After upgrading from gentoo-sources-2.6.37 to gentoo-sources-2.6.37-r1, realtek driver would not be able to get an ip address via dhcp. I saw some related info somewhwere (can't remember where right now)on the internet regarding similar problems with the latest kernel patchset. Wanted to file this bug to make people aware that if you need this driver for your box and aren't connecting, it's the buggy code in the latest patchset. BTW both 2.6.36 -all releases and first 2.6.37 work as expected. Reproducible: Always
Okay, after playing with this a few days I have realized that this driver will work fine when connected to my router directly but fails in the 2.6.37 versions when plugged into a switch that is connected to the same router. All other boxes including a fedora install work fine connected to the switch.
(In reply to comment #1) > Okay, after playing with this a few days I have realized that this driver will > work fine when connected to my router directly but fails in the 2.6.37 versions > when plugged into a switch that is connected to the same router. All other > boxes including a fedora install work fine connected to the switch. > Wait what?! This makes no sense --- why would the interface experience frames directly from your router any differently than when forwarded through your switch? What is your router and switch hardware? Is it a managed switch? Do you have broadcast filtering on while trying to acquire an IP via DHCP? Also what does "the driver works" mean? What precisely if failing? Try to compare a capture with tcpdump with and without the switch and see if anything shows up as unusual. Do a generic tcpdump -n -i eth0.
When I get some time in the next day or two I will do as you are saying. I believe it is a managed switch. My point was that other linux boxes have no problems connecting through the switch as did the 2.6.36 gentoo kernels.
I don't know why but the problem seems to have cured itself so I am closing this bug.
