diff -r 1fc1535dec29 -r 30f168c7f74f devices/e1000/e1000_main-2.6.20-ethercat.c
--- a/devices/e1000/e1000_main-2.6.20-ethercat.c	Fri Jul 25 14:19:29 2008 +0000
+++ b/devices/e1000/e1000_main-2.6.20-ethercat.c	Mon Jul 28 08:00:35 2008 +0000
@@ -4395,6 +4395,10 @@
 
 		if (adapter->ecdev) {
 			ecdev_receive(adapter->ecdev, skb->data, length);
+
+			// No need to detect link status as
+			// long as frames are received: Reset watchdog.
+			adapter->ec_watchdog_jiffies = jiffies;
 		} else {
 			skb->protocol = eth_type_trans(skb, netdev);
 #ifdef CONFIG_E1000_NAPI