Why Linux is blind to this ARP reply

Hello,

I got this case I can't explain:

Router: IP: 10.10.0.46-21 Laptop: Windows IP: 10.10.3.112-21 Linux IP: 10.10.3.99-21

Ping works Ok from Laptop when running windows (windows xp sp2) Ping does not work from Laptop when running linux (redhat 9)

Now I change the OS on the laptop and use Linux instead, ping does not work any more. I placed ethereal in windows and tcpdump in linux.

Ethereal (windows) sees the ARP reply when the router is ping from Linux or Windows BUT Tcpdump DOES NOT see the ARP reply

Initially the router was placed on the network, but I starting simplifying the environment until I got to the cross cable connection. The behaviour is the same when connected to the network and when using the cross cable.

I got the captured packets of both cases (linux and windows) and if you compare the reply of the router in both cases is the same reply, except of course the destination address, which change accordingly.

NOTE: I have verified issues as subnet mask, broadcast address, etc,etc. Everything seems to be in order. I used VMWARE because it provided me an easy way to test both OS without any hbuttle, but the results are the same when using native Linux boxes instead of vmware.

I suspect something fishy is happening in the handling of the OSI layer 1,but I don't know how to get there. Any idea will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot, Andres