(This is an update, adding some additional information and sending
it to a somewhat wider audience, of a message sent by my colleague
Ian Crew to the MAGNet mailing list on May 22.)
On May 22, 2000, Apple released Ethernet Update 1.0 for Mac OS 9.
This is the company's official fix for a 'dropped Ethernet
connections' problem affecting its newest Macintosh models, which
typically results in a complete loss of AppleTalk and TCP/IP
connectivity within minutes or hours after a machine has been
powered-on or restarted. This problem has been observed at a number
of locations on the UC Berkeley campus network.
Additional information:
- More detailed information about this problem
- Which Macintosh models are affected
- Where to obtain Ethernet Update 1.0
- If Ethernet Update 1.0 doesn't resolve the problem
- Other changes Apple will be making to address this problem
- Our thanks to campus testers and to Apple
More detailed information about this problem
--------------------------------------------
More detailed information about this problem is available from the
AppleCare Tech Info Library article:
"Ethernet Update 1.0: Determining Whether to Install It"
http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n25147
Which Macintosh models are affected
-----------------------------------
This problem affects the following Macintosh models, all of which are
based on a new, unified system board architecture:
* Power Macintosh G4 with AGP graphics
(See <URL:http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n58418> for
assistance in identifying whether you have this model.)
* iMac with a slot-loading CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
(See <URL:http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n58471>.)
* iBook
* PowerBook G3 with FireWire ports
(See <URL:http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n24604>.)
Where to obtain Ethernet Update 1.0
-----------------------------------
Ethernet Update 1.0 is available from:
http://asu.info.apple.com/swupdates.nsf/artnum/n11687
The installer updates the Mac OS ROM file to version 3.8.
The Ethernet Update installer apparently requires that you have Mac
OS 9.0.4 installed. If your Macintosh is running an earlier version
of Mac OS 9, you can download the 9.0.4 updater via the Software
Update control panel (included with Mac OS 9) or from Apple's
Software Updates Web site at:
http://asu.info.apple.com/swupdates.nsf/artnum/n11610
For a list of reported problems and compatibility issues with Mac
OS 9.0.4, see:
http://www.macfixit.com/reports/macos9.0.x.shtml#OS9.0.4
http://www.macintouch.com/m904.html
If Ethernet Update 1.0 doesn't resolve the problem
--------------------------------------------------
There are a few campus network locations where Ethernet Update 1.0
apparently may not always resolve these 'dropped Ethernet
connections' problems.
If you install Ethernet Update 1.0 and still encounter occasional
dropped Ethernet connections, you might then try using Apple's debug
Ethernet drivers, which include an additional fix to handle some
"border network cases." You can obtain a copy of these drivers, and
instructions for using them, by sending a message with a brief
description of your experiences after installing Ethernet Update 1.0
to <macfeedback@banter.berkeley.edu>.
(Note that, in some cases, dropped connections may be symptomatic
of other types of network problems, not directly attributable to this
particular problem with Apple's newest Macintoshes.)
Other changes Apple will be making to address this problem
----------------------------------------------------------
The following are responses from Apple's Bob McConachie (see below)
and our Apple systems engineer, Jarrod Wyrick, to our questions about
how Apple will be addressing this problem going forward:
>Question 1. "Are there any Apple hardware modifications ..."
>
>A: We are addressing this network issue via software with current
>products. We may change the hardware in future products as well.
>
>We have products in development that will workaround this in hardware
>and some that will workaround this with software...
>
>Question 2. "Are there any plans to roll the new Ethernet driver into any
>new version of Mac OS 9?"
>
>A: Yes, it will be included in the next Mac OS update.
>
>Products that ship prior to Fortissimo [a rumored Mac OS 9.5,
>alleged to ship around September 2000 - Aron] will include this
>software fix or have a hardware fix...
>
>Question 3. "Are there any other methods -- other than having our
>customers encounter problems and then finding support information or support
>personnel who can direct them to the Ethernet Update as a solution --
>that you might suggest that we can adopt to more universally make
>this solution available to our campus customers?"
>
>A: This is an auto update, so if folks have Software Update in Mac OS 9
>configured to do so, they will be notified automatically of the
>workaround. As software/bundle builds get updated, this workaround will
>be included.
Our thanks to campus testers and to Apple
---------------------------------------------------------------
We appreciate the efforts of AppleCare engineer Bob McConachie, who
coordinated the testing of this fix, as well as the work of the Apple
Ethernet driver engineers who rapidly developed successively-improved
versions of debug Ethernet drivers for testing.
At our request, the UC Berkeley campus was invited to join Apple's
testing of their proposed fix to this problem on March 27, 2000.
Testers from over 15 campus departments who had reported having
encountered this problem were seeded with debug Ethernet drivers, and
many provided test data to Apple that proved valuable in developing
this fix. In addition, Apple staff made two on-site visits to the
campus to look at particular problems first-hand.
Our thanks go to all of those who participated in this testing. We
especially wish to thank Michael Sinatra of IST-Communication and
Network Services (CNS), who provided expert technical help in a
variety of network locations, and Pat McPeak and John W. Keller of
the Engineering Dean's Office and Rob Johnson of the Chancellor's
Office, who provided detailed test reports that proved particularly
valuable in resolving this problem.
Aron Roberts
Workstation Software Support Group
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