> Are these interfaces configured in "autoselect" mode? What happens when 
quoted text
> you configure them in fixed mode, e.g. 100Mb/full duplex?

Sounds like a good idea. In the future, I will configure them in fixed
mode, it won't hurt.

Even though it may have something to do with the autoselect mode,
the whole story still has a bad smell =) I mean, the problem persisted
even though I several times disconnected the cable, changed the cable,
hooked the Soekris to a Dell 5324 Switch (to a port in autoselect mode)
and nevertheless the interface did not get out of the stalled state
until I did the ifconfig down/up sequence.