The quest for an answer to the plaguing problem with being unable to activate Teaming with the X38/48-DQ6 Gigabyte motherboards, and probably the higher level P45 boards as well, may have now been resolved. At least I sure hope that is the case.
My continuing pursuit of the root causes of this issue has led me to be a bit of a pest with the folks at Gigabyte, and until very recently, was not yielding particularly good results. But as with some things in life, persistence sometimes does bear positive outcomes, and this endeavor may be one of those instances.
Since it took me quite a while to fully grasp the entire situation (I'm not positive that I still completely understand it), I will take my time to explain what I have learned, so hopefully others will have an easier time coming to grips with all of this. To say that the resolution is not readily apparent to the average user would be an understatement.
The story begins with a brief description of what Teaming is supposed to accomplish. Basically, Teaming is the joining of two (or more) physical network connections (NICs) in the computer to achieve greater bandwidth (throughput) than one of them could accomplish individually. Thus, two or more NICs are "Teamed" together to create a single virtual connection that allows more data to flow through that virtual connection, and the computer treats that "Teamed" connection as one link (for most purposes), but also provides some other benefits as well.
The "Teaming" of the motherboard NICs is accomplished by the Gigabyte software and effectively causes that "joining" of the onboard NICs into a single network connection. However, as it turns out, that "joining" can ONLY be fully implemented when the other end of the connections is likewise prepared to implement the Teaming effect. This is where the "Dark Secret" comes in. It now appears to me that my frustrating experiences in trying to implement Teaming were always destined to fail since I didn't fully understand the requirements of the "other half" of the equation.
That "other half" of the equation is the physical connection to the network, and that is where the Teaming implementation has failed me. Most of us connect to our home network either through the ports on a router and/or switch. And even though we may be using a gigabit router and/or gigabit switch, that's not enough to create Teaming. I will use my personal experiences with Linksys routers and gigabit switches to illustrate these important points.
I have been using a Linksys Model #WRT350N gigabit router for over a year. Generally speaking, it has given me good service, and I have it flashed with the latest firmware upgrade. This particular router has four (4) onboard gigabit ports to connect to a computer, switch(s) or other network devices. I ASSUMED that was all I needed for Teaming (I know the cliché about the word "assume" - it makes an "ass" out of "u" and "me!" - LOL), but it's appropriate in this writing since I didn't understand what "else" was required to cause Teaming to come into operation. So, as a lot of folks might do, I plugged a Cat5e patch cord into each of the two X48 NICs and then into two of the gigabit ports on my router, and then tried to implement Teaming. Obviously, since I'm writing this piece, that experiment was a total failure - but I couldn't understand WHY?
Now we get to learn about the "Magic Words" - LINK AGGREGATION. Without Link Aggregation (LAG), Teaming is IMPOSSIBLE! However, before I explain how to implement Teaming, using LAG, I need to discuss the facts of life concerning most consumer level routers and switches. The plain fact of life is that these devices do NOT have LAG functionality. And without LAG, Teaming appears to be impossible. I am told (by some reliable sources) that the consumer level router and switch manufacturers have intentionally not implemented the LAG function in those entry level devices due to very limited consumer demand (up until now) and to keep the price-point ($) of those devices as low as possible.
Generally speaking, unless you have a commercial grade router, there is virtually no likelihood that LAG can be implemented among the ports on your consumer grade router. The same statement can also be made for consumer grade switches as well. I will now use three (3) different levels of Linksys 8 port, gigabit switches to illustrate my explanation of the LAG function. These three switches are: Model #SD2008, Model #SLM2008, and Model #SRW2008 (lowest to highest grading). In order to explain this issue, the reader also needs to know about the terms: Unmanaged Switch (Model #SD2008), Smart Switch (Model #SLM2008) and Managed Switch (Model #SRW2008).
The entry-level, consumer oriented switch is the Model #SD2008, which is totally unmanaged. You just take it out of the box, connect the network cables and power supply, and fire it up. It works as a "dumb" hub, allowing any device connected to it to be interconnected to other devices on that network. It cannot be "addressed" (that means controlled in any form or function), and it does not have the capability of having any of its pre-set internal functions altered or controlled from another location (computer) on the network. It just allows devices on the network to communicate with each other.
On the other end of the scale is the business level switch, Model #SRW2008, which is a Layer 2 managed device (managed switches come in Layer 2 and an even higher Layer 3 level). Virtually all of the sophisticated functions of the managed switch can be addressed through software control. Many of these higher level functions are likely beyond the needs (and possibly the functional usability) of the average enthusiast computer junkie. However, the LAG function is part of the vast array of features available in almost all managed switches.
In between the Unmanaged and Managed switch levels has very recently emerged a mid-level switch, commonly known as Smart switches. The Smart switches are addressable, but usually have a limited sub-set of functions which can be controlled by software. These Smart switches are also only slightly more expensive than the Unmanaged variety, and most importantly, the Smart switches have the LAG function!
Let me now explain (as best as I can) the LAG function. In order for the network to provide a bigger (fatter) pipeline for data transmission than what could be ordinarily achieved through a single NIC connection, the joining of multiple network sources (ports) must be accomplished at the SOURCE connection to the network. In other words, it does you no good to try to implement Teaming at the computer end of the connection, if the "other end" (switch) is not capable of joining (aggregating) multiple ports together to provide that fatter pipeline. Different switch manufacturers may implement LAG differently, although they all conform to a set international standard, but the result (if instituted properly) will be the same - successful activation of Teaming.
I will use the Linksys Smart Switch, Model #SLM2008, for this example. You address the switch through your web browser (very similarly as to how you might already address your router - but with a different address). The Linksys switch addressing format is very similar to its router format, using multiple Tabs across the top of the screen. Under the Port tab, there are various sub-tabs which is where you select two specific ports on the switch to join together (aggregate), and once aggregated, they function as if they were one port. Once this is accomplished, the Gigabyte Teaming software will respond to this LAG, and implement a Teamed connection to your network. See how simple that is - LOL!
So to recap this most important portion of this lengthy explanation (apologies to the readers), in order to implement Teaming you MUST have a network Source that implements LAG. No LAG - No Teaming! It's as simple as that. Now I would be remiss if I didn't both thank and criticize the Technical Support folks at Gigabyte for their heretofore failure to disclose the absolute necessity to have a LAG enabled network source if you want to enable Teaming. I invite you to check out all of the Gigabyte advertising literature, user's manuals, Teaming supplement, etc. etc. etc. I don't believe that you will find an explanation similar to the foregoing anywhere in that whole volume of information. On the other hand, Mr. Colin, and very recently his colleague, Mr. Rockson, from the Gigabyte Sales Department (TW), have been quite helpful. In fact, it was Mr. Rockson's most recent response to an email I sent him that fully illuminated this problem and it's probable solution.
However, although this situation is NOT the same as the fiasco associated with the failed N680i board, it nevertheless is, at least in part, an advertising failure. Gigabyte must have known that Unmanaged routers and switches were incapable of implementing Teaming (at least they damn well ought to have known it), but utterly failed to inform the consumers that specific network source requirements were necessary for Teaming to function. Shame on you Gigabyte for not disclosing those critical facts, and causing a lot of us (myself included) many frustrated hours trying to implement an advertised function that had no hope of success without the proper source connection (LAG)!
I hope that the foregoing is of some assistance to the members and readers. Again, I apologize for the length of this posting, but I didn't know how else to explain it properly without this level of discussion.