[CentOS] how to enable Flow Control on CentOS?

Sun Jul 10 08:22:03 UTC 2011
Charles Polisher <cpolish at surewest.net>

Giles Coochey wrote:
> On 09/07/2011 01:06, Les Mikesell wrote:
> >Turning off negotiation pretty much guarantees problems if
> >anything changes at the other end or you use an unmanaged switch.
> >And the gigabit spec requires auto-negotiation.
> 
> Let me make it clear - auto-negotiation only works if
> auto-negotiation is configured on both sides. It does not work if
> one side hard codes the speed and duplex. Both sides have to be set
> for it to negotiate. Agreeing on speed and duplex ensures that it
> will work.
> 
> If something is going to change on the remote end without you
> knowing, or your provider is using an unmanaged switch then it's
> time to change provider :-) - they obviously are cheapskates and
> don't have any change management control on their systems.
> 
> Gigabit is different.

My reading of the spec is that when a port is configured for 1GbE 
over 1000BASE-T (copper), "disabling" auto-negotiation disables the
advertising of the auto-negotiation for 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T, but 
auto-negotiation is still advertised and operational for 1GbE.
Auto-negotiation cannot be disabled for 1000BASE-X (optical fiber).

Deviation from the spec would mean such kit is Ethernet-like.
An ability to "set" auto-negotiation one way in the user interface 
while leaving the hardware in a different - standards conforming - 
state is possible.

-- 
Charles Polisher