Jukka Marin writes:

> I'm experiencing _serious_ problems with my Ethernet network.
> 
> I have been using this SMC 21041 card for .. a long time without problems.
> Now my network is 99% unusable.  I have replaced all cabling, disconnected
> all the systems I possibly can, no help.  I also replaced an Ethernet card
> on another machine which I first thought was the source of problems.
> 
> This is what happens:
> 
> At one moment, everything works just fine.  Then, suddenly:
> 
> ping: sendto: No buffer space available
> ping: sendto: No buffer space available
> ping: sendto: No buffer space available
> ping: sendto: No buffer space available
> 64 bytes from 212.246.39.150: icmp_seq=119 ttl=255 time=34774.558 ms
> 64 bytes from 212.246.39.150: icmp_seq=120 ttl=255 time=33776.082 ms

Yes, this sounds very familiar.  I had a similar problem with a kernel
of around the same vintage and a pair of 21140A on a crossover cable
(They use the same driver right? de*?).

It seemed to be somewhat related to boot time state, and I think I
found so long as the other end was up and running, the network card
would come up ok, and once up ok it would stay ok.  As the machine
tended to be up for multi-month periods, it didn't concern me too
much, the other end would always come up ok, and I usually forgot that
it was misbehaving at all :)

You might try upgrading, I've had no troubles with a 1.3I kernel.
However, that upgrade was pretty recent so I don't know if the problem
is _really_ fixed or not.

I think your hardware is probably ok, anyway. :)