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®
EtherLink XL PCI 10 Mbps
Network Interface Cards
User Guide
Member of the 3Com EtherLink XL family of
network interface cards
http://www.3com.com/
Part No. 09-1139-001
Published June 1998
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3Com Corporation n 5400 Bayfront Plaza n Santa Clara, California n 95052-8145 Copyright © 1998, 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative work (such as translation, transformation, or adaptation) without written permission from 3Com Corporation. 3Com Corporation reserves the right to revise this documentation and to make changes in content from time to time without obl
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CONTENTS ABOUT THIS GUIDE Finding Specific Information in This Guide 1 Conventions 2 1 INSTALLING THE NETWORK INTERFACE CARD Preparing for Installation 1-2 Inserting the NIC 1-3 Connecting to the Network 1-5 RJ-45 Port 1-5 BNC Port 1-6 AUI Port 1-7 Interpreting the Link LED 1-8 2 INSTALLING THE NETWORK DRIVER Windows 95 2-1 Windows 95 Build 950 2-2 Windows 95 OSR2 2-4 Confirming Installation 2-6 Windows NT
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3Com DOS Diagnostic Program 3-2 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program 3-2 Running NIC Tests 3-2 Running the Echo Test 3-4 3Com Support Services 3-7 Accessing the Help System 3-8 Release Notes, Frequently Asked Questions, and KnowledgeBase Topics 3-8 Removing NIC Software 3-9 Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 3-9 Windows NT 3.51 3-9 Frequently Asked Questions 3-10 4 CHANGING CONFIGURATION SETTINGS Using the DOS Configuration Program
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Changing Ranges and Protocols B-4 C TROUBLESHOOTING NETWORK CONNECTION PROBLEMS Eliminating Potential Causes of Problems C-1 Troubleshooting Hubs with Crossover Cable C-2 D TECHNICAL SUPPORT Support from Your Network Supplier D-1 Online Technical Services D-1 World Wide Web Site D-2 3Com Bulletin Board Service D-2 Access by Analog Modem D-2 Access by Digital Modem D-3 3ComFacts Automated Fax Service D-3 IN
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FIGURES 1-1 3C900B Network Interface Cards 1-1 1-2 Installing the 3C900B NIC 1-4 1-3 Connecting to the RJ-45 Port on the 3C900B NIC 1-5 1-4 Connecting to the BNC Port on the 3C900B-COMBO NIC 1-6 1-5 Connecting to the AUI Port on the 3C900B-COMBO NIC 1-7 2-1 Selected NIC Screen of the Configuration and Diagnostic Program 2-13 3-1 3Com NIC Diagnostics General Screen 3-3 3-2 Diagnostics Screen 3-4 3-3 Echo Test Responder Scre
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TABLES 1 Notice Icons 2 2 Text Conventions 2 1-1 3C900B NIC Models 1-2 1-2 LED Interpretation 1-8 2-1 Network Driver Text File Names 2-14 3-1 Frequently Asked Questions 3-10 4-1 Option Settings 4-1 A-1 Unshielded Twisted-pair Cable Categories A-2 viii
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ABOUT THIS GUIDE About This Guide provides an overview of this guide, describes guide conventions, and tells you where to look for specific information. This guide describes how to install, configure, and ® ® troubleshoot 3Com EtherLink XL PCI 10 Mbps (3C900B) network interface cards (NICs). If a release note is shipped with this product, and the information in the release note differs from the information in this guide, follow the instructions in the release note. This
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2 ABOUT THIS GUIDE Conventions Table 1 and Table 2 list conventions that are used throughout this guide. Table 1 Notice Icons Icon Notice Type Description Information note Important features or instructions Caution Information to alert you to potential damage to a program, system, or device Warning Information to alert you to potential personal injury Table 2 Text Conventions Convention Description Screen displays This typeface represents information as it appears on the screen. The word
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INSTALLING THE 1 NETWORK INTERFACE CARD ® ® This chapter describes the 3Com EtherLink XL PCI 10 Mbps 3C900B network interface cards (NICs). Procedures are provided for installing the NIC hardware and software and connecting each version of the NIC to an Ethernet network. Figure 1-1 shows the two versions of the 3C900B NIC. These NICs connect your PC to a 10 Mbps Ethernet network using up to three different types of media. LED RJ-45 port AUI port LED BNC port 3C900B-TPO 3C900B-COMBO Fig
