3Com EISA 10/100BASE-T manual Introduction, Adapter Features, Single-slot, 32-bit half-card

1 INTRODUCTION

The 3Com® Fast EtherLink® Parallel Tasking® 10/100BASE-T EISA adapter (3C597-TX) is a 32-bit adapter for use in personal computers with an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) computer bus.

In this guide the adapter is referred to as the Fast EtherLink EISA adapter. It operates whether or not bus mastering is enabled.

This adapter is a dual-speed adapter connected to an Ethernet network with a single RJ-45 connector over unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable. The adapter automatically senses the speed of the hub to which it is connected and switches to either 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps.

■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-TX Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps), it switches to a network speed of 100 Mbps.

Adapter Features

The Fast EtherLink EISA adapter provides the following features:

■Parallel Tasking architecture with bus mastering for high throughput and low processor utilization

■Automatic sensing of 10 or 100 Mbps network operation

■Automatic adapter recognition for computers running the Windows® 95 network operating system

■Single-slot, 32-bit half-card