Strange ping results ?

Hello !
I have two computers that I'm trying to connect via TCP/IP, both are running Win98. Here is the hardware :
1) Pentium 90 with Intel EtherExpress PRO/100 ISA card.
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1.5) Linksys 10/100 auto-sensing switch in between
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2) Pentium3-800 with Linksys PCI LNE100TX 10/100 card.

Everything works fine at 10 Mbps, both machines see each other and everything if fine. But when I try to enable them at 100 Mbps, wether I put them in auto-sensing mode or legit 100 Mbps half or full duplex, I get the strange PING results as follows :
Attempt 1 (1 error)
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Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps=1 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128
Délai d'attente de la demande dépassé.
Attempt 2 (no errors)
--------------------------------
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps=1 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128
Attempt 3 (1 error)
---------------------------
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps=1 ms TTL=128
Délai d'attente de la demande dépassé.
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps=1 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128
Attempt 4 (2 errors)
------------------------------
Délai d'attente de la demande dépassé.
Délai d'attente de la demande dépassé.
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps=1 ms TTL=128
Réponse de 192.168.1.2 : octets=32 temps<10 ms TTL=128

It's never the same result ! What's going on ? I have the latest drivers on both machines.
Thanks for your help !

Dave Bergeron
Quebec City, Canada

1. RE: Strange ping results ?
lbyard Sep-30-00 06:28 PM
In response to message 0

LAST EDITED ON Sep-30-00 AT 06:28 PM (GMT)
Sorry, but if I understood the wonderful sounding French language, I might be more helpful... You may have a cable problem. Larry

3. RE: Strange ping results ?
Bebert Sep-30-00 06:39 PM
In response to message 1

Hello Larry !
"Délai d'attente de la demande dépassée" means "timeout". So what is happening basically, is that sometimes, pings go number one, but sometimes, they just don't get to the other end. I tried another cable without luck. The Linksys switch detects both cards as being 100 Mbps at full duplex.
Thank you for your help Larry.

2. RE: Strange ping results ?
lbyard Sep-30-00 06:34 PM
In response to message 0

LAST EDITED ON Sep-30-00 AT 06:35 PM (GMT)
Also, the following is in C:\>\windows\network.txt:
INTEL ETHEREXPRESS 16 NICs AND PCI COMPUTERS
If you are using an Intel EtherExpress 16-network interface card (NIC) in a PCI computer that has a Diamond Speed Star PCI video card, your system might stop responding or not initialize properly. These problems, according to Intel customer support, are not related to Windows 98 and happen on a variety of operating systems.
If you have one of the following video cards, contact your vendor to obtain a new video BIOS update:
Diamond Speed Star PCI video card with BIOS version 1.01
Diamond Viper PCI VGA Video Adapter
Diamond Stealth video card, BIOS v1.03
Other PCI video cards might also cause problems with this Intel NIC. In general, if you experience problems with your EtherExpress 16 in a PCI computer other than those described above, replace the card. If your system still stops responding or does not initialize properly, report the problem to Microsoft.

4. RE: Strange ping results ?
Bebert Sep-30-00 06:42 PM
In response to message 2

Yo Larry,
The Pentium 90 machine is an IBM business-type one, with integrated onboard video. The Fast Ethernet card is the Intel EtherExpress PRO/100 ISA (not PCI).
I might buy another PCI 10/100 card to put it in a PCI slot instead of using the Intel 10/100 ISA.
Thanks again Larry,

Dave

5. RE: Strange ping results ?
Bebert Oct-03-00 04:22 AM
In response to message 2

Hello Larry !
Today I bought a Smartlink 10/100TX Fast Ethernet PCI adapter to use in the Pentium 90 machine. I wanted to try again without using the ISA EtherExpress. So now, both PCs have PCI Fast Ethernet NICs. Unfortunately, I have been having the same results. As soon as I try to set the Pentium 90's NIC to 100 Mbps (or auto-sense), wether it's the ISA EtherExpress or the PCI Smartlink, I can't ping/see the P3-800.
Could a broken cable prevent a 100 Mbps connection but allow a 10 Mbps one ? I'm using CAT 5 cables.
Oh well Am I the only one having problems with 100 Mbps connections with two Win98 PCs ?

6. RE: Strange ping results ?
lbyard Oct-03-00 10:27 AM
In response to message 5

It could be the cable, but it might be that the 90 Mhz machine is not set up for bus-mastering. If you have the Ethernet board in the shared PCI/ISA slot, try moving it to another PCI slot. You may have to install a bus mastering driver for the motherboard. Larry