[SunHELP] Dead TPE/RJ45 network port

[Damian Walker]

Hello there,

I have just bought a Sparcserver 20 without a monitor.  I'm hoping to
use it as a home web server, and at the moment I communicate with it
through the serial console.  On first trying to connect it to my home
network, I found the TPE port appears to be either disabled or dead.  No
"Link" LED is shown in the hub when I plug the machine into it.  The
cable was borrowed from a machine plugged into the same socket
on the hub, so I know this works and have narrowed the problem down to
the TPE port.

I'd like to get to the OK prompt to test the port, or to enable it if
it's been disabled for some reason.  I know if I plug a keyboard in then
I can use stop-D to get to the diagnostics--I have the manuals--but if I
plug in a keyboard, will the Sun not try to display the diagnostics on
the non-existent monitor rather than the serial console?

The service manual also suggests that I can get to the diagnostics by
halting the operating system.  Shutdown just gets me to a (presumably
single user) # prompt rather than an ok prompt.

Other ideas keep coming to me, and I'll probably have one or two before
I see any replies to this message, but nevertheless, any suggestions on
how to get this thing to the OK prompt would be appreciated.

Thank you,
-- 
Damian - http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/dwalker/ - UPDATED 11/7/2001