Choices for Ethernet cards, firewall software

vsp · 10-16-2001, 11:59 AM

My countdown to Verizon DSL is down to about eight days. They installed a box within visual distance of my apartment not long ago, and I jumped at their current deal (flat $50 per month, no setup/termination fees, no contract length, free camera, free modem).

Two pieces of the puzzle remain:

* Any particular Ethernet cards out there I should pick up? (There are generic cards available for a pittance, but there may be things I don't know about those.)

* I'm running Windows 98SE and Norton Antivirus. Will Norton Personal Firewall be sufficient for my (simple) needs?

(I'm quite aware that firewall software is sort of like locking your car door and turning your car alarm on -- if a pro wants in, a pro will get in, but it may fend off the casual thug. If it'll help keep the average script kiddies from screwing with my computer and won't require a whole lot of tweaking, it's good enough for me.)

jeff. reeeeeeeeeally looking forward to 768k

leif · 10-16-2001, 02:10 PM

If you are running windows98, just about any card will probably work. You might want to get something linux-compatible, just in case you ever "see the light" and go that route.

As for firewalls; I don't have experience with any of the windows firewalls but I can tell you that a properly configured firewall cannot be defeated as eaisily as a pro can break into your car. With a good firewall setup and some common sense (ie don't open email attachments from strangers!!) you are pretty damn safe. Not to say that any system is totally secure, certainly pretty damn safe.

All the firewalls in the world won't account for common stupidity though. People, please - stop opening email viruses!

I think I get more virus-ridden junk mail than common spam now...

Undertoad · 10-16-2001, 03:32 PM

And to find Linux compatibility, or at least Red Hat compatibility, go here:

Red Hat hardware compatibility database

Most cards are compatible. I have had good luck with SMC products.

vsp · 10-16-2001, 04:03 PM

There's "seeing the light", and then there's having the cojones to actually WALK into the light and not just stand around saying "Gee, I wish I was in that light over there."

I have a Linux (Mandrake) dist at my old house that I've never had the nuts to try and install, as I'm sure I'll manage to fry Windows in the process. Windows is easy enough to fry in NORMAL circumstances...

tw · 10-16-2001, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vsp
Windows is easy enough to fry in NORMAL circumstances...

... which is why the only stable Windows is NT.

It is probably no longer relevant, but the ballpark for inferior hardware was - it must run on both obsolete Windows and NT Windows systems. Hardware that could not operate on both was often a kludge design. However since NT is now clearly the only future in Windows hardware, I suspect it is all but impossible to find kludge NICs that only operate on obsolete Windows 9x.

NICs once was advanced design. Now they have become a commodity.

jet_silver · 10-17-2001, 10:03 AM

Funny thing about NT: the tape backup / restore is -awesome-. It's downright easy to restore it.

As for NICs: the DEC Tulip-based designs are a winner for lots of OSs. SMC PCI EtherPower, Linksys 10/100, Netgear something-or-other. They're pretty cheap (on the order of USD 20) and I have never had or heard of a problem with any Linksys NIC. Under os/2 (in case you care) getting the correct driver loaded can be a PITA if you don't go get the recent disk from the IBM driver site.

10-17-2001, 11:25 AM

Here's my experience (as to Linux ethernet):

3Com cards - cool deal. Hugely supported. Find a model and give me the number - I'll check it for you and see if I can compile a kernel module.

Linksys - uses the tulip kernel module. The last time I set up a box with Linksys cards in it (I think in mid-1999), I had to hack up the driver to make it work. I hear it's better now. Read: I don't recommend Linksys cards, but I don't say they're junk either. Use at your own risk. I'll try and help if you can't get it working.

DEC Etherworks cards - no problem here. Always worked just fine for me (on Debian & Slackware boxes).

Realtek - 8139 chipset is supported. 8129 is not. Requires n2kpci module to be loaded first.

Your best bet is going with a simple 3Com card. They're more expensive, but they're good quality. And widely supported. A 3Com 905CX-TX (or comparable) is going to work on pretty much any operating system you can throw at it. You can buy these online for about $30. Do it.

