diff -r f402b4bd2f4d -r 17c6fd3b076e master/device.c
--- a/master/device.c	Tue Feb 20 13:42:44 2007 +0000
+++ b/master/device.c	Tue Feb 20 17:15:43 2007 +0000
@@ -54,73 +54,97 @@
 */
 
 int ec_device_init(ec_device_t *device, /**< EtherCAT device */
-                   ec_master_t *master, /**< master owning the device */
-                   struct net_device *net_dev, /**< net_device structure */
-                   ec_pollfunc_t poll, /**< pointer to device's poll function */
-                   struct module *module /**< the device's module */
-                   )
-{
-    struct ethhdr *eth;
-
+        ec_master_t *master /**< master owning the device */
+        )
+{
     device->master = master;
+
+#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
+    if (ec_debug_init(&device->dbg)) {
+        EC_ERR("Failed to init debug device!\n");
+        goto out_return;
+    }
+#endif
+
+    if (!(device->tx_skb = dev_alloc_skb(ETH_FRAME_LEN))) {
+        EC_ERR("Error allocating device socket buffer!\n");
+#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
+        goto out_debug;
+#else
+        goto out_return;
+#endif
+    }
+
+    // add Ethernet-II-header
+    skb_reserve(device->tx_skb, ETH_HLEN);
+    device->eth = (struct ethhdr *) skb_push(device->tx_skb, ETH_HLEN);
+    device->eth->h_proto = htons(0x88A4);
+    memset(device->eth->h_dest, 0xFF, ETH_ALEN);
+
+    ec_device_detach(device); // resets remaining fields
+    return 0;
+
+#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
+ out_debug:
+    ec_debug_clear(&device->dbg);
+#endif
+ out_return:
+    return -1;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+/**
+   EtherCAT device destuctor.
+*/
+
+void ec_device_clear(ec_device_t *device /**< EtherCAT device */)
+{
+    if (device->open) ec_device_close(device);
+    dev_kfree_skb(device->tx_skb);
+#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
+    ec_debug_clear(&device->dbg);
+#endif
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+/**
+   Associate with net_device.
+*/
+
+void ec_device_attach(ec_device_t *device, /**< EtherCAT device */
+        struct net_device *net_dev, /**< net_device structure */
+        ec_pollfunc_t poll, /**< pointer to device's poll function */
+        struct module *module /**< the device's module */
+        )
+{
+    ec_device_detach(device); // resets fields
+
     device->dev = net_dev;
     device->poll = poll;
     device->module = module;
 
+    device->tx_skb->dev = net_dev;
+    memcpy(device->eth->h_source, net_dev->dev_addr, ETH_ALEN);
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+/**
+   Disconnect from net_device.
+*/
+
+void ec_device_detach(ec_device_t *device /**< EtherCAT device */)
+{
+    device->dev = NULL;
+    device->poll = NULL;
+    device->module = NULL;
     device->open = 0;
     device->link_state = 0; // down
-
     device->tx_count = 0;
     device->rx_count = 0;
-
-#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
-    if (ec_debug_init(&device->dbg)) {
-        EC_ERR("Failed to init debug device!\n");
-        goto out_return;
-    }
-#endif
-
-    if (!(device->tx_skb = dev_alloc_skb(ETH_FRAME_LEN))) {
-        EC_ERR("Error allocating device socket buffer!\n");
-#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
-        goto out_debug;
-#else
-        goto out_return;
-#endif
-    }
-
-    device->tx_skb->dev = net_dev;
-
-    // add Ethernet-II-header
-    skb_reserve(device->tx_skb, ETH_HLEN);
-    eth = (struct ethhdr *) skb_push(device->tx_skb, ETH_HLEN);
-    eth->h_proto = htons(0x88A4);
-    memcpy(eth->h_source, net_dev->dev_addr, net_dev->addr_len);
-    memset(eth->h_dest, 0xFF, net_dev->addr_len);
-
-    return 0;
-
-#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
- out_debug:
-    ec_debug_clear(&device->dbg);
-#endif
- out_return:
-    return -1;
-}
-
-/*****************************************************************************/
-
-/**
-   EtherCAT device destuctor.
-*/
-
-void ec_device_clear(ec_device_t *device /**< EtherCAT device */)
-{
-    if (device->open) ec_device_close(device);
-    if (device->tx_skb) dev_kfree_skb(device->tx_skb);
-#ifdef EC_DBG_IF
-    ec_debug_clear(&device->dbg);
-#endif
+    device->tx_skb->dev = NULL;
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/