Interesting ethernet issue

[Evan Dorn]

I have an ethernet interface that is working, but only under very 
strange circumstances.  I thought someone smarter might be able to tell 
me why.

Basically, it's an old clone with built-in ethernet (mace.o) and a 
linksys etherfast 10/100 PCI card (tulip.o).  The pci card is the one I 
care about.  O/S is YDL 2.3.

If I have them both compiled as modules, I can get the linksys card to 
work, but only by loading *both* modules, bringing up both interfaces, 
and then getting rid of the built-in ethernet interface.  If I load 
just the tulip.o module, I can't get the linksys card to work.   It's 
like this:

(boot)
% modprobe tulip  (brings up linksys card as eth0)
% modprobe mace (brings up built in as eth1)
% ifconfig eth1 down  (network starts working now)
---optionally---
% rmmod mace (network keeps working)

I find it really weird that I have to load mace.o to get tulip.o to 
work.   I can live with it, but would be interested to know why this 
is.  If anyone else is intrigued and wants to take a crack at it, I put 
the output of a bunch of different diagnostics on a web page (so I 
didn't have to paste them all into this email).  look at 
http://www.lrdesign.com/linux-ethernet-issue.html

Thanks muchly,
Evan