I think the mTCP directions are probably too detailed, but really everything you need is in there. This should have everything you need to get started:

http://www.brutman.com/mTCP/mTCP_Configuration.html

After you get a DHCP address you can ping.

The packet driver is a small COM or EXE file; you load it from the DOS command line. You can not load and run the packet driver if the MS LAN stuff is already active. Start with an empty CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT file just to be on the safe side. You can run one or the other, but not both at the same time.

Thanks, that helped. Also found that the file I thought was a packet driver in fact was a windows file [running 3c503.com failed due to LSL not loaded] but I now have one from crynwr that works.

Still cannot get a connection though. The packet driver reports a problem with the cable [known working], and dhcp and ping fail. DHCP fails with a timeout but reports that the network card is receiving packets. With a manual ip address [etc] in tcp.cfg, ping fails with an ARP timeout.

Hardware problem or network speed maybe?

What happens when you ping the loopback address (127.0.0.1)? If you can do that, then you are probably good on the software side of the networking.

With MS Lan manager, pinging 127.0.0.1 or whatever fixed address I give my machine, works. Pinging the router gives a timeout.

With mTCP, pinging 127.0.0.1 gives a report that loopback is not supported.

Looks like others have had similar problems with this adapter:

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showt … check-1-message

I came across this page (ftp://ftp.cac.washington.edu/ncsa/msdos/docum … nts/install.txt) which indicates the following for the 3Com 3C503:

If your Ethernet card passes diagnostics, the next possible problem is a conflict with drivers designated in your CONFIG.SYS and […]
Show full quote

If your Ethernet card passes diagnostics, the next possible problem is a
conflict with drivers designated in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files. The most common driver conflict occurs with the EMM386.EXE memory
manager which allows drivers to be loaded in high memory. Many Ethernet
adapters (most notably the 3Com 3C503) use high memory to buffer Ethernet
packets. The EMM386.EXE driver most be configured to exclude memory used
by your Ethernet adapter. For example, the recommended memory setting for the
3c503 is CC00:0. To exclude the memory area from use by EMM386.EXE, your
would set up the driver in the following way:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=CC00-CCFF

Are you using the EMM386 memory manager, and if so, are you excluding the NIC buffer as indicated? Hopefully, you have documentation to guide you on your options for this memory range.

I came across this site:

http://stason.org/TULARC/pc/network-cards/3/3 … ml#.UxcGplZL3lY

It's interesting to see that you can set so many low level network details in the jumpers. If any of the jumpers JP1-JP9 are not set correctly, then you could see a hardware-level issue.

akula65 wrote:

I came across this site:

http://stason.org/TULARC/pc/network-cards/3/3 … ml#.UxcGplZL3lY

It's interesting to see that you can set so many low level network details in the jumpers. If any of the jumpers JP1-JP9 are not set correctly, then you could see a hardware-level issue.

Yes, I've checked everything is set to what that page gives as 10baseT settings. The only one I'm not sure of is the twisted pair impedance.

Thanks for the other links. I don't think I am using any memory manager but I will check.

This page seems to suggest that 100 ohms is most likely the correct setting for the impedance:

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/wiring/twistedpair.html

Ok thanks, I think 100 is what it is set at - middle setting.

Maybe I'll try the others to see if that helps.

A couple of other things I meant to mention in earlier posts:

1. You said that your network cable is known working, but you didn't mention how you determined that. The reason I mention this is because you might be seeing a straight-through vs. crossover cable issue depending on exactly what networking components you are using and how the networked elements are connected.

Nowadays, it is common for networking equipment to have auto mdi/mdix determination which means that you can get away with connecting two arbitrary network devices with either a straight-through cable or a crossover cable. The network equipment itself determines the cable configuration and adjusts accordingly. But in the days prior to auto mdi/mdix, you had to use the correct cable type (straight-through vs. crossover) in a given circumstance in order for the components to properly connect. Generally speaking, like-type devices had to have a crossover cable, and you would generally use a straight-through type cable in other circumstances.

Let's say you got your TP network cable from some third-party who didn't tell you whether it is a crossover cable or a straight-through cable. Let's also say you tested your TP network cable in a comparatively new network where the hubs/routers/switches had auto mdi/mdix, and the cable seemed to work. In this case, the cable seems to work, but that doesn't really tell you whether the cable is a crossover cable or a straight-through cable. Now, let's say you try to get your ancient 3COM adapter to work in another network with older hubs/switches/routers that don't support auto mdi/mdix. Unfortunately, it now matters whether your cable is crossover or straight-through, and even through you successfully tested your TP network cable, and even though your 3COM NIC diagnostics checked out fine, you may not be able to get the 3COM adapter to communicate with the rest of the network if you are using a crossover cable when you should be using a straight-through cable or vice versa.

