Common Ethernet Layer-2 Bridging Errors

Use the following information to help resolve common errors encountered when using Ethernet layer-2 bridging.

The Change Line Desc (Ethernet) (CHGLINETH) command cannot be used to change the Bridge identifier of a line description that was created before Ethernet layer-2 bridging support was added. The following steps provide equivalent behavior:
  • Use the "Copy" option on the Work with Line Descriptions (WRKLIND) command to make a temporary copy of the line description.
  • Delete the existing line description by using the Delete Line Description (DLTLIND) command.
  • Use the "Copy" option again on the WRKLIND command to replicate the original line description, specifying the Bridge identifier.
  • Delete the temporary line description by using the DLTLIND command.

No more than one line description with a given Bridge identifier on a physical Ethernet adapter can be varied on at the same time. Likewise, no more than one line description with a given Bridge identifier on a virtual Ethernet adapter can be varied on at the same time. An error is returned when trying to vary on any more line descriptions with that Bridge identifier, indicating that the configuration is in error. For a given bridge, select one physical Ethernet line description and one virtual line description to be bridged. If more than one bridge is required, use a different Bridge identifier for each additional bridge.

The selected virtual Ethernet resource must be marked to allow access to the external network. If an incorrect virtual Ethernet resource is selected, an error is returned when trying to vary on its line description. The error indicates that the selected resource cannot use promiscuous mode. Create a virtual Ethernet resource that can be used to access the external network.

If either line description is not varied on, then no traffic is bridged between the networks.