diff --git a/drivers/char/pcmcia/synclink_cs.c b/drivers/char/pcmcia/synclink_cs.c
index 17bc8abd5df5..00f574cbb0d4 100644
--- a/drivers/char/pcmcia/synclink_cs.c
+++ b/drivers/char/pcmcia/synclink_cs.c
@@ -1174,8 +1174,12 @@ static void dcd_change(MGSLPC_INFO *info)
 	else
 		info->input_signal_events.dcd_down++;
 #ifdef CONFIG_HDLC
-	if (info->netcount)
-		hdlc_set_carrier(info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD, info->netdev);
+	if (info->netcount) {
+		if (info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD)
+			netif_carrier_on(info->netdev);
+		else
+			netif_carrier_off(info->netdev);
+	}
 #endif
 	wake_up_interruptible(&info->status_event_wait_q);
 	wake_up_interruptible(&info->event_wait_q);
@@ -4251,8 +4255,10 @@ static int hdlcdev_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&info->lock, flags);
 	get_signals(info);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&info->lock, flags);
-	hdlc_set_carrier(info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD, dev);
-
+	if (info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD)
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	else
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/char/synclink.c b/drivers/char/synclink.c
index df782dd1098c..78b1b1a2732b 100644
--- a/drivers/char/synclink.c
+++ b/drivers/char/synclink.c
@@ -1344,8 +1344,12 @@ static void mgsl_isr_io_pin( struct mgsl_struct *info )
 			} else
 				info->input_signal_events.dcd_down++;
 #ifdef CONFIG_HDLC
-			if (info->netcount)
-				hdlc_set_carrier(status & MISCSTATUS_DCD, info->netdev);
+			if (info->netcount) {
+				if (status & MISCSTATUS_DCD)
+					netif_carrier_on(info->netdev);
+				else
+					netif_carrier_off(info->netdev);
+			}
 #endif
 		}
 		if (status & MISCSTATUS_CTS_LATCHED)
@@ -7844,8 +7848,10 @@ static int hdlcdev_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&info->irq_spinlock, flags);
 	usc_get_serial_signals(info);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&info->irq_spinlock, flags);
-	hdlc_set_carrier(info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD, dev);
-
+	if (info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD)
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	else
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/char/synclink_gt.c b/drivers/char/synclink_gt.c
index e829594195c1..b2dbbdb1bf81 100644
--- a/drivers/char/synclink_gt.c
+++ b/drivers/char/synclink_gt.c
@@ -1497,8 +1497,10 @@ static int hdlcdev_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&info->lock, flags);
 	get_signals(info);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&info->lock, flags);
-	hdlc_set_carrier(info->signals & SerialSignal_DCD, dev);
-
+	if (info->signals & SerialSignal_DCD)
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	else
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1997,8 +1999,12 @@ static void dcd_change(struct slgt_info *info)
 		info->input_signal_events.dcd_down++;
 	}
 #ifdef CONFIG_HDLC
-	if (info->netcount)
-		hdlc_set_carrier(info->signals & SerialSignal_DCD, info->netdev);
+	if (info->netcount) {
+		if (info->signals & SerialSignal_DCD)
+			netif_carrier_on(info->netdev);
+		else
+			netif_carrier_off(info->netdev);
+	}
 #endif
 	wake_up_interruptible(&info->status_event_wait_q);
 	wake_up_interruptible(&info->event_wait_q);
diff --git a/drivers/char/synclinkmp.c b/drivers/char/synclinkmp.c
index 1e443a233f51..66f3754fbbdf 100644
--- a/drivers/char/synclinkmp.c
+++ b/drivers/char/synclinkmp.c
@@ -1752,8 +1752,10 @@ static int hdlcdev_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&info->lock, flags);
 	get_signals(info);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&info->lock, flags);
-	hdlc_set_carrier(info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD, dev);
-
+	if (info->serial_signals & SerialSignal_DCD)
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	else
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2522,8 +2524,12 @@ void isr_io_pin( SLMP_INFO *info, u16 status )
 			} else
 				info->input_signal_events.dcd_down++;
 #ifdef CONFIG_HDLC
-			if (info->netcount)
-				hdlc_set_carrier(status & SerialSignal_DCD, info->netdev);
+			if (info->netcount) {
+				if (status & SerialSignal_DCD)
+					netif_carrier_on(info->netdev);
+				else
+					netif_carrier_off(info->netdev);
+			}
 #endif
 		}
 		if (status & MISCSTATUS_CTS_LATCHED)