grant@gouche.UUCP (Grant Munsey) (03/21/91)
I am about to set up an ethernet/nfs network 'twixt a 386
running ISC2.2 and a NeXT '040 slab. I don't have an ethernet card
yet so I was thinking of getting a Western Digital Ethercard Plus Elite16
Combo card. I see in the ISC2.2 docs that they support WD Ethercard Plus.
Anybody know if the WD Ethercard Plus Elite16 is compatible. Anybody running
with this card using its 10baseT connector. I have a Adaptec 1542b,
Orchid Prodesigner II vga and AST 4 port cards in the 386 right now. Any
known hangups with adding the WD card to this setup?
--
Grant Munsey, Mainticore, Inc. (408) 733-3838
grant@gouche.portal.com or {uunet!opusys,decwrl!apple!portal}!gouche!granthimes@virga.ucar.edu (dave himes) (03/21/91)
I've heard that there are some supplemental ethernet drivers that didn't make it into the original distribution for ISC 2.2.1. Included in this supplement is a driver for the WD 16 bit board. Our package is "in the mail"... -- David Himes himes@ncar.ucar.edu UCAR-COMET Boulder, CO
Michael Squires <mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> (03/21/91)
(mail bounced) In article <211@gouche.UUCP> grant@gouche.UUCP (Grant Munsey) writes: >I am about to set up an ethernet/nfs network 'twixt a 386 stuff deleted >with this card using its 10baseT connector. I have a Adaptec 1542b, >Orchid Prodesigner II vga and AST 4 port cards in the 386 right now. Any >known hangups with adding the WD card to this setup? I tried briefly to use a WD8013 with an Orchid ProDesigner II; it failed to boot DOS (controller was a WD1007V). Replacing it with an Oak got the system to boot. I tried various configurations but nothing seemd to work; I assume that I need to move the WD memory out of the Orchid Pro II region but got bored before I tried that out. On the positive side I've found the WD cards to be super reliable; we use the 8-bit version here in large numbers. This message is being entered on a 486/25 using a WD8003EPR under SCO ODT 1.0, and the WD is very solid. -- Mike Squires (mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu) 812 855 3974 (w) 812 333 6564 (h) mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu 546 N Park Ridge Rd., Bloomington, IN 47408 Under construction: mikes@sir-alan.cica.indiana.edu
src@scuzzy.in-berlin.de (Heiko Blume) (03/22/91)
himes@virga.ucar.edu (dave himes) writes: >I've heard that there are some supplemental ethernet drivers that >didn't make it into the original distribution for ISC 2.2.1. >Included in this supplement is a driver for the WD 16 bit board. >Our package is "in the mail"... the info i have says that ISC's "Network Driver Subset 1.0" supports - Western Digital - WD8003 and WD8013 (PC/AT and MCA bus) - Racal Interlan - NI5210, NI9210 and NI6510 - 3COM - 3C523 - Novell - NE200 as well as IEEE 802.2 Token Ring with WD8005 and WD8015 cards. NDS 1.0 requires ISC TCP/IP 1.2. -- Heiko Blume <-+-> src@scuzzy.in-berlin.de <-+-> (+49 30) 691 88 93 public UNIX source archive [HST V.42bis]: scuzzy Any ACU,f 38400 6919520 gin:--gin: nuucp sword: nuucp uucp scuzzy!/src/README /your/home
keithe@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson) (03/24/91)
In article <1991Mar21.112012.17880@news.cs.indiana.edu> mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Squires) writes: >(mail bounced) > >I tried briefly to use a WD8013 with an Orchid ProDesigner II; it failed to >boot DOS (controller was a WD1007V). Replacing it with an Oak got the system >to boot. I have one of the earlier (and now unavailable) WD8013EB 16-bit interface Network Adapter cards in an Everex 486is that runs MS-DOS (4.01) and has an Orchid ProDesigner II and an Adaptec 2322 ESDI controller card. I works great. HOWEVER, the WD8013EB differs from the WD8013EP (the *current* version of the card) in that it is loaded with jumpers that let you select the IRQ and I/O address from the full range of choices. This is in contrast to the EP version which permits only a couple of selections with jumpers and the remainder only via software selection. And my supplier didn't send the software (and I won't be buying any more from *them*) > >On the positive side I've found the WD cards to be super reliable; we use >the 8-bit version here in large numbers. Agreed! If the EP version is all that's available I may have to revert to the WD8003 (8-bit) version to retain the jumper selectability I need. (help *) KEITHE() PS - our purchasing department is suggesting we not purchase WD products any more because of the company's shaky financial condition. But I'm persisting because I really feel like they're the best deal when it comes to ethernet controllers (but not disk controllers - give me Adaptec any day).
