Re: Linux, tcpdump and vlan

During debugging, I noticed that dev_queue_xmit() is called twice for tx vlan frames. This results in a frame being passed twice to a packet socket bound to 'any' interface. If the packet socket is bound to a specific interface, though, it will get only one copy of the tx frame, which is good.

In more detail: suppose we're tx'ing a frame, and the route table lookup yields a vlan outgoing device eth0.2. dev_queue_xmit() is called, which calls dev_queue_xmit_nit() for dev = eth0.2 then dev->hard_start_xmit() for dev = eth0.2. 

The latter call gets into the vlan layer, which attaches the vlan id 2 (accelerated or not... in my e1000 case accelerated) then calls dev_queue_xmit() again. This time around dev_queue_xmit_nit() is called for dev = eth0, and dev->hard_start_xmit() actually calls the ethernet driver.

The net result is that dev_queue_xmit_nit() is called twice, once for dev=eth0.2 then for dev=eth0.



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Shape Yahoo! in your own image.  Join our Network Research Panel today!   http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7 

andrei radulescu-banu wrote:

During debugging, I noticed that dev_queue_xmit() is called twice for tx vlan frames. This results in a frame being passed twice to a packet socket bound to 'any' interface. If the packet socket is bound to a specific interface, though, it will get only one copy of the tx frame, which is good.

In more detail: suppose we're tx'ing a frame, and the route table lookup yields a vlan outgoing device eth0.2. dev_queue_xmit() is called, which calls dev_queue_xmit_nit() for dev = eth0.2 then dev->hard_start_xmit() for dev = eth0.2. 

The latter call gets into the vlan layer, which attaches the vlan id 2 (accelerated or not... in my e1000 case accelerated) then calls dev_queue_xmit() again. This time around dev_queue_xmit_nit() is called for dev = eth0, and dev->hard_start_xmit() actually calls the ethernet driver.

The net result is that dev_queue_xmit_nit() is called twice, once for dev=eth0.2 then for dev=eth0.

Maybe binding to all isn't such a good idea then.

Ben

-- 
Ben Greear [off-list ref]
Candela Technologies Inc  http://www.candelatech.com