Good NIC for W2K and Redhat

[StarTech]

I have been using an Intel Pro/100+ Management Adapter, which works very good once setup. The problem is that every time I reinstall I find myself fighting to install the device drivers.. and since I do not need all the management stuff, I have decided to replace them to simplify life.

So the question is what is a current good performer card that installs easily on W2K and default kernel on RH8/RH9. I am not too worried about cost. Flexible to coexist with a bunch of other hardware.

I really need to run to BestBuy or Frys and get one.

 

[Need4Speed]

any card based on the realtek chipset will do

 

[StarTech]

Could you name brands / current models. If I remember right, I think I had problems with Linksys having the same model with different chipsets..

 

[Nothinman]

I always use tulip based cards, usually DE500s because they're cheap and reliable. If I couldn't use those I'd probably go with an Intel card then with a 3Com 3c905 as my next choice.

The thing I have to wonder about is why you're reloading often enough to care?

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: StarTech
Could you name brands / current models. If I remember right, I think I had problems with Linksys having the same model with different chipsets..

I just had this problem with the Linksys LNE100TX. Mandrake 8.0 (old!) Recognized it right away, but Win2K did not. According to Linksys, there are 4 different versions of this card, so I had to figure out what I had and download the driver from Linksys off a different PC.

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
I always use tulip based cards, usually DE500s because they're cheap and reliable. If I couldn't use those I'd probably go with an Intel card then with a 3Com 3c905 as my next choice.

The thing I have to wonder about is why you're reloading often enough to care?

These are all good cards

 

[Nothinman]

According to Linksys, there are 4 different versions of this card, so I had to figure out what I had and download the driver from Linksys off a different PC.

Luckily on Linux you can run 'lspci' and get a list of all the devices on the PCI bus and their chipset, that makes it a lot easier to identify what hardware you have.

 

[cmetz]

StarTech, could you elaborate on the problems you're having? The Pro/100+ Management adapter is a good NIC - I have several and have never had any problems. Anything you'd replace it with at Best Buy or similar is going to be much lesser quality/performance hardware. You'd be better served by figuring out and fixing whatever's causing your driver problems.

 

[jackwhitter]

startech, if it is the management portion of the adaptor, disable the management on the card (if you can.) then intel pro series is a much more powerful and better solution than the lowend stuff. i've used linksys, dlink, 3com, intels, and a plethora of other random stuff, and my favorites are usually business class 3com or intel chips. hardware based, work in all the os'es, and perform very well.

 

[StarTech]

I have solved the problem. What I hate about the intel is that i end up runing the setup.exe and comes back complaining that the driver is not installed and have to go build the diskette for the driver part. I don't understand why they did not put everything under a single install. It may be silly, but i bugs me a lot... Well, for this time the card is back in.

Now, I have a question about the intel cards. Is there a way to totally disable the boot function in their bios?

 

[cmetz]

StarTech, yes there is. There is a configuration program for the card (it might be DOS based) that you'll have to hunt around Intel's web site for. It's NOT in the BIOS options, which is annoying.

 

[Biggs]

Now, I have a question about the intel cards. Is there a way to totally disable the boot function in their bios?

Touch Me

 

[StarTech]

Thanks, guys