[comp.dcom.lans] 3Com 3C501 cards and Compaq 386/25 @ 8MHz

alawlor@dit.ie (Aengus Lawlor) (01/12/90)

  I have a somewhat over-stretched Ethernet (over 50 PC terminals, with no
repeaters). I have a 3COM server on the net, and it hasn't given me too
much grief (yet :-) ). I have installed Novell 2.12 on a Compaq 386/25
with a NE-2000 Ethernet Card, and plugged it into the same Ethernet cable
as the 3COM server. 

  Now for the fun bit. The PCs have a mixture of WD8003E, 3C501, and
D-Link (NE-1000 clone) EtherCards. The WD and D-link cards work quite 
happily for both the 3COM and Novell networks, but the 3C501s won't
talk to the Novell unless the Compaq is running at 8Mhz, instead of 25.

  The Question! Is the 3C501 particularly sensitive to long Cables, and
will the problem go away when I finally get my repeaters? What difference
does it make to the stations what Speed the Server is at? The WDs and D-Links
talk to the Compaq at 25Mhz.

  While you're at it, when I set up user accounts on Novell, I notice
that they can see the names of subdirectories in other peoples areas.
For instance, students can see that a staff member has a directory called
GAMES (hypothetically speaking, of course :-)). Can this be prevented?
Will splitting things up into volumes help, and if so, at what cost?

Thanks in advance.
-- 
Aengus Lawlor    Dept of Computer Science.           Time flies like an arrow,
ALAWLOR@DIT.IE   Dublin Institute of Technology.     Fruit-flies like a banana
                 Kevin Street. Dublin 8. Ireland.   

brian@la.excelan.com (Brian Meek) (01/16/90)

In article <6377.25acc4e9@dit.ie> alawlor@dit.ie (Aengus Lawlor) writes:
>
[...]
>
>  Now for the fun bit. The PCs have a mixture of WD8003E, 3C501, and
>D-Link (NE-1000 clone) EtherCards. The WD and D-link cards work quite 
>happily for both the 3COM and Novell networks, but the 3C501s won't
>talk to the Novell unless the Compaq is running at 8Mhz, instead of 25.
>
>  The Question! Is the 3C501 particularly sensitive to long Cables, and
>will the problem go away when I finally get my repeaters? What difference
>does it make to the stations what Speed the Server is at? The WDs and D-Links
>talk to the Compaq at 25Mhz.
>
There is a newer 3C501 shell driver available via Compuserve (NetWire)
that fixes this problem.  The file is in forum NOVA and is called (I
think) ETHSH.ARC scan on 3C501.  If you don't have a CompuServe account,
you should get one but call me or send mail in the meantime.

____________________________________________________________________________
         Brian Meek             Novell - 2180 Fortune Dr. San Jose, CA 95131
Internet Mail: brian@excelan.COM                       Phone: (408) 473-8375
   CompuServe: 76702,346                                 FAX: (408) 433-0775