Re: TP + Ethernet/PCMCIA + TCP/IP + OS/2

["John H. Kim" <jokim@tuna.mit.edu>]

On Fri, 11 Aug 1995, Robert Dewar wrote:

> I am running Warp on a 755CX. I need to buy the software and hardware
> (PCMCIA card) to get a clean and easy interface to a Unix network on
> ethernet (Sun and SGI machines). Does anyone know of a set of stuff
> that will work with minimum hassle?

I used the IBM PCMCIA Credit Card Adapter II and IBM TCP/IP (most of
the OS/2 networked software out there is for IBM TCP/IP).

TCP/IP is horribly expensive for what you get -- there are numerous
additional kits you have to buy for additional functionality like X, DOS
compability, etc. Figuring out the installation between TCP/IP and the
ethernet card was a pain, but is simple once you figure it out (the
instructions included with both the card and TCP/IP are very poorly
written). Fortunately I've done it enough times that if you buy the card
and software I can tell you the exact procedure.

One way to cut down on cost is to subscribe to DevCon (something like
$125/yr for students, $195/yr for everyone else).  This gets quarterly
CD-packs with a license for OS/2, tons of development software, as well as
the TCP/IP 2.0 base kit, DOS compatibility kit, developer's kit (including
Winsock docs), and maybe a couple other things.  I'll just mention there
are "unauthorized" ways to get X working without buying it (don't quote me
on that :).  Another option might be to use Warp Connect, which includes
TCP/IP 3.0.

Eventually, I figured out 95% of the software I ran under OS/2 was
ports of Unix tools so I got myself Linux.  Surprisingly, the current
Linux PCMCIA drivers identifies and uses the IBM CCA2 automatically.
(too automatically -- I still haven't figured out how to get it to
use IRQ 5 instead of stealing IRQ 3 from the modem)

I'm currently trying to get it set up for DOS and it is a major pain.
Between the required PCMCIA drivers and networking drivers, I end up
with about 430-460k of low memory and Novell Lan Workplace's TCPIP stack 
refuses to load for some reason.  I'm going to try Trumpet Winsock this
weekend, hopefully with better luck.  All I need it for is Internet
Phone since IBM is holding up the Linux sound drivers for the TP750.
___________________________________________________________________________

John H. Kim        "A common mistake that people make when trying to design
jokim@mit.edu       something completely foolproof is to underestimate the
jokim@tuna.mit.edu  ingenuity of complete fools." -- Douglas Adams