Re: strange network interface problem

On Sat, May 10, 2003 at 01:35:29AM -0400, Barney Wolff wrote:

> On Fri, May 09, 2003 at 10:53:15PM -0500, Glenn Johnson wrote:
>
> > This is a weird one but hopefully someone can help.  I have two
> > software programs that I frequently use and they each use licensing
> > software that depends on the Ethernet interface.  One uses FlexLM
> > and the other a node locked scheme.  They are both Linux programs,
> > which may be important.  The machine in question is a dual homed
> > machine with one xl interface and one fxp interface.  The xl
> > interface is on a 192.168.1.0 network and the fxp is on the
> > corporate LAN.  The hostname points to the 192.168.1.1 address.
> > The license keys were generated from the MAC address of the xl
> > interface.  This worked fine as of a couple of days ago but because
> > of the ffs bug I am not about to back my sources back in time.
> >
> > After updating to a recent -CURRENT,
> >
> > FreeBSD 5.1-BETA #0: Thu May 8 12:42:08 CDT 2003
> > root_at_node1.cluster.srrc.usda.gov:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/CLUSTER-FW
> >
> > the programs in question are getting the interfaces mixed up.  For
> > the program that uses the node locked scheme I was able to get
> > another license generated and so am okay for that one.  However,
> > the program that uses FlexLM is locked to the 192.168.1.0 network.
> > The problem is the software is seeing the dual homed machine on the
> > wrong interface and so thinks it is not on the network.
>
> In what order does ifconfig print the interfaces? /var/run/dmesg.boot?

xl0 is first.

> It's possible you can control the ifconfig order by putting:
> network_interfaces="xl0 fxp0 lo0" in rc.conf.

Tried that.

> If that fails keep both devices out of the kernel & rc.conf & load
> them in the desired order either in loader.conf or a script in
> /usr/local/etc/rc.d.

It does not seem like that would help as they are in the desired order.
FlexLM is in fact using the correct interface for the ether address
but the software that needs the license from FlexLM is getting the IP
address from the other interface.  As I said, the software license
checking worked just a few days ago.  Something has changed with
-CURRENT, or something weird is happening with the system.

> If all else fails, switch the nics around in their slots.  Hard to do
> if either is on the motherboard, I know.

The fxp interface is on the motherboard.

> In that case the real fbsd net internals folks may have an answer.

Hope so.  Thanks for your input.

-- 
Glenn Johnson