[Thinkpad] Disappearing NIC *solved*

[Bruce Markowitz]

Yes, but I LOVE when I get to say RTFM!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matt" <mwtech at ameritech.net>
To: <thinkpad at stderr.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 6:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Disappearing NIC *solved*


> Now Bruce, be nice for a second.
>
> That's a new "feature" that would have many of us flipping stumped, I'm
> sure, at an inopportune moment.
> Especially if the NIC would only recognize a connection to a powered hub.
>
> Sounds like a further improvement on power management that no one knew
> existed.
>
> Deep Smart Power Down the Thoroughfare On a Sunny Day......
>
> What a pain in the butt, Intel can be, at times. And when's the last time
> anyone wrote a manual for a laptop that had documentation that good?
>
> I'd a said worse, but now that Deadwood's been cancelled, I find that my
> verbiage has somewhat improved.
>
> Best to all.
>
> Matt
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bruce Markowitz" <scosgt at worldnet.att.net>
> To: "Jon Etkins" <jon at snikte.net>; <thinkpad at stderr.org>
> Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 4:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Disappearing NIC *solved*
>
>
> > Just another case of RTFM
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Jon Etkins" <jon at snikte.net>
> > To: <thinkpad at stderr.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 5:45 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Disappearing NIC *solved*
> >
> >
> >> Thanks to Mario and Bruce for their suggestions, which forced me to
take
> >> yet another look at the hardware settings.  It turns out the culprit
was
> >> the "Deep Smart Power Down" setting, and a Google search for that term
> >> lead me to the following item in the ReadMe from the latest ethernet
> >> driver update for the T60:
> >>
> >>   - (New) Deep Smart Power Down support for ThinkPad T60/T60p
> >>
> >>      Deep Smart Power Down (DSPD)
> >>      ----------------------------
> >>      Deep Smart Power Down turns off the on-board Ethernet when link
> >>      is down or the network cable is disconnected.  After a timeout
> >>      period, the Ethernet will power off.  To the operating system,
> >>      this appears as a "hot-unplugged" Ethernet.  When the network
> >>      cable is reconnected and link is restored, the Ethernet powers
> >>      up and functionality is fully restored.  This appears as a
> >>      "hot-plugged" Ethernet.  This function is available in Windows
> >>      XP and functions when the system is battery mode.
> >>
> >>      DSPD information:
> >>      -----------------
> >>
> >>      To disable DSPD,
> >>      ----------------
> >>      1. Connect AC power to the system
> >>      2. Open Device Manager
> >>      3. Double-click Network adapters
> >>      4. Double-click Intel(R) PRO/1000 PL Network Connection
> >>      5. Click Advanced tab, Select Deep Smart Power Down, and
> >>         change the value to Disabled
> >>
> >>
> >> Sure enough, with that setting disabled, the NIC never goes away, and
> >> with it enabled the device magically appears and disappears if I
connect
> >> or disconnect a LAN cable while running on battery - actually quite a
> >> cool feature that should help prolong battery life.  Armed with that
> >> knowledge, I'll probably leave it enabled most of the time.
> >>
> >> Caveats:
> >>
> >> What they *don't* tell you is that it only works if you're connected to
> >> a hub, router, or switch - the NIC will not power on if it's connected
> >> to another NIC via a crossover cable, which is exactly what I was
trying
> >> to do when I struck problems.
> >>
> >> And of course you have to remember to check the setting before leaving
> >> your desk, because if all you have available on site is a crossover
> >> cable and no AC adapter, there's no way to make the device reappear so
> >> you can change the setting!  Can you spell "catch-22," boys and girls?
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >>    Jon.
> >>
> >>
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