Dell OptiPlex GX110 Onboard E'Net NIC

[jeans2nd]

I have 3 Dell OptiPlex GX110's. Could not get any of the onboard Ethernets to connect to our server - kept getting 'No server available ...'. These MoBo's have integrated 3Com 3c920 NIC. I installed the drivers from Dell's site, then the updated drivers from Dell, and the current drivers from 3Com. I decided to check Dell's user forum before I disabled NIC in BIOS and install a PCI, and the thread there was that these onboard NIC's don't work, and Dell isn't acknowledging or supporting the problem. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[SUOrangeman]

well, if you have the right drivers (you didn'd specific an OS) and the ports are detected, then it's your network settings that aren't letting you see your server.

My company has been using the GX110 as our standard desktop for nearly a year now. My P3-733 has never exhibited any problems.

-SUO

 

[PowerJoe]

My company too. We only use Win2K, and the built-in driver works fine.

-PJ

 

[LevcoS]

I have had no problems with these (using approximately 150 desktops), so long as I'm careful to use the MOST RECENT 3c905 drivers from 3com. Dell's drivers work too... but I don't like that Del''s drivers automagically install the 3com diagnostics, which I prefer not to use... so I use the 3com set. Previous driver revs from 3com will install, but won't function, as the 3com onboard processor has slightly different microcode from previous 3c905x series cards/chips... so perhaps you have an earlier driver revision.

If you really are using the newest drivers, perhaps an update to your post with specific information about your network environment would be useful...

LevcoS

 

[jeans2nd]

Sorry, I forgot OS, etc. This is a standard Win98SE, installed by Dell. I didn't apply any modifications or patches to the OS - I tried to get connected to the server first. The server is an IBM NetFinity, NT4SP6. The error message I keep getting is no domain server available. I can do a loopback just fine, and can ping the IP address of the card, but cannot get to the server or the router. I have the network config identical to a working PC (IBM 300GL) except for the static IP, of course, and I'm certain no other PC has this IP. I'm not sure where to go from here, except disable it in the BIOS, put in a PCI (Netgear). Thanks!

 

[SUOrangeman]

try nslookup server and then nslookup server.full.domain.name. DO the same with ping. If one of them works and the other doesn't, then it's one of your software settings, not bad hardware.

-SUO