2. If you haven't already done it, you probably want to make sure that the Link lights on your /hubs/switches/router indicate a successful connection at the intended speed. Some of the equipment that I have used had a different color light to reflect the type of connection (10 Mbps vs. 100 Mbps.) and a solid light indicated that a link had been established while a blinking light indicates data transfer is in progress or a link negotiation was underway. Your 3COM card has separate indicators for link and data transmission, so it should be easy to confirm that a link has been established from the card's standpoint.

3. Sometimes individual ports in a hub/switch/router die or malfunction, so make sure to try a different port if things are not working. If the networking equipment is pre-auto mdi/mdix, then you need to make sure you are connecting to an appropriate port on the hub/switch/router with the correct cable type (crossover vs. straight-through).

ratfink wrote:

Thanks, that helped. Also found that the file I thought was a packet driver in fact was a windows file [running 3c503.com failed due to LSL not loaded] but I now have one from crynwr that works.

Still cannot get a connection though. The packet driver reports a problem with the cable [known working], and dhcp and ping fail. DHCP fails with a timeout but reports that the network card is receiving packets. With a manual ip address [etc] in tcp.cfg, ping fails with an ARP timeout.

Hardware problem or network speed maybe?

If mTCP is reporting that you are getting packets but everything is timing out, then the packets you are sending are not getting out for some reason. DHCP won't get a response, and neither will ARP.

mTCP Ping does not support loopback - it really wouldn't test the hardware if it were implemented, so there is no point to it.

The packet driver warning is a good hint that there is a cable configuration problem. Your IRQ and port settings must be decent, otherwise you would not see a received packet count.

From memory:

The network I have is:

- most PCs including the 286 attached to an 8-port Netgear ethernet switch. Others are wireless which doesn't matter here.

- the router is also attached to the switch. I was using the gigabit port on the router but have moved to a different one, made no difference.

- some of the PCs I know are using crossover cables [but as you say, for moden gear that doesn't matter]

- the 286 is not supposed to be using a crossover cable [cable was bought new as a straight through]; the cable was previously used on an old Mac from c 1997, an SGI from same time, and I recently tried it on my [modern] laptop. The latter wouldn't care about whether or not it's a crossover cable. I thought the Mac did but it's a long time ago.

Lights:

- on the card, the green LED is on, L1 on that stason page, which the same page indicates means data is being transmitted or received. The L2 light [according to that page: network connection is good] just flickers faintly/intermittently.

- on the ethernet switch the port for this cable is lit up. At one point early in this thread I noticed it was not lit, but after reseating the cable it has been ever since. This switch only has one colour of LED.

I will recheck all this and try another cable too.

Another factor that might be relevant has to do with your router and its capabilities. Does the router support MAC address filtering, and is that turned on? If so, did you add the 3COM MAC address to the list of valid MAC addresses?

Hmm this router seems severely limited in what settings you can see. There seems no way to set a list of valid MAC addresses even on so-called advanced settings. It's one supplied by the ISP when I changed to fibre-optic.

I will get my old router out and see if that can connect better to this 286.

EDIT:
Now tried other cables, same outcome. And I tried my old Netgear router - the lights on this show the line to the 286 is running at slower speed. But the L2 LED on the card still doesn't come on.

I think maybe this card is to blame. There is nothing evidently wrong with the connector. I will try an etherlink iii if I can find it. This 8bit card I notice has a wire soldered on with maybe a resistor, connecting two solder points across the card; neat job but I've not seen that sort of thing before, maybe it has been modified.

akula65 wrote:

Hmm this router seems severely limited in what settings you can see. There seems no way to set a list of valid MAC addresses even on so-called advanced settings. It's one supplied by the ISP when I changed to fibre-optic.

If you don't see your other wired devices listed, then you don't need to worry since they would have to be listed as well.

akula65 wrote:

This 8bit card I notice has a wire soldered on with maybe a resistor, connecting two solder points across the card; neat job but I've not seen that sort of thing before, maybe it has been modified.

If you look at the vintage-computer.com link I gave above, there is a photo of the component side of the card, and it seems it has just such a resistor about 1.5 inches/4 cm above the big 3COM chip.

ok thanks.

well, I found my etherlink iii and tried that. worked first time! that's with the new router.

I guess that confirms the problem is with the 8 bit card; i'll carry on trying different things though.

many thanks for your help, very much appreciated. 😀

Well. Seems I made a mistake! The 8 bit card is working after all.

As far as I can recall all I have done is press down on all the jumpers and the socketed chip.

Especially weird, as it still gives the "no network detected" error on bootup and the yellow LED still doesn't come on.

Anyhow, I can get an IP address and ping the router with either card installed now.

Thanks again.