System Bus

• ISA (8-bit and 16-bit)

• EISA and MCA (32-bit)

• PCI (32-bit and 64-bit)

• 16-bit is recommended for performance

Cabling

• Ethernet

  • BNC for Thinnet

  • AUI for Thicknet

  • RJ-45 (twisted pair)

• Combo cards also available (usually RJ-45 and BNC)

IRQ

• interrupt request line, designated timeslot for device to communicate with CPU, etc.

• 3, 5, 10 commonly used for NICs

I/O address

• used to pass/receive data/commands/status information

DMA

• used to directory access system memory

• ISA, EISA, and MCA based systems have 8 channels

ROM address

• Some NICs have onboard ROM BIOS which needs unique address

• If unable to change, need to 'make room' by configuring other devices

Record and standardize IRQ, I/O address, DMA usage and ROM address

Diagnostics

• MSD (Win 3.x & DOS 6.x)

• WinMSD (Win NT)

• Device Manager

• Non-standard devices may give inaccurate info.

Plug and Play will configure automatically

Unique ID used by MAC sub-layer of OSI Data Link Layer

Controls access to the network

On Ethernet, MAC address = Ethernet address

12-digit hex number assigned during manufacturing

Cannot have duplicates on same network, so may need to override or replace card

NIC will have a socket for it, usually labelled one of:

• Boot PROM , Boot ROM , EPROM , EEPROM

One use: to configure computers in harsh conditions where FDD/HDD might fail.

• e.g. Factory floor

Some NICs have both jumper/switch AND software

• in this case a jumper/switch setting will specify software configuration

Check updates on the web for such software!

PnP boards WILL work with non-PnP systems, but will need to be configured manually

Complete PnP systems have been made since Win 95

NDIS (Network Device Interface Specification)

• Designed by Microsoft and 3Com

• Industry standard used by e.g.:

  • MS LAN Manager

  • Win for Workgroups, Win95/98/NT

  • IBM LAN Server

  • Banyan VINES

• Requires NDIS-compliant NIC driver

• 3.0 supports unlimited NICs and unlimited protocols on each NIC

• Allows NIC to communicate with upper-level protocols

• Binding

  • Associates NDIS-compliant protocols with adapter

• Single NIC can support multiple transport protocols

ODI (Open Datalink Interface)

• Unique to Novell Netware

• Substitute ODI for NDIS and read as above except

  • NOT industry standard

  • supports 'multiple' not 'unlimited' protocols, etc.

Although ODI and NDIS use same protocols, different files are required.

Rule out user mistakes (e.g. Mistyping passwords)

Once problem is fixed, test the connection (e.g. Transfer a file)

Scenario Two

• Similar to above

• Checking NIC device properties you see a conflict with sound card at I/O 220

• You determine I/O 300 is available, so reboot with boot disk and load NIC config software

• After setting I/O to 300, both devices work properly

Can prove invaluable

Only use after checking all cables