Topics
Modified on September 21, 2005

This software is provided at no charge. If you want to help to enhance this driver and to support more hardware you can make a donation using Paypal. Thank you.

Introduction

This driver handles the network adapters based on the 3Com 3c920 chipset because the ec9xx claims to manage this cards but the network doesn't work.
It is currently developed and tested on a Dell Inspiron 8200.
The most recent version from November 3, 2004 is available for x86 3c920-0.0.10-x86 and PowerPC 3c920-0.0.10-ppc processors.

Device support

PCI
The PCI identifiers of the supported devices are presented in the next table.

IdentifiersNameComment
10b7:90553Com EtherLink XL 10/100 PCI TX (3C905B-TX)
10b7:92003Com3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905-TX Compatible)Tested on a BeBox Dual 133 MHz, thank you Stefan
10b7:92013Com3C920B-EMB Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905-TX Compatible)
10b7:92103Com3C920B-EMB-WNM Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905-TX Compatible)Untested

Disclaimer

This driver is copyrighted © 2003, 2004 by Patrick Lafarguette. All Rights Reserved.
Some portions of code are copyrighted © by Be Incorporated.
No warranty.
Use at your own risk.

Installation

There is no need to install the add-on for using the driver with BONE.

PCI

  1. Remove the file named ec9xx from /boot/beos/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/bin to a backup place (x86 only).
  2. Open the driver folder. Drag the file 3c920 in the folder named drop driver here.
  3. Create a link in the folder /boot/home/config/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/net to the driver named /boot/home/config/add-ons/kernel/drivers/bin/3c920.
  4. Go to parent folder.
  5. Open the add-on folder. Drag the file 3c920 in the folder named drop add-on here.
  6. Reboot. After reboot, you will see a new device in the Network preferences panel.
  7. Setup your device and restart networking.

History

The different published versions of the driver are presented in the next table.

VersionDateDetails
0.0.1003/11/2004Add support for device 0x9055 (3C905B)
Correction of EEPROM access
Correction of station adress
Improved code
PowerPC support
0.0.903/09/2003Add support for devices 0x9201 and 0x9210
0.0.802/09/2003Fix a serious KDL bug (PANIC, spinlock, acquire_sem_etc)
Improved performance
0.0.728/08/2003Improved reception
Improved transmission
Improved interrupts handling
MWI PCI command enabled
Several bug fixs
0.0.615/08/2003Add broadcasted packets reception (DHCP)
Add promiscuous mode
Statistics disabled
0.0.512/08/2003First public release
Basic support
It works well on my computer at 100 Mbps, full duplex (good bye, horrible NE2000 compatible PCMCIA card)