Re: network cards

[bruce@objy.com (Bruce Reed)]

Todd Tannenbaum posted some excellent information about a month ago
on how to get the 3COM card working under EZplay. I've included a
copy of his message below in case it will help the person who posted
earlier today (can't remember who) who was having problems with their
new card. Perhaps this info should also be included in the FAQ. 

--Bruce


Date: Tue, 3 May 94 13:42:12 CDT
Message-Id: <9405031842.AA23478@erb1.engr.wisc.edu>
X-Sender: tannenba@engr.wisc.edu
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
To: TP750@CS.UTK.EDU
From: tannenba@engr.wisc.edu (Todd Tannenbaum)
Subject: 3COM PCMCIA & Thinkpad
X-Mailer: <PC Eudora Version 2.0.1>
Status: RO


Well, I just got my 3com pcmcia card yesterday.
There is good news and bad news.

Here's the scoop:

THE GOOD NEWS:

The 3com card does not support being dynamically configured
by easyplay.  But it can work with Easyplay with a "static"
configuration.

There is no 3com "enabler" in the traditional sense.  Instead, they
have a 3com configure program which you can use to tell the
card which interrupt, I/O, etc, to use.  Then these values get
stored on the card somehow (NVRAM?).

So, I used this configure program to set some reasonable values.
Then I edited my autodrv.ini file's ETHER section so that the
only configuratuion ezplay had to "try" for an ethernet card
was the same configuration which the 3com was setup for in NVRAM.

After that, by just loading the ibm ezplay drivers, i could use
the 3com board and the megaherz modem fine.
in other words, i did not have to load any 3com pcmcia drivers, etc
(except of course the ODI driver!).  i was happy.

HOWEVER, HERE'S THE BAD NEWS:

The 3com board does _NOT_ work in the port replicator slots!! :-(
It works fine in the 750 slots, but not in slot C or slot D in
my port replicator.  I was very disappointed.  Has anyone got
it to work in the port replicator (i doubt it...) I called 3com tech support
and bitched, and they called back and said they have an ibm pcmcia
port replicator on order.  When it arrives (gee, even 3com has to wait
for thinkpad stuff!) they say they will at least look into the problem.
no promises, however.  they also said i was not the first one to complain
about this.  i encourage others on this list to complain about this!
the more people who bitch the higher priority 3com will place on fixing
this. 

sigh.

i think i hate pcmcia.

-Todd