Re: com 3c910 support int RH 8?

["D. Klockenkemper" <dankis ufl edu>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Stevens" <rstevens vitalstream com>
To: <redhat-install-list redhat com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: com 3c910 support int RH 8?


> Waldher, Travis R wrote:
> > 
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: mMindaugas [mailto:min bamba lt] 
> >>Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 11:58 AM
> >>To: redhat-install-list redhat com
> >>Subject: com 3c910 support int RH 8?
> >>
> >>
> >>I installed RH 8 in my computer and understood that there is 
> >>no LAN:) how to compile my kernel that he could support 
> >>Ethernet 3c910. 
> >>Motherboard Albatron 854PE, Lan integrated
> >>Kernel is standart in my linux 
> >>I looked in the Internet, but couldn't find anything, except 
> >>few letters about it, but there were nothing useful. I don't 
> >>understand why my integrated Lan chip isn't supported :/ why 
> >>support 3c905, 3c900 and so on, but me chip isn't in 
> >>supported list. I looked that RH 9 kernel don't support my chip too. 
> >>
> >>For best community
> >>redhat-install-list redhat com
> > 
> > 
> > The 3c910 chipset just isn't as common as the others, so drivers haven't
> > been written.
> > 
> > Then again, I can't find the 3C910 on www.3com.com website.
> > 
> > Maybe the NIC on that motherboard is a special made from 3com for
> > Albatron?
> 
> Many of the 3c9xx stuff uses the 3c59x driver or the vortex driver.  Try
> them via "modprobe":
> 
> modprobe 3c59x
> modprobe vortex
> 
> If one of them works, modify your /etc/modules.conf to read
> 
> alias eth0 3c59x
> 
> -or-
> 
> alias eth0 vortex
> 
> depending on which one works (if they do).
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> - Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens vitalstream com -
> - VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
> -                                                                    -
> -                 IGNORE that man behind the keyboard!               -
> -                                                - The Wizard of OS  -
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 

I think I may have some experience with the same issue 
you're dealing with.  This past summer I set up a computer 
lab of various Dell Optiplex models with Red Hat 9, some 
of which use the 3c910 chip onboard.  It puzzled me why 
these couldn't get on the network, as Red Hat claimed 
to support it with the 3c59x driver.  I tried out a couple 
different live-cd distributions, and the lan cards worked fine. 
Meddling with config files and even recompiling the driver 
in Red Hat didn't make a difference.  

Much Googling on the subject revealed that there are rare 
cases in which this lan controller does not work specifically 
with Red Hat Linux.  The (far from ideal) solution was to 
throw in a cheap lan card with a different controller.  Since 
I was under time constraints, I bought some $4 OEM cards 
and that was that.  So you have a choice: get a different 
lan card, or a different Linux distro.  

Daniel Klockenkemper