[Net] Kernel renams eth0 -> eth7

[Nico Schottelius <nico-kernel20061009@schottelius.org>]

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Hello!

I am runnig 2.6.17.13 on a Geode, with 3 natsemi ports onboard
and 4 ports in a pci card (soekris net4801).

The strange thing is, that it currently renames eth0 to eth7
and eth1 to eth8 (or somehow different).

Have a look at [0] for dmesg output. You'll see this:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[   64.643627] natsemi eth0: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa0000000
(0000:00:06.0), 00:00:24:c5:69:5c, IRQ 10, port TP.
[   64.676833] natsemi eth1: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa0001000
(0000:00:07.0), 00:00:24:c5:69:5d, IRQ 10, port TP.
[   64.710006] natsemi eth2: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa0002000
(0000:00:08.0), 00:00:24:c5:69:5e, IRQ 10, port TP.
[   64.743402] natsemi eth3: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa4000000
(0000:01:00.0), 00:00:24:c4:fd:14, IRQ 5, port TP.
[   64.776463] natsemi eth4: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa4001000
(0000:01:01.0), 00:00:24:c4:fd:15, IRQ 11, port TP.
[   64.809891] natsemi eth5: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa4002000
(0000:01:02.0), 00:00:24:c4:fd:16, IRQ 5, port TP.
[   64.842982] natsemi eth6: NatSemi DP8381[56] at 0xa4003000
(0000:01:03.0), 00:00:24:c4:fd:17, IRQ 11, port TP.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

which is correct. Later you see this:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[  122.142761] eth8: DSPCFG accepted after 0 usec.
[  122.156411] eth8: link up.
[  122.164584] eth8: Setting full-duplex based on negotiated link
capability.
[  122.719529] eth8: remaining active for wake-on-lan
[  122.927613] eth8: DSPCFG accepted after 0 usec.
[  122.941269] eth8: link up.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
which feels really strange, because eth0 and eth1 simply
'disappeared'.

More information about the device can be found at [1]

My questions are:

   - why is it getting renamed and why did it not happen some boots
     (before I moved) before (like in [2])?
   
   - how can I tell the kernel NOT to rename it anymore / what
     must I fix?

Any hints appreciated.

Sincerly

Nico

[0]: http://unix.schottelius.org/zwerg/dmesg.renamed.eth0%2c1
[1]: http://unix.schottelius.org/zwerg/
[2]: http://unix.schottelius.org/zwerg/dmesg

-- 
``...if there's one thing about Linux users, they're do-ers, not whiners.''
(A quotation of Andy Patrizio I completely agree with)

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