[K12OSN] Problem with 5.0 and Cisco switch

[John Hansknecht]

Hi folks,

I am looking for possible solutions for an issue with K12LTSP 5.0 and our 
Cisco switch. First off, please note that we had no problems with earlier 
versions of K12LTSP and that the new server is working with all clients not 
connected to our cisco switch (which is thankful 100+ of 115 clients.) But 
these last clients won't work. The clients are PXE boot, they successfully 
pull a dhcp address and start the PXE boot process. Then when the clients get 
to the linux network setup they fail on the dhcp client process (I.E. they 
don't get an address). It appears to me that the issue is that the Cisco 
switch is very slow to negotiate speeds and by the time the negotiations are 
complete the computer has already failed for lack of an IP address. So, I am 
looking for an easy way to get past this issue. Possibilities would be:

1) Is there a way to extend the time out that the linux client waits for the 
dhcp server to grant an address.

2) Is there a way to set the speed of the linux client, then I can also set 
the speed on the cisco switch and eliminate the speed negotiation.

3) Or, of course am I totally missing the boat here and does any one have 
another idea on the source of the problem and a possible solution?

Peace,

John Hansknecht
U of D Jesuit