network hang

[Sourav Sen <sourav@csa.iisc.ernet.in>]

Hello,
	I have a strange problem. I was testing a file server to which I
send requests for a set of files in some order and see the throughput.
When the file sizes are large, I get higher throughput(around 80-85
Mbits/sec), for small sized files the throughput is less(typical value may 
be around 30 Mbits/sec). Thats OK.

	But the problem is, I cannot run the experiment for large files
for long (typically over 30-60 sec) as the client machine network
subsystem seems to hang. I don't know why. I have to kill the client
program, but after that I cannot do anything with the network. I cannot
ping or anything. For making things work I have to bring down the
interface and bring it up again, then things starts working again. 
But for small files, I can run the experiment for large periods without 
any problem. The server machine is always okay.   

	I have checked the routing table and the arp cache before and
after the hang, they are same. 

	The client machine is fitted with NIC with a rtl8139 and the
server, DEC21140 chips. I think that rtl may be the culprit. I had fitted
one rtl in the server, then the server also used to hang like this. I
replaced the client machine with another machine having similar
configuration, (fitted with rtl), then also similar problem occurs. I am
talking about 2.2.14. 

	Anybody having any idea what may be wrong?

with regards

sourav,  who is CC'ing this mail to Mr. Donald Becker, the author of both
	 the drivers.(rtl and 21140)
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