*BSD News Article 62593


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From: rs@purple.IN-Ulm.DE (Ralph Schleicher)
Subject: Re: 3Com 3C509B
Sender: news@purple.IN-Ulm.DE (Usenet News)
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Message-ID: <RS.96Mar3195826@purple.IN-Ulm.DE>
In-Reply-To: Ron Bolin's message of Sat, 02 Mar 1996 19:44:38 -0500
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Date: Sun, 3 Mar 1996 18:58:26 GMT

Ron Bolin <rlb@mindspring.com> cited below with "RB" writes:

RB> Has anyone sucessfuly installed the new 3Com 3C509B Ehterlink
RB> III on FreeBSD 2.1? 

Yes.

The following two paragraphs are from the Linux Ethernet-HOWTO:

  3c509B users should use the supplied DOS utility to disable the plug
  and play support, and to set the output media to what they require.
  Cameron adds: ``The 3C509B has 3Com's relocatable I/O port scheme, and
  Microsofttm Plug-and-play ("PnP").  You can't use them both at the
  same time.  Some (broken, IMHO) BIOSes begin a PnP sequence by writing
  to the PnP address (0x279 ?), which causes PnP adapters like 3C509B to
  enter the PnP state, but then they (these funny BIOSes) never come
  back to finish the job.  The 3C509Bs hang there in the middle of the
  PnP ID Sequence, where they have no idea you didn't mean it and you're
  going to use the 3Com ID sequence after all.  3C5X9CFG /PNPRST clears
  this hang.  Disable PnP if your drivers (eg., Linux) don't use it.

  It was a marketing decision to turn PnP on as a factory default
  setting.  If it caused you a hassle, or not, please take the time to
  say so when you mail in your warranty card.  The more info they have,
  the better decisions they can make.  Also, check with your motherboard
  supplier to see if you need a BIOS upgrade.''

-- 
Ralph

`You know what I'm thinking?' he said.  `I think so,' said Ford.  `Tell
me what you think I'm thinking.'   (D. Adams)