NT BDC Unable to communicate at 100 MBPS

[skifiend]

I have added a second BDC to our NT Domain. The BDC is a Micron Netframe 2100 with a 3Com 3C980 series and integrated Intel 82558-based NIC. I've tried both NICs and was able to have them communicate at 10 MBPS with the PDC with no problems. The protocols we use are TCP/IP and NeTBEUI. As soon as I try crank up the NIC speed to 100 MBPS on our new BDC, I am unable to log into the domain. Our PDC is running at 10 MBPS because of hardware restrictions. I've tried everything I can think of from letting the new BDC try to auto-negotiate with the switch, to manually setting speed and duplex on both the switch and the BDC with no luck. Is it possible that both the PDC and the BDC have to be both communicating at the same speed on the network in order for them to see each other?

 

[ShackDaddy]

What sort of network devices are between the BDC and the PDC? And what speeds do they operate at?

 

[skifiend]

Both the PDC and BDC are attached to a Cabletron 10/100 24 port switch. The PDC is opperating at 10 MBPS and I'm trying to get the BDC to opperate at 100 MBPS, with no success. Again, the BDC functions perfectly at 10 MBPS, it stops responding as soon as I make that jump from 10 to 100.

 

[TheLad]

You may have to force the port on the switch to 100Mb Full as well as configuring the server. I have seen instances like this whereby the server ceases to be on the network due to a port being configured at a different speed to that of the server. -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
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[Highland]

Is it with both cards on the BDC that you are unable to use 100Mbs....???? Can you tell from the switch if the BDC is actually connecting at 100Mbs..???? If u use a local login to the BDC can you see devices in Network Neighbourhood...???

I've seen problems in the past with Auto-negotiate failing between switches and Network cards, normally forcing the switch port to the required speed is sufficient...????

It shouldn't make any difference to comms between the PDC and BDC if they are operating at different speeds.....

 

[skifiend]

I've tried to allow auto-negotiation on both the NIC and the switch. I've also manually set the exact same settings on the switch and the BDC. I guess my question boils down to whether or not a PDC communicating at 10 MBPS can talk to a BDC trying to communicate at 100 MBPS?

 

[Highland]

Yeah it should communicate...!!! The speed between each interface card and the switch is only associated with the comms at that particular link....??? The uplink on the switch to the rest of the network can be a different speed again...??? Each network link can vary in speed and only affects the comms across the link in question....

Can the BDC "see" the rest of the network...??? Can you "ping" other devices...??? Also try IPCONFIG /ALL at a DOS prompt and check that your addressing is correct....

Hope this helps.....!!!

 

[jaeddy]

Silly question, but did you change the cable? I've (once or twice) had cables that worked fine at 10MB, but flaked out at 100MB for no clear reason that I can determine.