_hp_lanadmin_args

If your network requires that the default MTU or speed be set using the lanadmin command to operate correctly, you can specify the arguments to the lanadmin command using the _hp_lanadmin_args variable. This variable setting must be set in the INSTALLFS file using the instl_adm command. Any change made with this variable only affects the installation and is not permanently applied to the system. For example, to set the MTU size to 1500, the line would be:

init _hp_lanadmin_args="-M 1500"

To set the speed for a 100-Base-T interface to full duplex (the default is half-duplex) you could use the setting:

init _hp_lanadmin_args="-S 1"

Setting the MTU value with lanadmin only works for the NIO/HPPB FDDI interface.

Additional lanadmin libraries have been added over time to allow many interfaces to be controlled with the –Xoption to lanadmin.

This variable is only useful when placed into the installation file system so the changes are available at boot time. For example:

( lan[].driver ~ "btlan" ) { _hp_lanadmin_args="-X 100FD"

}

You might choose to place the preceding configuration lines into the installation file system if you have systems (using LAN interfaces controlled by the btlan driver) connected to switches that have been set to operate only at 100 Full Duplex.

The reason you would need to do this is that there are no startup scripts when installing a system. The btlan driver attempts to auto-negotiate the speed and duplex settings with the device to which it is connected. If the switch is set to 100 Full Duplex the auto-negotiation fails and the system runs at 100 Half Duplex.

When the system and the switch attempt to communicate using mismatched duplexes, the values result in problems and performance suffers. This leads to either very long installation times or a failed installation.

For additional information, see "

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