Ethernet problem -- Network completely dies

[Zach Archer <chaz@dslnorthwest.net>]

Hi. I just installed Debian Woody on my PowerPC 6500/225. After the 
initial shock, everything seems to be working and I've even set up 
SSH accounts for my friends, and am hosting a webserver... Just like 
a real system admin!!! Woo, Yay for me

A little about the setup: I have DSL, connected to a D-Link router, 
and three machines connected to the router's LAN via their Ethernet 
ports.

The problem: Sometimes, the PowerPC's LAN connection totally >dies<. 
This has happened a few times when I've transferred large files 
(mp3's) between my MacOS 9 machine, and the Debian machine -- at some 
point during the transfer, the transfer stops, and the Debian machine 
is then totally cut off from the network. (Can't ping, can't access 
the web, can't check mail, etc. Totally net-less, can't ping the 
router, can't do anything.) Today it happened when I remotely SSH'd 
onto the server and was reading a man page, when suddenly it hung.

When the Debian network connection dies, the other computers 
connected to the router are not affected... They still have full net 
access.

I can fix the problem by unplugging the PowerPC's ethernet cable and 
plugging it back in. I've tried swapping ethernet cables and also 
'weighting' down the cable a bit to make sure the pins are solidly 
connected; no good.

Please help if you can... I have big plans for this server! I can 
give more info if needed, thanks

-- Zach