On 1/11/08, Frank Altpeter <frank dot altpeter at gmail dot com> wrote:
>
> > You generally shouldn't force the properties of an ethernet port unless
> > you're using poor hardware with known issues (like some old cisco and
> > 3com gear).
>
> Well, having to manually set endpoints to a fixed value is strongly
> recommended when running a LAN-connect e.g.
> $enter-english-technical-terms-regarding-LAN - because there's often
> problems when doing auto-sensing here. Well, at least when your're
> running quite up-to-date HP ProCurve switches.
>

It's never "strongly recommended", I know of no vendor that recommends
doing this, including HP. They specifically recommend in their
documentation to avoid manual speed and duplex configuration. I manage
dozens of HP switches with a wide variety of equipment on them, with
every single port set to auto and I've never seen negotiation fail.

Under some *very* limited circumstances it's necessary because nothing
else works, but more commonly it doesn't work because people don't
understand how it's supposed to work and misconfigure one end or the
other. Leave everything to auto. For the 1 in 1000 situations (if not
far less than that) where it doesn't work with both ends on auto,
manually set both ends the same. 99% of the negotiation problems I've
seen are configuration problems.

-Chris