jdeitch@jadpc.cts.com (Jim Deitch) (03/24/91)
In article <1991Mar22.135315.4579@scuzzy.in-berlin.de> src@scuzzy.in-berlin.de (Heiko Blume) writes: >himes@virga.ucar.edu (dave himes) writes: > >>I've heard that there are some supplemental ethernet drivers that >>didn't make it into the original distribution for ISC 2.2.1. >>Included in this supplement is a driver for the WD 16 bit board. >>Our package is "in the mail"... > >the info i have says that ISC's "Network Driver Subset 1.0" >supports > >- Western Digital - WD8003 and WD8013 (PC/AT and MCA bus) >- Racal Interlan - NI5210, NI9210 and NI6510 >- 3COM - 3C523 >- Novell - NE200 > >as well as IEEE 802.2 Token Ring with WD8005 and WD8015 cards. > >NDS 1.0 requires ISC TCP/IP 1.2. Just a note on this package, if you are using a slip and install any of these drivers, the slip will NOT work anymore. I have reported it to ISC and am waiting for a response. Jim -- ARPANET: jadpc!jdeitch@nosc.mil INTERNET: jdeitch@jadpc.cts.com UUCP: nosc!jadpc!jdeitch
dougm@ico.isc.com (Doug McCallum) (03/25/91)
In article <9190@sail.LABS.TEK.COM> keithe@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson) writes: >I have one of the earlier (and now unavailable) WD8013EB 16-bit interface >Network Adapter cards in an Everex 486is that runs MS-DOS (4.01) and has an >Orchid ProDesigner II and an Adaptec 2322 ESDI controller card. I works great. >HOWEVER, the WD8013EB differs from the WD8013EP (the *current* version of the >card) in that it is loaded with jumpers that let you select the IRQ and I/O >address from the full range of choices. This is in contrast to the EP version >which permits only a couple of selections with jumpers and the remainder only >via software selection. And my supplier didn't send the software (and I >won't be buying any more from *them*) WD ships the setup program with each package. Your supplier must be repackaging and leaving this out. If so, definitely find a new vendor since the boards are next to useless with the limited settings. With the DOS setup program the boards are very nice. >> >>On the positive side I've found the WD cards to be super reliable; we use >>the 8-bit version here in large numbers. > We've still got some very early versions of the boards running here. The newer ones seem just as reliable. >Agreed! If the EP version is all that's available I may have to revert to >the WD8003 (8-bit) version to retain the jumper selectability I need. > I would get a new distributor and not give up on the newer boards. The settings are retained by the board so you only need to set them when they need to change. Once you get the setup program (from a better distributor) you won't have problems. > >PS - our purchasing department is suggesting we not purchase WD products > any more because of the company's shaky financial condition. But I'm > persisting because I really feel like they're the best deal when it > comes to ethernet controllers (but not disk controllers - give me Adaptec > any day). The trade press has been carrying rumors of the WD LAN division being up for sale. Apparently WD needs to raise some money so selling off a successful division (that makes boards) to help the main business (which isn't making add-on boards) is what they are considering. SMC is the name that keeps popping up as potential buyer. ISC will have full driver support for the EP in the near future. Doug McCallum Interactive Systems Corp. dougm@ico.isc.com
tmh@prosun.first.gmd.de (Thomas Hoberg) (03/28/91)
In article <9190@sail.LABS.TEK.COM>, keithe@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson) writes: |> In article <1991Mar21.112012.17880@news.cs.indiana.edu> mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Squires) writes: |> >(mail bounced) |> > |> >I tried briefly to use a WD8013 with an Orchid ProDesigner II; it failed to |> >boot DOS (controller was a WD1007V). Replacing it with an Oak got the system |> >to boot. 16-bit BIOS problem? |> |> I have one of the earlier (and now unavailable) WD8013EB 16-bit interface |> Network Adapter cards in an Everex 486is that runs MS-DOS (4.01) and has an |> Orchid ProDesigner II and an Adaptec 2322 ESDI controller card. I works great. |> HOWEVER, the WD8013EB differs from the WD8013EP (the *current* version of the |> card) in that it is loaded with jumpers that let you select the IRQ and I/O |> address from the full range of choices. This is in contrast to the EP version |> which permits only a couple of selections with jumpers and the remainder only |> via software selection. And my supplier didn't send the software (and I |> won't be buying any more from *them*) |> I got the software with it allright. However the documentation offers to clues as to whether the IRQ-I/O address settings selected with the software are stored in some kind of EEPROM or forgotten as soon as the machine is shut off. The former would be ok for Unix use, the latter pretty inconvenient. Does anybody know? -- tom ---- Thomas M. Hoberg | UUCP: tmh@bigfoot.first.gmd.de or tmh%gmdtub@tub.UUCP c/o GMD Berlin | ...!unido!tub!gmdtub!tmh (Europe) or D-1000 Berlin 12 | ...!unido!tub!tmh Hardenbergplatz 2 | ...!pyramid!tub!tmh (World) Germany | BITNET: tmh%DB0TUI6.BITNET@DB0TUI11 or +49-30-254 99 160 | tmh@tub.BITNET
himes@virga.ucar.edu (dave himes) (03/31/91)
Doug McCallum writes: > ..................................................... > ............ Bunch of stuff deleted ................. > ..................................................... > >ISC will have full driver support for the EP in the near future. > >Doug McCallum >Interactive Systems Corp. >dougm@ico.isc.com What do you mean by full support? I've received some supplemental network drivers for ico 2.2.1 that support the "WD EtherCard Plus" family of network cards; this includes the 8013ep ("EtherCard Plus Elite16 is what my package says) and the WD Token Ring card. My question is, I didn't really notice any performance improvements over the 8bit board. The tests I ran where just "timed" rcp's, ftp's and nfs copy's from a SparcStation 2 to a Dell 325. The transfer rates where nearly identical for both the 8bit board and the 16bit board. The only benefit that I could see is that the 16bit WD card allowed me to use 8k rsize and wsize's on the "mounts" where the 8bit card could only handle a 4k rsize and wsize (and I attributed that to more memory on the 16bit card). Are there further driver improvements yet to be made to the WD drivers or are the drivers getting the most out of the 16bit board. -- David Himes himes@ncar.ucar.edu UCAR-COMET Boulder, CO
himes@virga.ucar.edu (dave himes) (03/31/91)
>I got the software with it allright. However the documentation offers to clues as >to whether the IRQ-I/O address settings selected with the software are stored in >some kind of EEPROM or forgotten as soon as the machine is shut off. The former >would be ok for Unix use, the latter pretty inconvenient. Does anybody know? > >-- tom >---- The software selected setting are stored in "on-board, non-volatile" memory (quoted from the document that came with one of the 8bit cards). We have several of the programmable boards in use right now, all are in Unix systems. It's quite convenient; I use a bootable DOS diskette with the WD setup program on it to configure the boards. It only takes a moment. -- David Himes himes@ncar.ucar.edu UCAR-COMET Boulder, CO