Man I been neglecting the cellar lately. Busy at work... argh.

mbpark · 10-17-2001, 11:20 PM

Vsp,

This is the card to get.

It's got a Tulip-based chipset in it, which means that every Microsoft OS comes with proper drivers for it.

I've personally run that NIC on 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, NT4, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and some others I forget. Works like a charm every time.

I'm also getting a few in, and have a FA311TX I'll let go on the cheap that works with 98 and 2000 just fine

Mitch

vsp · 10-18-2001, 06:21 PM

Wonder of wonders -- Verizon actually installed the line AHEAD OF TIME.

I picked up a Linksys 10/100 card last night, installed the whole mess tonight, and I'm tooling along at warp speed right now. I installed Norton Personal Firewall, and the Shields Up! site returned a clean across-the-board report.

There goes the rest of MY week...

jeff. download download download

verbatim · 10-18-2001, 06:42 PM

dunno if this was posted, im too lazy to read it all.

the netgear fa311 nic is only supported in recent linux kernels. it is most definately NOT supported in red hat 6.2 and less, and mandrake 7.x.

just get anything for a firewall. i have some crazy bastille-firewall on teh router and zonealarm for windows. i do have a problem with zonealarm. my problem is that the new version displays some banner at boot, and you cant disable it.

people have recommended for me to install tripwire, but i never did it. im lazy, so shoot me. but do turn off services you dont need.

and if it is windows, dont use that dumb verizon dialer they have. you can easly use the dialup networking to bypass it, it does the same thing. pm me or email me for the workaround.

mbpark · 10-19-2001, 09:03 PM

The FA311 is evil.
The FA310TX Rev 2 is evil.

The FA310TX Rev 1 is the best-supported NIC I have ever seen. And Donald Becker (NASA) wrote the drivers.

I've even seen that chipset (DEC Tulip) show up in my Linksys Fast Ethernet PC Card.

The FA311 works good in the 2.4 kernel and Win2K. The FA310TXR1 works everywhere

.

That's why I just bought a case of 10 for under $60, including shipping, from eBay. eBay rocks.

Mitch

10-16-2001, 11:59 AM	#1
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	Choices for Ethernet cards, firewall software My countdown to Verizon DSL is down to about eight days. They installed a box within visual distance of my apartment not long ago, and I jumped at their current deal (flat $50 per month, no setup/termination fees, no contract length, free camera, free modem). Two pieces of the puzzle remain: * Any particular Ethernet cards out there I should pick up? (There are generic cards available for a pittance, but there may be things I don't know about those.) * I'm running Windows 98SE and Norton Antivirus. Will Norton Personal Firewall be sufficient for my (simple) needs? (I'm quite aware that firewall software is sort of like locking your car door and turning your car alarm on -- if a pro wants in, a pro will get in, but it may fend off the casual thug. If it'll help keep the average script kiddies from screwing with my computer and won't require a whole lot of tweaking, it's good enough for me.) jeff. reeeeeeeeeally looking forward to 768k

10-17-2001, 10:03 AM	#6
jet_silver wazmo medio Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: San Narciso, CA Posts: 53	NT and NICs Funny thing about NT: the tape backup / restore is -awesome-. It's downright easy to restore it. As for NICs: the DEC Tulip-based designs are a winner for lots of OSs. SMC PCI EtherPower, Linksys 10/100, Netgear something-or-other. They're pretty cheap (on the order of USD 20) and I have never had or heard of a problem with any Linksys NIC. Under os/2 (in case you care) getting the correct driver loaded can be a PITA if you don't go get the recent disk from the IBM driver site. __________________ "De lood van die Goevernement sal nou op julle smelt." -Thomas Pynchon

10-17-2001, 11:20 PM	#8
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Netgear FA310TX Rev 1 Vsp, This is the card to get. It's got a Tulip-based chipset in it, which means that every Microsoft OS comes with proper drivers for it. I've personally run that NIC on 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, NT4, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and some others I forget. Works like a charm every time. I'm also getting a few in, and have a FA311TX I'll let go on the cheap that works with 98 and 2000 just fine Mitch

