To the List:

I recently upgraded a customer's Lantastic network using Longshine and
ShineNet Ethernet NICs Model 8634 Revision C, they are ISA Cards, 16 bit about
1992 vintage.
The cards have i/o base memory settings available with an 8 position dip
switch, by using the first five switch settings to select i/o base memory at
from 300H (default) through 3E0H (8 addresses available) .  There is a socket
for a boot rom (none present) which is addressed by the last 3 switch
settings, for a base address memory from from C800H (default) to DE00H (12
addresses available).  Next is a jumper block to activate the boot rom if you
have it, so that the workstation can be diskless and boot into a presumably
Novell network.  The IRQ is handled by a set of jumpers and allows IRQ's 3, 4,
5, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 15.

I realize these are pre Windows 3.11 and way pre Win 95, but my brainstorm was
to set the i/o to 300H and the IRQ to 10, leaving the rom at C800H (empty rom
socket) but address still set.  Then I would stick it into a Win 95 box and
use it for a network.

The only problem when I put it into a 200 MHz Pentium motherboard, the video
failed to light up and there was a steady three beeps (the bios is AMIbios,
vintage 1995, 32 MB of ram).  A no name sort of generic motherboard I think,
the computer is an "Inteva" purchased by mail order by the customer.  The HD
cycled, the FDD cycled, but I couldn't tell whether it would boot or not.

Previously to putting the NIC in, I checked the resources available in Device
Manager, and all three addresses were available.

Afterward, I put in a generic NE 2000 NIC, ISA, software configurable,
jumperless (clone "Myson"), set it up to same i/o address and irq, there is no
adapter rom address, the card has a spot for a rom but ignores any settings.
This card worked just fine.  Plugs into my home network just fine, transfers
files just fine.

I have the second kind of NIC in my 486 (jumperless ISA) and a third kind (PCI
jumperless) NIC in a 200 MH MMX Pentium, generic type el cheapo motherboard
with VX chipset.

I realize there is a slight age difference in these cards, oh yes, thin
ethernet is being used not twisterd pair, no hub.

Am I missing something here, or is it the Pentium touch?  Anyone have any luck
trying to recycle old NIC's into new boxes?

Robert B. Hemming
Win 95 Networker
and System Builder