george@mnetor.UUCP (George Hart) (10/13/88)
Are there any manufacturers who make (reasonably) software compatible
Ethernet cards for both the (old) PC bus and the PS/2 microchannel?
Support for TCP/IP in a DOS environment is the other requirement.
Replies sent by mail will be summarized.
--
Regards.....George Hart, Computer X Canada Ltd.
UUCP: {utzoo,uunet}!mnetor!george
BELL: (416)475-8980george@mnetor.UUCP (George Hart) (10/27/88)
Sometime ago, I requested information on Ethernet cards for both
Microchannel and old style PC Bus' that supported TCP/IP in a DOS
environment. One of the desired criteria was the software
interface to either a Microchannel or PC Bus implementation was
the same.
Below are the responses I received. I have edited them slightly to
save some space. Thanks to all who replied.
In addition, I have discovered that Communication Machinery Corporation
(CMC) has a product called "TCP/IP for DOS". Don't know much about
what hardware they supply to go with it though.
**********************
From: excelan!manoj (Manoj Goel)
EXCELAN makes both of them -
call 800-EXCELAN
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.=.=. _ _ _ . Disclaimer: usual..to save my behind from their attorney
| | | /.\ | | (_) _| Internet : mtxinu!excelan!manoj@ucbvax.Berkeley.COM
manoj goel, UUCP : manoj@excelan.UUCP
Excelan Inc., Phone : (408) 434 7422
2180 Fortune Drive, San Jose, CA 95131
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From: linus!xait!harvard!vax.ftp.com!jbvb (James Van Bokkelen)
Our PC/TCP product supports the following MCA Ethernet cards: 3Com 3C523
(no close AT-bus equivalent, although 3Com offers cards with different
programming interfaces); Western Digital WD8003/A (very close to the
PC-bus WD8003 versions), and MICOM-Interlan NI9210 (fairly close to the
NI5210).
James VanBokkelen
FTP Software Inc.
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From: Larry Hofmann <uunet!hplabs.hp.com!hpcea!hpfcla!hpcnd!hpcndaw!lar>
Yes. Western Digital's WD8003 line of LAN cards. They're all 8390
based cards.
You might want to call your nearest HP Sales Office as ask for information
about the HP OfficeShare Network. While it's not "standard" TCP/IP (what
is?), it is an implementation... HP OfficeShare supports ThinLAN (802.3),
StarLAN-1, and StarLAN-10 on HP Vectras and IBM PC/XT/AT's. HP OfficeShare
supports ThinLAN on IBM PS/2 MCA's with the WD8003ET/A card.
Larry Hofmann
HP - Colorado Networks Division
hplabs!hpcnd!l_hofmann
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From: uunet!hpda!hpcea!hplabs!hp-sdd!xroads!jerry (Jerry M. Denman)
Execelan @ 1-800-EXCELAN
Expensive but may be worth it. Good luck.
Jerry M. Denman
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/ \ hplabs!hp-sdd!crash!xroads!*
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From: uunet!ima.ima.isc.com!interlan!brad (Brad Kemp)
George,
Interlan (formerly MICOM-Interlan) makes the NI5210 for the PC,
PC/AT bus and the NI9210 for the microchannel. The NI5210 is a half card
that uses an 8-bit slot and comes with either 8K or 16K of SRAM buffer.
The NI9210 uses a 16-Bit microchannel slot and comes with either 16K or 64K
SRAM buffer. The only changes we have had to make in the device drivers have
been in initialization (Dealing with the POS registers etc...). Otherwise
they are the same.
FTP Inc. provides their software for both of these cards. We provide a
Netware/Packet Driver which provides concurrent access to both Netware and
and TCP implementations which uses the packet drivers specification. We
Also provide a 3+/Pakcet Driver which provides concurrent access to
3+ and any TCP implementation which uses the Packet driver specification.
I have seen Public Domain drivers for the NI5210 posted to the net. I have
not yet seen any NI9210 drivers posted, however the port is easy.
Good Luck
Brad Kemp
Interlan Inc.
{ulowell,mit-eddie,ihnp4}!interlan!brad
(508)-263-9929
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From: cognos!roberts (Robert Stanley)
We have found the most effective combination of hardware and software under
DOS to be Sun Microsystem's PC-NFS package. They ship it with 3-COM boards
and have both standard AT-bus and Micro-Channel versions. The software
costs approximately $600 per copy (CDN), and the documentation states that
it supports the following cards:
3C501 - 3Com Etherlink
3C503 - 3Com Etherlink II
3C505 - 3Com Etherlink Plus
3C523 - 3Com Microchannel
NIC - Ungermann-Bass
NIU - Ungermann-Bass
NI5010 - Micom-Interlan
WD8003E - Western Digital
I guess that gives a good idea of who has Ethernet boards to sell ...
A few points of interest:
* Absolutely no way under OS/2, even in the DOS compatibility box
* Can co-exist with other networks, but be careful and certain
* Go with the 3C505 (3Com Etherlink Plus) if you are planning to use the
OS/2 LAN Manager
* An alternative software product that I have only just started to
evaluate is WIN/TCP for DOS from Wollongong. This purports to run
under OS/2 in the DOS compatibility box, but my (flakey, beta-test,
Presentation Manager) version of the OS/2 SDK is not co-operating.
PC-NFS is the *only* way to go if you are a DOS (and Windows) user and want
transparent virtual disk capability using a Sun file server. The product
has a few bugs, rather more "features", but is rock solid provided you
stick within its relatively easily determined limits. Its VT-100 emulation
under Telnet is poor but workable.
We have used 3C501s in Compaq 386s (various flavours) and in a genuine IBM
PC/AT. We have had one board failure in more than two years of all-day
every-day usage. We have 3C523s installed in PS/2 models 60, 70, and 80,
and have had no problem bar converting 5.25" distribution media to 3.5"
format. All our systems use PC-NFS to Sun/3 servers.
I have no idea what else might be out there, but this works for us.
Hope this is of some use.
Robert_S
Usual disclaimer applies: these are my own opinions, and do not reflect the
policies or opinions of my employer, Cognos Inc.,
although Cognos provide the resources through which
I communicate with the outside world.
--
Robert Stanley - Cognos Incorporated: 3755 Riverside Drive, P.O. Box 9707,
Compuserve: 76174,3024 Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3Z4, CANADA
uucp: {uunet!mnetor!dciem!nrcaer!} cognos!roberts FAX: (613)738-0002
arpa/internet: roberts%cognos.uucp@uunet.uu.net Voice: (613)738-1440
**********************
--
Regards.....George Hart, Computer X Canada Ltd.
UUCP: {utzoo,uunet}!mnetor!george
BELL: (416)475-8980nelson@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Russ Nelson) (10/28/88)
In article <4764@mnetor.UUCP> george@mnetor.UUCP (George Hart) writes:
From: uunet!ima.ima.isc.com!interlan!brad (Brad Kemp)
... TCP implementation which uses the Packet driver specification.
I have seen Public Domain drivers for the NI5210 posted to the net. I have
not yet seen any NI9210 drivers posted, however the port is easy.
I believe that you are talking about my packet driver for the NI5210.
It is NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN. It is freely copyable by all but cannot be
sold for profit. I do not consider nuisance fees to be profitable
:-).
--
--russ (nelson@clutx [.bitnet | .clarkson.edu])
To surrender is to remain in the hands of barbarians for the rest of my life.
To fight is to leave my bones exposed in the desert waste.