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    Does the Intel PRO/1000 PL network card support jumbo frame?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by dickeywang, Sep 1, 2007.

  1. dickeywang

    dickeywang Notebook Consultant

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    The Intel online document says that the PRO/1000 PL does support jumbo frame up to 9k, but I couldn't find the option to adjust the frame size even after I installed the latest Intel driver including the PROSet manager.
    Here is a screenshot of the options in control panel:

    [​IMG]
    PS: It is a Intel PRO/1000 PL integrated NIC comes with my thinkpad T60 (2007-66U). It is connected to a D-Link DGS-2205 switch which supports jumbo frame, and all the other desktops in the same LAN are all enabled with Jumbo frame.
     
    dickeywang, Sep 1, 2007
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  2. jessi3k3

    jessi3k3 Notebook Evangelist

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    Are you talking about Adaptive Inter-Frame spacing? Because my laptop has an option to enable or disable it and I'm using the same network card. (disabled by default)
     
    jessi3k3, Sep 1, 2007
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  3. dickeywang

    dickeywang Notebook Consultant

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    I think Adaptive Inter-Frame spacing is different from jumbo frame (if you look at my screenshot, you will see the "Adaptive Inter-Frame spacing" option). Basically jumbo frame allows the NIC to send data using larger frame size ( larger than the standard 1500bytes), which usually has a higher transfer rate and lower CPU usage especially in a Gigabit network. Usually you will see a 20-40% increase in transfer rate when sending large files between two PCs.

    It seems all the Thinkpad T60 uses the same PRO/1000 PL (82573L) NIC, so I am wondering if anyone has find a way to enable jumbo frame.
     
    dickeywang, Sep 1, 2007
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  4. dickeywang

    dickeywang Notebook Consultant

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    OK, I guess I found some answer to the question after talking with a guy via the e1000 mailing list.
    The PRO/1000 PL NIC is based on Intel 82573L chip, and all the 82573 chips (including 82573E/V/L) have some flaw in their design. Therefore, the 82573E/V version does not support jumbo frame at all. The 82573L chip only supports jumbo frame when the ASPM(Active State Power Management) is disabled(ASPM will corrupt data when jumbo frame is used). Since in my case the PRO/1000 PL network card (82573L) is installed in a laptop, its ASPM is enabled. The only way to get jumbo frame to work is to modify the eeprom to disable ASPM, which is risky IMHO.

    The following Intel documents (item 17) has described the problem:
    http://download.intel.com/design/network/specupdt/82573.pdf

    Where "workaround" means flash the eeprom.

    Shame on you, Intel!!! :(
     
    dickeywang, Sep 2, 2007
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