dpz@convex.com (David Paul Zimmerman) (08/11/89)
I'm trying to put together a diagnostic tool. It's not going to be of a "Sniffer" complexity or price, but it will let me check out the up/down state of terminal lines and Ethernet connections. My criteria are: portable, Ethernet-able, and PC/IP-able. It could have an 8088 CPU for all I care, but I need at least a half-PC-slot for an Ethernet board that many of (Clarkson, Cornell, CMU, KA9Q, MIT, NCSA, Stanford) support. After looking at the propaganda from various leading portable computer vendors (Toshiba, Compaq, NEC, IBM, Zenith, Mitsubishi), I've settled on the Toshiba 3100e, which has one half-PC-slot and various frills. Now the problem. A local sales-dude says that all of (3C501, NI5210, WD8003) draw too much power for the 3100e to handle. He does recommend two Ethernet boards from vendors I've never heard of: PeureData (sp?) and Megahertz. PeureData's board only supports thin Ethernet, so that's right out. Megahertz has drivers only for Novell, Banyan, etc. I don't remember if they have a packet driver, but I doubt it -- they're aimed at some market other than me. In any case, neither is firmware compatible with (3C501, NI5210, WD8003). Sigh. So: Has anyone tried putting a (3C501, NI5210, WD8003) in a 3100e and made it work, despite the power caveats? Would the Compaq Portable III w/slot cage fare better on the power? I'm guessing so; at the least, if you've got power for two Toshiba-type low-power cards, you've got power for one real one. Any alternative ideas along this train of thought? David Paul Zimmerman dpz@convex.com CONVEX Computer Corp convex!dpz
kent@sun.ufnet.ufl.edu (Kent Phelps) (08/16/89)
There is a new gadget out on the market that got a good review in the latest
infoworld. It is an Ethernet adapter that hooks up to your parallel port.
It would be nice for situations where you needed ethernet on a laptop.
It's made by Xircom:
Xircom
22231 Mulholland Highway
Suite 114
Woosdland Hills CA 91364
818-884-8755
This info is FYI only. I have not tested or used the device.
--
Kent Phelps | Internet: kent@sun.ufnet.ufl.edu
University of Florida | UUCP: ... ????
Digital Design Facility| Phone: 904-335-8322