Subject: Re: ethernet frame errors
To: Danny Thomas <D.Thomas@vthrc.uq.edu.au>
From: Brett Lymn <blymn@baea.com.au>
List: netbsd-help
Date: 09/16/1999 16:59:09
According to Danny Thomas:
>
>Frame errors account for about 1% of total
>packets.
>

If you are running half-duplex twisted-pair or coax then you expect
some frame errors from collisions.  A 1% error rate is reasonable for
ethernet.

>I think most ethernet chips normally drop, but count, bad packets.
>Is there a way to capture/inspect these packets?

It is called a packet sniffer.  As you suspected, most ethernet chips
will ditch bad packets without letting you look at them.  This is what
a sniffer is for and this is what you pay for :-)

>(I'm hoping the src address will be useful)
>

Generally not, normally it is munged by the collision.  You can spend
a lot of time running around not achieving anything.


-- 
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Brett Lymn, Computer Systems Administrator, British Aerospace Australia
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