SuSE GmbH

SuSE Support Database

Title: Driver for network cards 3Com 3c90x

----------

Mainpage o Searchform o History o Versions o Categories o Contents

----------

Driver for network cards 3Com 3c90x

Applicable to
S.u.S.E. version: 4.4, 4.4.1
Kernel version: all

Problems:

Network card 3C90x is not detected.
The computer crashes with a 3C90x network card.

Background:

The network cards 3com 3C90x (Boomerang) are the sucessors of the 3com 3C59x card (Vortex), which are not distributed any more. These new cards are not still supported by the driver in the official kernel (until 2.0.29).

Meanwhile there is a new driver that operates the cards in a mode compatible with the 3C59x cards. Additionally, there is already another driver that uses these cards' expanded features (busmastering). Once we have succesfully and without problems tested this new Boomerang driver in several computers during several weeks, and it was desired by different customers, we have included the new experimental driver in our kernel lx -suse in S.u.S.E. Linux 4.4.1.

In the mean time, however, it turned out, that this new driver can lead into a entire system's crash under certain circumstances. This is why we urgently recommend not to install the experimental Boomerang driver in critical systems, but the actualised Vortex one. S.u.S.E. Linux 4.4 still contains the actualised Vortex driver.

You will find both drivers in the file /unsorted/patches/kernel-patches.tgz on the first CD. Simply copy the file 3c59x.c into /usr/src/linux/drivers/net, configure kernel, where you activate Vortex support and reboot the system.

If you are valiant and you would like to test the Boomerang driver, simply copy the file boomerang.c from the above file into /usr/src/linux/drivers/net/3c59x.c and proceed for the rest as described above.

Drivers' new versions: http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/vortex.html.

----------

Keywords: 3COM, DRIVER, 3C90X, NETWORK CARD, PANIC, BOOMERANG, VORTEX

----------

Feedback welcome: Send Mail to mantel@suse.de (Please give the following subject: SDB-boomerang)

----------

Mainpage o Searchform o History o Versions o Categories o Contents

----------

SDB-boomerang, Copyright SuSE GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany - Version:
SuSE GmbH - Last generated: 07. Oct 1999 16:33:55 by maddin with sdb_gen 1.00.0