Autonegotiation on Nortel Passport 8600 gig port

[stuartcoe]

Customer is using 8 Port 1000BaseSX modules in Passport 8600s.

In one switch the module is Hardware rev 04 dated 12/17/2001 and the other is rev 05 dated 06/11/2002.

When a compaq server is connected into ports on each the ones on the older module works ok for autonegotiation, but the ports on the newer module always fail to autonegotiate and have to be hard set.

Anyone seen this problem?

 

[Routerman18250]

Yes, I have experienced that problem and it has always required the NIC in the server to be upgraded. Some NIC's just don't autonegotiate well.

 

[Cedrick]

We had a situation connecting a Passport 8600 to a Cisco 6509 via SX GBICs on both. Hardcoding the GBICs caused communications to be interrupted frequently until the link just wouldn't connect at all anymore. I remember seeing on a Cisco web page to let gig connections autonegotiate (don't remember if it was just fiber or included copper as well). Once we enabled autonegotiate on both GBIC's the link came up and has stayed up...just an FYI.

 

[pcorbin1]

I have found over the years that I just don't use auto-negotiate. It just doesn't work consistently. Hard code it and you'll be much better off.

 

[ZachBenj]

We have also found auto-negotiate to be an art and not a science. We have to manually set our compaq servers and 8600 to the same setting in order to keep server performace where it should be. Especially teh older compaq servers. We have 2 servers that would only work properly in half duplex mode. auto-negotiate does not appear to be a big a problem in the newer Compaq servers.

My suggestions are what I would try myself. If incorrect, I welcome corrections to my knowledge.
Scott
stomlin@baptistfirst.org