Strange network congestion

[delaney@xn.ll.mit.edu (John R. Delaney)]

For the 4th time in a moth, the 3rd time in a wekk, and the 2nd time in
as many days, we are having a problem with ALL of our L-bus-based
Symbolics LISP machines which make virtually unusable unless
disconnected for our group's network.

Context: We have 10 L-bus-based 36xx LISP machines, 1 G-bus-based 36xx
LISP machine, 1 MacIvory, 4 TI Explorer LISP machines, ~20 SUN 3 and 4
workstation, 2 SUN SPARCstations, 2 DG AViions (different models), a VAX
11/782, a Cisco router, and God only knows what else, all on 1 ethernet.
All the Symbolics machines run Genera 8.0.1.

Symptoms: 90+% of the cycles on each L-bus-based 36xx is spent in the
Ethernet reciever process. For all practical purposes, the machines are
useless. No other computers seem to be directly affected. The problem
appears to start spontaneously.  

The first time this occured, we shut down all of the effected Symbolics
machines and brought them back up one at a time, expecting the problem
to recur when one machine was brought up. But the problem did not then
recur.

The second time, we unplugged ethernet connectors one at a time. The
last machine left connected still had the peoblem. We disconnected it
and reconnected another; the problem recured on the newly reconnected
machine. Then we started disconnecting other commputers. After, but not
immediately after, disconnecting the Cisco router from the outside
world, the problem went away.

The third time, we did nothing and the problem went away spontaneously.

The fourth time (still going on), we disconnected the router from the
outside world. But that had no impact on the problem.

Our fancy HP network monitor shows no signs of anything strange; but it
apparently is set up to monitor TCP/IP activity only. The PEEK network
screens on the TIs tell us that apparently large numbers of broadcast
packets are being received by them but not the origins. They also tell
us that a large-ish number of CHAOS RUT packets are being received, even
though we do not have a CHAOS bridge in our system (as far as we know).

Does anyone else have similiar problems? has anyone else fixed similiar
problems? If so, how?

General expressions of sympathy and off-the-wall suggestions of what to
try next are also solicted.

Thanks in advance,

John (and Kathy and Alicia and the growing number of people chasing this
problem because they cannot get any other work done in this situation)