the manufacturer they've asked if you could please let us knot the following please:
- Unit SN (it's on a sticker at the bottom)
- BIOS version.
Please let me know this information so that I can pass it on to the manufacturer to try and get some more feedback from them.
Also the suggestion from ozzfiddler is an interesting one:
- His suggestion would rule out any issue with Networking components missing from the Win Xp install
- My suggestion with Linux would essentially show us if it's something related to WinXP (or the Xp LAN driver) or if it's some sort of Hardware limitation.
I guess BIOS version and S/N are the easiest to provide
if you can let me know that I'll forward it to the manufacturer.
Kind Regards
Pedro.
by b2051758
Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:54 pm
Hi guys,
Sorry for the slowness of reply, been mega busy recently.
Anyway with regards to the network problem, I have solved it!
Quite simple really, but rather strange.
Pedro in the email you sent me there were two sets of folders in the zip file for the lan driver. I reinstalled the driver from the zip file, but this time using a different folder than I used previously.
This has 100% fixed the issue and with many weeks testing not one dropout. It seems to me, one of the drivers even though the two folders indicate they are exactly the same, one must be a different version or something as it works fine and the other does not.
Tom.
Sorry for the slowness of reply, been mega busy recently.
Anyway with regards to the network problem, I have solved it!
Quite simple really, but rather strange.
Pedro in the email you sent me there were two sets of folders in the zip file for the lan driver. I reinstalled the driver from the zip file, but this time using a different folder than I used previously.
This has 100% fixed the issue and with many weeks testing not one dropout. It seems to me, one of the drivers even though the two folders indicate they are exactly the same, one must be a different version or something as it works fine and the other does not.
Tom.
by PedroR
Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:52 am
Hi Tom
I'm happy to know you were able to overcome your issue.
We would really be interested in knowing which folder/file you used in the end but I can imagine you probably don't recall it. If you do please let us know
I will also dig out the links for the files I sent you and make sure to add a README in there explaining what you've shared.
Thanks again and I'm glad it all worked out.These boxes are proving very solid and reliable.
Kind Regards
Pedro.
I'm happy to know you were able to overcome your issue.
We would really be interested in knowing which folder/file you used in the end but I can imagine you probably don't recall it. If you do please let us know
I will also dig out the links for the files I sent you and make sure to add a README in there explaining what you've shared.
Thanks again and I'm glad it all worked out.These boxes are proving very solid and reliable.
Kind Regards
Pedro.
by b2051758
Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:39 pm
Hi,
I cant be 100% as it was a while ago but In the Ethernet driver folder at the root of the folder there is another folder called '12.01'. I opened this seeing the options for win 98, 2000 and xp. Selected the drivers in the xp folder and installed them.
This is the driver that seemed to have caused the problem, and when I went to reinstall the drivers I used the drivers directly at the root of the folder instead of the ones in the 12.01 folder. The driver file that works (RDCPCI5.SYS) is slightly larger in size than the other one at 19,456 bytes.
Hopefully this will help people with similar problems.
Tom.
I cant be 100% as it was a while ago but In the Ethernet driver folder at the root of the folder there is another folder called '12.01'. I opened this seeing the options for win 98, 2000 and xp. Selected the drivers in the xp folder and installed them.
This is the driver that seemed to have caused the problem, and when I went to reinstall the drivers I used the drivers directly at the root of the folder instead of the ones in the 12.01 folder. The driver file that works (RDCPCI5.SYS) is slightly larger in size than the other one at 19,456 bytes.
Hopefully this will help people with similar problems.
Tom.