10-18-2001, 06:21 PM	#9
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	WOOHOO! Wonder of wonders -- Verizon actually installed the line AHEAD OF TIME. I picked up a Linksys 10/100 card last night, installed the whole mess tonight, and I'm tooling along at warp speed right now. I installed Norton Personal Firewall, and the Shields Up! site returned a clean across-the-board report. There goes the rest of MY week... jeff. download download download

10-19-2001, 09:03 PM	#11
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	THe FA310TX, not FA311 The FA311 is evil. The FA310TX Rev 2 is evil. The FA310TX Rev 1 is the best-supported NIC I have ever seen. And Donald Becker (NASA) wrote the drivers. I've even seen that chipset (DEC Tulip) show up in my Linksys Fast Ethernet PC Card. The FA311 works good in the 2.4 kernel and Win2K. The FA310TXR1 works everywhere . That's why I just bought a case of 10 for under $60, including shipping, from eBay. eBay rocks. Mitch

10-16-2001, 02:10 PM	#2
leif Confounded Conjuror Join Date: May 2001 Location: N. California Posts: 33	If you are running windows98, just about any card will probably work. You might want to get something linux-compatible, just in case you ever "see the light" and go that route. As for firewalls; I don't have experience with any of the windows firewalls but I can tell you that a properly configured firewall cannot be defeated as eaisily as a pro can break into your car. With a good firewall setup and some common sense (ie don't open email attachments from strangers!!) you are pretty damn safe. Not to say that any system is totally secure, certainly pretty damn safe. All the firewalls in the world won't account for common stupidity though. People, please - stop opening email viruses! I think I get more virus-ridden junk mail than common spam now...

10-16-2001, 03:32 PM	#3
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	And to find Linux compatibility, or at least Red Hat compatibility, go here: Red Hat hardware compatibility database Most cards are compatible. I have had good luck with SMC products.

10-16-2001, 04:03 PM	#4
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	There's "seeing the light", and then there's having the cojones to actually WALK into the light and not just stand around saying "Gee, I wish I was in that light over there." I have a Linux (Mandrake) dist at my old house that I've never had the nuts to try and install, as I'm sure I'll manage to fry Windows in the process. Windows is easy enough to fry in NORMAL circumstances...

10-17-2001, 11:25 AM	#7
dave Guest Posts: n/a	Here's my experience (as to Linux ethernet): 3Com cards - cool deal. Hugely supported. Find a model and give me the number - I'll check it for you and see if I can compile a kernel module. Linksys - uses the tulip kernel module. The last time I set up a box with Linksys cards in it (I think in mid-1999), I had to hack up the driver to make it work. I hear it's better now. Read: I don't recommend Linksys cards, but I don't say they're junk either. Use at your own risk. I'll try and help if you can't get it working. DEC Etherworks cards - no problem here. Always worked just fine for me (on Debian & Slackware boxes). Realtek - 8139 chipset is supported. 8129 is not. Requires n2kpci module to be loaded first. Your best bet is going with a simple 3Com card. They're more expensive, but they're good quality. And widely supported. A 3Com 905CX-TX (or comparable) is going to work on pretty much any operating system you can throw at it. You can buy these online for about $30. Do it. Man I been neglecting the cellar lately. Busy at work... argh.

10-18-2001, 06:42 PM	#10
verbatim Vice-President of Resentment Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Pennsultucky Posts: 199	dunno if this was posted, im too lazy to read it all. the netgear fa311 nic is only supported in recent linux kernels. it is most definately NOT supported in red hat 6.2 and less, and mandrake 7.x. just get anything for a firewall. i have some crazy bastille-firewall on teh router and zonealarm for windows. i do have a problem with zonealarm. my problem is that the new version displays some banner at boot, and you cant disable it. people have recommended for me to install tripwire, but i never did it. im lazy, so shoot me. but do turn off services you dont need. and if it is windows, dont use that dumb verizon dialer they have. you can easly use the dialup networking to bypass it, it does the same thing. pm me or email me for the workaround.

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