Topic: Finding the correct IO for ISA cards.

[Stone Linton]

I'm trying to setup two ISA (3c509b).  Followed the provided instructions from previous messages, but am still coming back with this message:

Bringing up interface eth0
Delaying eth0 initalization    [Failed]
Bringing up interface eth1
Delaying eth1 initalization    [Failed]

I assumed it was because I didn't get the right IO, so I tried

io=0x280, io=0x300 and when that failed, I re-edited conf.modules so that io=0x300 and io=0x320.

Someone help me out here, I've never had to get into hardware settings.  What do I do to get these cards working?

[Charlie Brady]

Stone Linton wrote:

> I assumed it was because I didn't get the right IO, so I tried
>
> io=0x280, io=0x300 and when that failed, I re-edited
> conf.modules so that io=0x300 and io=0x320.

The way to do that is to do:

/sbin/insmod io=0x280

and look at the response, then try again with a different value. That way you can search the I/O address space quite quickly, without rebooting. I'm sorry, but I don't know the correct range of I/O addresses to search.  

That's assuming that you actually need to specify the I/O address - some modules autoprobe OK, and you don't need to specify anything. From looking in /etc/module-info, you can specify "io" and "irq" - you'll need to experiment or ask the right experts to find out whether one or both is manatory.

Regards

Charlie

[Stone Linton]

I'm coming up with something like module not found, I assume this means that this isn't the one.  What should I expect when I do get a correct address?  Any ideas as to what ranges to try?  Anybody?

This is to get 3c509b ISA cards working in a 486, ISA slots only system.

[Charlie Brady]

Stone Linton wrote:

> I'm coming up with something like module not found, I assume
> this means that this isn't the one.

SOrry, I didn't get the command right. try:

/sbin/modprobe 3c509

Tell me exactly what that says. Then you may have to specify I/O addresses. if you do, then you need to specify the two addresses on the one line:

/sbin/modprobe 3c509 io=0x280,0x300

and if those were the correct values, then you need:

options 3c509 io=0x280,0x300

in /etc/conf.modules.

> What should I expect when I do get a correct address?

You will get a message from the driver showing the author, date, and the I/O and IRQ settings.

> Any ideas as to what ranges to
> try?  Anybody?

Have a look in the Ethernet HOWTO and the BootPrompt HOWTO from http://www.linuxdoc.org/.

Regards

Charlie

[Charlie Brady]

Charlie Brady wrote:

> Tell me exactly what that says. Then you may have to specify
> I/O addresses. if you do, then you need to specify the two
> addresses on the one line:
>
> /sbin/modprobe 3c509 io=0x280,0x300
>
> and if those were the correct values, then you need:
>
> options 3c509 io=0x280,0x300
>
> in /etc/conf.modules.

I've found something that might be useful to you on another bulletin board. Someone else had success by specifying only the IRQs, and not the I/O addresses. See:

http://www2.vortech.net/coyote/board/messageDetail.asp?MessageId=666

There is also mention of a DOS utility 3c5x9cfg.exe for checking/changing your NIC settings.

Charlie

[Bjorn Jacobsson]

Hello!

 I had some great problems getting it to work at first, but I guess that is bcoz I dont know anyting about linux. Anyway I got it to work atlast but not with my 3com 3c509-combo but with my SE 2000 (using ne 2000 drivers) but I guess it would work if I did the same thing (havent tried the last settings with my 3c509 yet).

 I had to use the dosutil program and tell the card to use the right IO and IRQ (in my case IO 300 and IRQ 3), then I shut of all the PnP wich involves both the IO, IRQ settings plus the settings for the TP/BNC (i told it to only use TP). Then I added the line  "options ne irq=3 io=300" in the /etc/conf.modules

Best Regards
BeerFace

[Gord Nickerson]

I have similar problem. Had installed ok under 3.0 and was running.

Took same pci network cards (realtek, smc) and put in new box and installed. Local net is on combo card using 10 base 2. When it tries to test connection to internet it tries to use the 10 base T media on the combo card instead of the 10 base T media on 2nd nic (smc).

Then installed 4.0 and same problem.

I may replace the realtek with an smc card and use ezstart to configure the card to only use 10 base 2 media and see how that works. I don't have a utility to set the realtek card.

I had a similar problem with netBSD and combo cards...

g