1 INTRODUCTION
The 3Com® Fast EtherLink® Parallel Tasking® 10/100BASE-T4 PCI adapter is a 32-bit adapter for use in a personal computer with a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) computer bus. It operates whether or not bus mastering is enabled.
This adapter (model number 3C595-T4) is a dual-speed adapter that can be connected to an Ethernet or Fast Ethernet network with a single connection over unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable. The adapter supports all UTP cable types, including Category 3, 4, and 5 UTP as well as screened Category 5 UTP. For 10BASE-T operation, the 10/100BASE-T4 adapter requires two pairs of Category 3, 4, or 5 UTP. For 100BASE-T4 operation, the 10/100BASE-T4 requires four pairs of Category 3, 4, or 5 UTP.
The adapter automatically senses and switches to either
10 Mbps or 100 Mbps operation depending on the type of hub to which the adapter is connected, as follows:
■When the adapter is connected to a hub that supports 10BASE-T Ethernet (10 Mbps), it switches to a network speed of 10 Mbps.
■When the adapter is connected to a hub that supports 100BASE-T4 Fast Ethernet, it switches to a network speed of 100 Mbps.
The bus master drivers supplied with this adapter are compatible with the Fast EtherLink 10/100BASE-TX PCI and EISA adapters. The bus master drivers shipped on the 3C59X EtherDisk® diskette are compatible with the 3C59X family of adapters; they are not backward-compatible with the 3C5X9 family of EtherLink III adapters.
The computer’s PCI BIOS automatically configures the I/O port address and IRQ. All other required parameters are set to factory-default values.
