MiniportReset and connection status (NDIS test)

[Pavel A.]

The MiniportReset test checks that connection state is restored after reset, and gives the driver
500 ms to restore connection ( script : 1c_reset.wsf, line 195 in ndistest 4.3.30).
What if this is not enough?
For wireless LAN, the same test suite allows up to 2 sec to connect
(script : 1c_wlan_associatetime.wsf ).
Does NDIS or any protocol actually expect the link up in 0.5 sec after reset?
Since MiniportReset does hardware reset, you can not expect reset time shorter than normal
connection (that is typically ~ 1 sec).
How do you cope with this issue? just skip hardware reset?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-- Pavel

 

[Stephan Wolf]

Good question. IIRC, we had a loooong discussion with WHQL years ago
on this "link up after reset" issue. Our problem was that an FDDI
station can -by specification- require up to IIRC 50 seconds (!) to
"insert" into the ring.

I currently don't remember how we or them solved the problem.

Maybe it is interesting to note that auto-negotiation on Ethernet can
take up to 3 seconds. So I am wondering how one can ever fulfill any
500 ms requirement...?

Stephan

 

[Gary G. Little]

Look at SCSI delays. I had to account for MINUTES, not just seconds to, were
a SCSI device power on at roughly the same time.

 

[Mitesh Desai [MSFT]]

The NDISTest's NdisReset command initiates a MiniportReset and waits for
reset to complete before returning control to the test. The miniport would
not complete the reset until it knows its link status for certain and hence
the test should not have any problems.

The miniport can pend the reset until it can determine the link status. NDIS
and protocols know that the device is in reset and must be able to handle
long reset durations.

Mitesh

 

[Pavel A.]

Mitesh, thank you very much. Really appreciated your clear explanation.

-- Pavel

 

[Stephan Wolf]

I checked our GigE source code and we actually only complete the reset
when either the link is up again or a maximum wait time has expired
(some seconds).

This driver has been logo'ed by WHQL.

Stephan

 

[Larry Cawley]

This is a common problem with wireless devices. The Reset cannot be
completed until the link is re-established. With wireless devices the
entire roaming, association sequence can take some time. In my experience,
as long as you don't indicate reset complete until the association is
complete, the NDISTester tests pass.


Larry Cawley