I have a Turbo XT which I’m looking to install a network card into. Decided on a cheap, new old stock NE2000 in the box. The box clearly states it backwards compatible so I’m good right? Well…

When I actually opened the box up, I realise it a jumper less design and I get a bit nervous. Thankfully, I see that an official tool exists which you run, configure the card’s IRQ and other necessities and it then is able to just work on my 8 bit system? Well…

When I actually tried to run the tool provided to allow you to configure your card for 8-bit machines, the tool errors out because it can only run on a 16 bit system. Since this is my only retro PC, I have to find someone willing to install my NIC in their 16 bit system and configure my card. Then I have to hope to god I never get a conflict and have to change the NIC config.

End result, a visit to Github to download all the design files needed to get an opensource NE2000 clone PCB manufactured which is natively 8-bit and completely configurable by jumpers - I’m buying the parts now to solder it all together when the boards get here.

Pretty dumb problem right? 😃

SlCKB0Y wrote on 2026-02-18, 21:45:

I have a Turbo XT which I’m looking to install a network card into. Decided on a cheap, new old stock NE2000 in the box. The box […]
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I have a Turbo XT which I’m looking to install a network card into. Decided on a cheap, new old stock NE2000 in the box. The box clearly states it backwards compatible so I’m good right? Well…

When I actually opened the box up, I realise it a jumper less design and I get a bit nervous. Thankfully, I see that an official tool exists which you run, configure the card’s IRQ and other necessities and it then is able to just work on my 8 bit system? Well…

When I actually tried to run the tool provided to allow you to configure your card for 8-bit machines, the tool errors out because it can only run on a 16 bit system. Since this is my only retro PC, I have to find someone willing to install my NIC in their 16 bit system and configure my card. Then I have to hope to god I never get a conflict and have to change the NIC config.

End result, a visit to Github to download all the design files needed to get an opensource NE2000 clone PCB manufactured which is natively 8-bit and completely configurable by jumpers - I’m buying the parts now to solder it all together when the boards get here.

Pretty dumb problem right? 😃

Just sounds like a prefect reason to get a 16 bit system. 🤔

This is more of a mea culpa but here goes:

I have a very nice EPoX EP-MVP3G that had an issue: It would turn off seemingly at random. Sometimes it would turn back on, other times I'd need to reseat everything and clear the CMOS to get it to POST.

I recapped the board, no change.

I resoldered the ATX power connector, still no luck.

About a week later I was using a Z97 board on the same test bench and while I was positioning a fan I bumped the ATX cable: which caused the board to immediately shut off.

After all that, it was the PSU ATX cable with loose terminals, something I should have caught early on.

So long story short I now have a freshly recapped EPoX SS7 board that works perfectly.

Live and learn I guess.