Try adding the following to /etc/modules.conf options e1000 Duplex=2 Speed=100 I grabbed that from http://www.contentkeeper.com/pdfs Modifying Intel e1000 Driver Parameters.pdf Mike Dave Howorth wrote:
Looking at the archive of this thread, it looks like one possibility that hasn't been tried is to explicitly tell the Intel NIC to use 100Mbps FDX. Is that worth trying? Sorry, I don't know how to do it off the top of my head and I'm not at work.
The other oddity I noticed was in the original log:
e1000_check_copper_options: Forcing to 100 Mbps Full Duplex Nov 14 10:22:29 lincoln kernel: e1000: 0000:02:03.0: e1000_check_copper_options: Speed, AutoNeg and MDI-X specifications are incompatible. Setting MDI-X to a compatible value.
Am I right that this means it got the speed right but then got confused about whether there was a crossed cable? I've no idea what that implies.
Ken, one other thought is that it might be worth posing this question to tyan support.
Cheers, Dave