adamm@necis.UUCP (Adam Moskowitz) (05/25/89)
I've been asked to look into what Ethernet chips (or chip sets) are available
these days. I know that AMD makes a set as does Intel. I remember hearing
about something called (a) "Lance", but I don't know who makes it. If you
know who does, or if you know of any other manufacturers who make Ethernet
chips, I'd really appreciate hearing from you.
As usual, email is preferred (if not mandated by "protocol") and I will
summarize if/when I get anything. Addresses? Oh, yes: adamm@necis.nec.com
or ...!uunet!harvard!necntc!necis!adamm. Many thanx, hopefully not too far
in advance.
--
Adam S. Moskowitz ...!(backbone)!{necntc,encore}!necis!adamm
Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die
your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.israel@qvax2.UUCP ( Renegade@ex2564) (06/02/89)
In article <1053@necis.UUCP>, adamm@necis.UUCP (Adam Moskowitz) writes: > I've been asked to look into what Ethernet chips (or chip sets) are available > these days. I know that AMD makes a set as does Intel. I remember hearing > about something called (a) "Lance", but I don't know who makes it. If you > know who does, or if you know of any other manufacturers who make Ethernet > chips, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. > > As usual, email is preferred (if not mandated by "protocol") and I will > summarize if/when I get anything. Addresses? Oh, yes: adamm@necis.nec.com > or ...!uunet!harvard!necntc!necis!adamm. Many thanx, hopefully not too far > in advance. > -- > Adam S. Moskowitz ...!(backbone)!{necntc,encore}!necis!adamm > > Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die > your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck. You lucky guy! I've just been conducting a survey of Ethernet chip sets for a project of my own. Chip sets generally come in three pieces - A) The Data Link Controller, which interfaces to the microprocessor, B) The Manchester Encoder/Decoder, which converts serial data from the Data Link Controller into Manchester Data format, detects carriers and collisions, converts between TTL signals and differential signals, generates clocks and C) The physical media transceiver, used for translating voltage levels between the cable and the Encoder/Decoder, and usually implements jabber functions as well. The LANCE chip to which you refer is the AMD7990 Data Link Controller, probably tied with National's 8390 in terms of popularity. A summary of the more popular components is provided below. AMD --- Am7990 - Local Area Network Controller for Ethernet (LANCE) Am7992B - Serial Interface Adapter (SIA) Am7996 - Transceiver Chip Thompson/Mostek (Second Source for AMD) --------------- MK68590 - Local Area Network Controller for Ethernet (LANCE) MK68592 - Serial Interface Adapter (SIA) Intel ----- 82586 - Local Area Network Coprocessor 82C501 - Ethernet Serial Interface 82502 - Ethernet Transceiver Chip Standard Microsystems Corp (Second Source for Intel) -------------------------- 82586 - Ethernet Local Area Network Coprocessor 82501 - Ethernet Serial Interface 82502 - Ethernet Transceiver Chip National Semiconductor ---------------------- DP8390/NS32490 - Network Interface Controller (NIC) DP8391/NS32491 - Serial Network Interface (SNI) DP8392/NS32492 - Coaxial Transceiver Interface (CTI) Fujitsu ------- MB8795B - Ethernet Data Link Controller (EDLC) MB502A - Ethernet Encoder/Decoder I also hear that SEEQ has a Data Link Controller, but I have no data for it. I have also heard unconfirmed rumors that Intel is discontinuing the 82502 Transceiver chip. Note that all these transceivers are meant for use with Thicknet or Cheapernet - I have looked closely into 10baseT since the standard is finalized for that yet. Also, AMD has just announced a new chip which combines the 7990 and the 7992 on one IC, and National has come out with a new version of the 8392 in CMOS which uses much less power. Many of these parts can be mixed and matched together. I'm implementing a 68000-based design, so I found the Am7990 the easiest to work with. However, National's 8391 and 8392 look like much better parts than AMD's 7992 and 7996, so I'm using them with the 7990. Hope this helps! -- Renegade of Berkeley, Qantel Business Systems, hplabs!qantel!qvax2!israel or Renegade Systems, hplabs!qantel!hamster!israel Disclaimer: "Who, me? I wasn't even there!"
normt@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (Norman R Tiedemann) (06/06/89)
In article <552@qvax2.UUCP>, israel@qvax2.UUCP ( Renegade@ex2564) writes: > In article <1053@necis.UUCP>, adamm@necis.UUCP (Adam Moskowitz) writes: > > I've been asked to look into what Ethernet chips (or chip sets) are available > > these days. I know that AMD makes a set as does Intel. I remember hearing > > about something called (a) "Lance", but I don't know who makes it. If you > > know who does, or if you know of any other manufacturers who make Ethernet > > chips, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. > > Adam S. Moskowitz ...!(backbone)!{necntc,encore}!necis!adamm > > Chip sets generally come in three pieces - A) The Data Link Controller, > which interfaces to the microprocessor, B) The Manchester Encoder/Decoder, > which converts serial data from the Data Link Controller into Manchester > Data format, detects carriers and collisions, converts between TTL signals > and differential signals, generates clocks and C) The physical media > transceiver, used for translating > voltage levels between the cable and the Encoder/Decoder, and usually > implements jabber functions as well. The LANCE chip to which you refer > is the AMD7990 Data Link Controller, probably tied with National's 8390 > in terms of popularity. A summary of the more popular components is > provided below. > Summary follow of AMD, Thompson, Intel, National Semiconductor and Fujitsu ... > I also hear that SEEQ has a Data Link Controller, but I have no data SEEQ ---- 8003 Ethernet Data Link Controller (EDLC) 8023A Machester Code Converter (MCC) These are very much like the others, except the SEEQ chip does not have any internal DMA capabilities. If you are looking for a cheap system, that does not have to handle much load, the SEEQ is ok. For anything else I can not recommend it. I also went through the "all" the chips available about a year ago. I agree with the summary above, the AMD 7990 and National 8390 are the most popular. I ended up using the full National chip set for my 68010/020 application. So far it has not disappointed us, there are a few strange "features", but they are described in the documentation, and are not major. It is relatively easy to use, and handles the full load we can pump at it, (Our memory overflows, but the chip set has no problems with it.) The significance of the new National DP83910 (CMOS 8391) is that all three National chips are now made with the same manufacturing process, so they hope to integrate them together sometime in the future. Norm Tiedemann AT&T Bell Labs IH 2G-331 att!ihlpy!normt 2000 Naperville Rd. normt@ihlpy.att.com Naperville, IL 60566 -- Norm Tiedemann AT&T Bell Labs IH 2G-331 att!ihlpy!normt 2000 Naperville Rd. normt@ihlpy.att.com Naperville, IL 60566 NOTE: Please note that I have been moved from ihlpa to ihlpy
henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) (06/08/89)
In article <1146@cbnewsc.ATT.COM> normt@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (Norman R Tiedemann) writes: > SEEQ > ---- > > 8003 Ethernet Data Link Controller (EDLC) > 8023A Machester Code Converter (MCC) > > These are very much like the others, except the SEEQ chip does not > have any internal DMA capabilities. If you are looking for a cheap > system, that does not have to handle much load, the SEEQ is ok. > For anything else I can not recommend it... Seeq has a new chip, the 8005, which looks reasonable. From the spec sheet, at least... -- You *can* understand sendmail, | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology but it's not worth it. -Collyer| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu