Return to BSD News archive
Xref: sserve comp.dcom.lans.ethernet:10157 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.networking:2394 comp.os.386bsd.questions:11380
Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!agate!asami
From: asami@cs.berkeley.edu (Satoshi ASAMI)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.networking,comp.os.386bsd.questions
Subject: 3c509 and 3c503? [FreeBSD]
Followup-To: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet
Date: 4 Jul 94 18:44:14
Organization: CS Div. - EECS, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Lines: 39
Message-ID: <ASAMI.94Jul4184414@forgery.cs.berkeley.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: forgery.cs.berkeley.edu
(Watch out for the Newsgroups: and Followup-to: lines)
I have a question about 3Com 3c50? cards. I am trying to setup a
small LAN of computers using ethernet with my apartment-mates. Seems
like 3com 3c503 and 3c509 are the most popular cards (at least for
FreeBSD). 3c509 seems a whole lot cheaper ($150 vs. $120 at regular
places, plus I've seen a "special offer" of "2 for $99" (!) for
3c509).
However, I've seen some reports about 3c509 having problems with the
FreeBSD driver, e.g., (from KNOWNBUGS of FreeBSD)
===
/sys/i386/isa/if_ep.c
The 3c509 driver will hang under heavy network loads and take your
machine off the network. (Though the machine will continue to run with
no network facilities)
Workaround: Try a "ifconfig ep0 down" and a "ifconfig ep0 up"
===
But also some people say it works fine for them. So, my questions
are:
(1) Is this problem solved, or does it happen only in certain
configurations (e.g., only if there is a Sapphire Roadster VLB
board in the master slot, etc.)?
(2) What are the differences between the two cards? What does the
"Etherlink-II/III" mean? Which is newer? Which is better (I
know, no flames please)? Is 3c509 cheaper because it's older, or
is it cheaper because it's newer? :)
(3) Do you know anything else about them?
Thanks-
Satoshi
P.S. I read the c.s.i.p.h.* FAQ, couldn't find anything about them....