recommend a network card

recommend a network card

[bastard operater]

Hello,

My 3Com 3C905B-TX is starting to malfunction and it is getting worse.  So I 
am in the market for a new NIC.  The card has to work on Linux (natively) 
and windows.  I thought I would ask the experts if you have any 
recommendations for a good 100MB PCI card?

Thanks,

Re: recommend a network card

[Michael Buesch]

On Saturday 17 June 2006 23:12, bastard operater wrote:
                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
People on this list like Real Names and are more
motivated to help, if they know your name.

> My 3Com 3C905B-TX is starting to malfunction and it is getting worse.  So I 

I never had a malfunctioning NIC. What does it look like?
Broken packages?

> am in the market for a new NIC.  The card has to work on Linux (natively) 
> and windows.  I thought I would ask the experts if you have any 
> recommendations for a good 100MB PCI card?

I have mostly RTL based cards (ranging from 10 to 1000 mbit).
No problems so far. (But also no problem with my 3c905 since
quite some time ;) )

-- 
Greetings Michael.

Re: recommend a network card

[bastard operater]

>From: Michael Buesch <mb@bu3sch.de>
>To: "bastard operater" <bofh1234@hotmail.com>
>CC: netdev@vger.kernel.org
>Subject: Re: recommend a network card
>Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 23:23:01 +0200
>
>On Saturday 17 June 2006 23:12, bastard operater wrote:
>                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>People on this list like Real Names and are more
>motivated to help, if they know your name.

I forgot to change that.  I will change it as soon as I send this email. My 
name is Jason.

> > My 3Com 3C905B-TX is starting to malfunction and it is getting worse.  
>So I
>
>I never had a malfunctioning NIC. What does it look like?
>Broken packages?

It loses its network connection (the systems says the card is unplugged) for 
a second or two and then the connection comes back.  Sometimes the 
connection just stops working  and I have to restart the network service.

> > I am in the market for a new NIC.  The card has to work on Linux 
>(natively)
> > and windows.  I thought I would ask the experts if you have any
> > recommendations for a good 100MB PCI card?
>
>I have mostly RTL based cards (ranging from 10 to 1000 mbit).
>No problems so far. (But also no problem with my 3c905 since
>quite some time ;) )

How can I tell which cards use which chipset?

Thanks,
Jason

Re: recommend a network card

[Michael Buesch]

On Sunday 18 June 2006 17:28, bastard operater wrote:
> >I never had a malfunctioning NIC. What does it look like?
> >Broken packages?
> 
> It loses its network connection (the systems says the card is unplugged) for 
> a second or two and then the connection comes back.  Sometimes the 
> connection just stops working  and I have to restart the network service.

uh, oh. Interresting.
Sure it is not a software bug in PCI hotplug or something?
(or something accidentally poking with fakephp)

I would test the card in another machine, before throwing it away.

> > > I am in the market for a new NIC.  The card has to work on Linux 
> >(natively)
> > > and windows.  I thought I would ask the experts if you have any
> > > recommendations for a good 100MB PCI card?
> >
> >I have mostly RTL based cards (ranging from 10 to 1000 mbit).
> >No problems so far. (But also no problem with my 3c905 since
> >quite some time ;) )
> 
> How can I tell which cards use which chipset?

Look at the chip ;)
One of my cards (100mbit) has a chip with the string
RTL8139D
printed on it.
There's usually only one or two chips on the card. You can't miss it.
It's the chip, which is connected directly to the PCI pins.

btw: This is not really the right list to ask such questions,
     as it is not development related, but well... :)

-- 
Greetings Michael.

Re: recommend a network card

[Jason operater]

>From: Michael Buesch <mb@bu3sch.de>
>To: "bastard operater" <bofh1234@hotmail.com>
>CC: netdev@vger.kernel.org
>Subject: Re: recommend a network card
>Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2006 17:48:55 +0200
>
>On Sunday 18 June 2006 17:28, bastard operater wrote:
> > >I never had a malfunctioning NIC. What does it look like?
> > >Broken packages?
> >
> > It loses its network connection (the systems says the card is unplugged) 
>for
> > a second or two and then the connection comes back.  Sometimes the
> > connection just stops working  and I have to restart the network 
>service.
>
>uh, oh. Interresting.
>Sure it is not a software bug in PCI hotplug or something?
>(or something accidentally poking with fakephp)

It worked great for the first 6 years.  Only in the last year has it become 
unstable.  There have been no driver changes since 2001.  My motherboard (7 
years old, tyan tiger S1832D) does not support hotplug.  I moved it to 
another PC and it still has problems.

>I would test the card in another machine, before throwing it away.
>
> > > > I am in the market for a new NIC.  The card has to work on Linux
> > >(natively)
> > > > and windows.  I thought I would ask the experts if you have any
> > > > recommendations for a good 100MB PCI card?
> > >
> > >I have mostly RTL based cards (ranging from 10 to 1000 mbit).
> > >No problems so far. (But also no problem with my 3c905 since
> > >quite some time ;) )
> >
> > How can I tell which cards use which chipset?
>
>Look at the chip ;)
>One of my cards (100mbit) has a chip with the string
>RTL8139D
>printed on it.
>There's usually only one or two chips on the card. You can't miss it.
>It's the chip, which is connected directly to the PCI pins.

I don't have x-ray vision so I can't see through cardboard.  :)  Can you 
recommand a specific card or groups of cards?

>btw: This is not really the right list to ask such questions,
>      as it is not development related, but well... :)

Yeah, I know.  I wanted to ask the experts.  I don't want to buy a cheap 
network card only to get it home and find it uses 75% of CPU during 
transfers.  Or even worse it is not supported by Linux.  If you know of a 
linux certified hardware list I would love to hear about it.

Thanks,
Jason