On Sat, 2002-01-12 at 10:33, Glenn McDavid wrote:
> I made a mistake a while back:  I bought a NIC simply because it said
> "Linux" on the box.  Of course, when I finally opened it up I saw the
> fine print--it is supposed Linux _compatible_, but not _supported_, and
> there was no information about how to use it under any form of Linux.
> Grrrr.... Anyway, the thing is a Siemens SpeedStream 1020, PCI 10/100
> Ethernet Adapter.  Does anybody have any ideas about how to set it up
> with Slackware 8?  A Google search turned up nothing.  Thanks.
> 
> A related question:  At the beer meeting I had a very informative and
> pleasant conversation wth Paul and the gentleman sitting next to him at
> the end of the table (sorry, I have forgotten your name).  The subject
> was using Linux with AT&T's cable modem service.  So now I have what feels
> like a stupid question:  What (in general) type of NIC) do I need to use
> a cable modem?  

Any kind will do, as I understand it.  Given how cheap NICs are, there's
no particular reason not to buy a new $16 10/100 one rather than a
discount .99 10mpbs one, but if you've already got the slow one around,
it's not going to be a problem.  The fastest throughput I've been able
to get out of my cable modem, under the best circumstances, is something
a bit better than a T1 -- but it would take six T1s to fill up a 10
megabit channel.  

The real reason to have a 10/100 card is for communicating with other
machines on the local network, and if you're not doing that, no need --
and if you've got an open slot, you can always add one later. 

Must I have a 10/100 PIC, or can I get by with an ISA 10
> (NE 2000 clone, 3Com, etc.).  I can arrange to have either a PCI or an
> ISA slot free, and I have a couple of the older NICs just sitting around.
> If I can use one of those with AT&T I won't worry so much about figuring
> out or replacing the Siemens.

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There's a widow in sleepy Chester
  Who weeps for her only son;
There's a grave on the Pabeng River,
  A grave that the Burmans shun,
And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri
  Who tells how the work was done.
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