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1-2 CHAPTER 1: INSTALLING THE NETWORK INTERFACE CARD Table 1-1 3C900B NIC Models Maximum Network NIC Model Cable Connector Transceiver Segment 3C900B-TPO Category 3, 4, RJ-45 On-board 328 ft/100 m or 5 unshielded twisted-pair (10BASE-T) 3C900B-COMBO Category 3, 4, RJ-45 On-board 328 ft/100 m or 5 unshielded twisted-pair (10BASE-T) 10BASE5 thick 15-pin AUI External 1640 ft/500 m Ethernet coaxial 10BASE2 thin BNC On-board 1000 ft/305 m Ethernet coaxial Preparing for Installation Before you
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Inserting the NIC 1-3 Inserting the NIC The following instructions apply to installing the 3C900B NIC in most PCs. If these instructions are not appropriate for your PC, refer to the documentation that accompanied your PC. CAUTION: Each NIC is packed in antistatic packaging to protect it during shipment. Before handling the NIC, touch the bare metal case of your PC. While you are handling the NIC, wear a wrist strap grounded to the PC chassis. Remove all jewelry from your hands and wrists
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1-4 CHAPTER 1: INSTALLING THE NETWORK INTERFACE CARD Backplate screw 3C900B NIC PCI slot Figure 1-2 Installing the 3C900B NIC 4 Remove and discard the backplate. 5 Ensure that the shape and length of the edge connector on the NIC match the slot that you intend to use (Figure 1-2). 6 Carefully insert the NIC into the slot. Press firmly with steady pressure to ensure that the NIC is fully seated in the slot. When the NIC is correctly inserted in the slot, the NIC backplate is flush with the P
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Connecting to the Network 1-5 Connecting to the Network This section describes how to connect the 3C900B NIC to an Ethernet network using an RJ-45, BNC, or AUI port. Each 3C900B NIC provides different network ports, as shown in Figure 1-1. Follow the procedure for the network port on the NIC that you install. When you first install the NIC and power on the PC, the LED on the NIC backplate lights, but the link is not active. To enable the link, you must load the network drivers. See “Interp
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1-6 CHAPTER 1: INSTALLING THE NETWORK INTERFACE CARD BNC Port Follow these steps to connect the BNC port on the COMBO NIC to the network: 1 Connect the BNC connector on the thin Ethernet coaxial cable to the BNC port on the NIC. See Figure 1-4. BNC connector BNC port Figure 1-4 Connecting to the BNC Port on the 3C900B-COMBO NIC 2 Connect the other end of the network cable to another PC or a 50-ohm terminator. If your PC is the last physical device in the network daisy chain, you must con
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Connecting to the Network 1-7 AUI Port Follow these steps to connect the AUI port (Figure 1-5) on the 3C900B COMBO NIC to the network: 1 Locate the 15-pin AUI port on the NIC and move the slide latch down to the open position. AUI port AUI connector Figure 1-5 Connecting to the AUI Port on the 3C900B-COMBO NIC 2 Connect the thick Ethernet coaxial cable to the AUI port on the NIC. This connector attaches in only one way. Orient the AUI connector to match the AUI port on the NIC. 3 Move the
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1-8 CHAPTER 1: INSTALLING THE NETWORK INTERFACE CARD Interpreting the Link LED The 3C900B NICs have one light-emitting diode (LED). When the LED is on (but before the driver is loaded), the LED indicates that the NIC is receiving power. Other than indicating that the NIC is receiving power, the LED serves no other purpose for either an AUI or a BNC media connection. Table 1-2 explains the LED states for 3C900B NICs. Table 1-2 LED Interpretation Connector LED State Meaning RJ-45 AUI BN
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INSTALLING THE 2 NETWORK DRIVER This chapter describes how to install the network driver that allows the 3C900B NIC to transmit and receive data over an Ethernet network. To obtain the latest shipping version of a network driver, go to the 3Com World Wide Web site: http://www.3com.com/ Before attempting to install a network driver, ask your network administrator which driver to install. Go to the appropriate section in this chapter for the procedure describing how to install the driver fo
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2-2 CHAPTER 2: INSTALLING THE NETWORK DRIVER Follow these steps to determine the Windows 95 version installed on your PC: 1 Right-click the My Computer icon and click Properties. The System Properties window is displayed. 2 Check the version number on the General screen, under System: n If 4.00.950 is displayed, follow the procedure for Windows 95 Build 950. n If 4.00.950B is displayed, follow the procedure for Windows 95 OSR2. Windows 95 Build 950 Follow these steps to install the network d
