Very Computer

As I've posted on an earlier thread, I've been having problems setting
up linux on a PC.  The basic problem is the ethernet card.  The person
who ordered the PC ordered a Intel "etherexpress pro" card, which is
poorly supported by linux.

Now, I need to replace the card, and because I don't trust the people
round here to do it, I am trying to work out my self which card is
better.

The RedHat people recommend the 3com 3c509 card.  However, looking in
the catalogue of the computer suppliers Viglen, I find that they make
the comment "The 3com 3c509B cards below are only suitable for `Plug
and Play' systems, such as the Genie PCI and come with disks and
manual."  I do have a Genie PCI, but I want to use linux!

So, is the 3c509B OK or not?

Thanks very much for your help.

(for Cambridge university people, I am in room 944 of the Cavendish,
internal telephone 37241.)

--


www:   http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/theory/ben/index.html

: The RedHat people recommend the 3com 3c509 card.  However, looking in
: the catalogue of the computer suppliers Viglen, I find that they make
: the comment "The 3com 3c509B cards below are only suitable for `Plug
: and Play' systems, such as the Genie PCI and come with disks and
: manual."  I do have a Genie PCI, but I want to use linux!

Well I have a 3COM 509B on a PCI Viglen Genie and it works very well!

HOWEVER before Linux will see it it is (or was on mine) necessary to run
the 509's DOS configuration program which comes on the "Diagnostic and
Utilities" floppy. From this program one can turn off "plug and pray",
set a fixed IRQ and address.

Brian

--


www:   http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/theory/ben/index.html

Regards,

Al

Recently my employer decided that all machines should be upgraded to
3c509B ethernet cards.  I was assured that all software would be adjusted
to work with the new cards.

In due course 4 men turned up to install 3 cards.  It took them 1.5 hours
to get PC-NFSpro working on the three almost identicle Dells and they
admitted that they couldn't touch Linux (not that I would have let them).

After they had gone, it took me an average of 10 minutes to get Linux
working with the new card on each machine, plus 15 minutes to fix the
problem on one of the three caused by them setting the 3c509 to the same
IRQ as the SCSI card!

To sumarise, using 3c509s with Linux is much easier than with Windoze!
--
Richard Simpson
Farnborough, Hants, Uk                 Fax: 01252 392118

What was annoying was that the only information 3com supplied about
how to turn off the plug and play was in a file on the 3com disk and
not in the printed manuals.

Also, since I don't have DOS on this computer anyway, it seems
strange that the only way to turn off the pnp is from DOS.

--


www:   http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/theory/ben/index.html

says...

Quote:

>After they had gone, it took me an average of 10 minutes to get Linux
>working with the new card on each machine, plus 15 minutes to fix the
>problem on one of the three caused by them setting the 3c509 to the same
>IRQ as the SCSI card!

Yeah, that is true, but the throughput on them is absolutely
horrible...we're going to junk our linux's 3com509 and replace it with a
faster card.

Enjoy!

Richard

: Yeah, that is true, but the throughput on them is absolutely
: horrible...we're going to junk our linux's 3com509 and replace it with a
: faster card.

Well I get typically between 650 and 850 kbytes/second from this card on
ftp to a fast local DEC Alpha machine. I was quite happy with this and
would be interested to know in what sense it can be deemed horrible!

Brian McIlwrath
Rutherford Appleton Lab.