ISA network card?

Boomyal · Sep 20, 2006

Why do you suppose my PII w/ win2k would not recognize an ISA network card? When I plug the connector into it it's little lites lite up. But nothing shows up in device manager. I just pulled a PCI network card and it showed on Device Mgr before I pulled it.

I've gone thru add/remove hardware and nothing happens. I had swapped a PCI network card for a PCI Firewire card, then added the ISA network card. I thought maybe there was a irq conflict so I pulled the Firewire card and still no go on the network card.

Also before I pulled the PCI Firewire card back out I was getting a warning "new CPU installed, go to bios to set speed" message on boot up????

Oh, I thought this was all PNP, but as Xcusme has said I guess that means Plug and Pray.

Drrockter · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Which OS are you running? You are dealing with some old technology there.

Boomyal · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Drrockter said:
Which OS are you running? You are dealing with some old technology there.

Windows 2000, Drrockter. Yeah the technology is getting a bit long in the tooth but this old 400 mz Pentium II won't die. I use it for my work computer.

The slots are a bit full up, that is why I thought there might have been a conflict. But I pulled one of the cards back out leaving the same number that I started with when everything was working.

Here is the order of my changes.

Pulled PCI Firewire, installed PCI USB 2.0 card. everthing worked.

Pulled the PCI network card, reinstalled the PCI Firewire card and all worked except for the 'need to set new CPU speed' message on boot. If you F1'd past it, everything worked when windows loaded.

Then re-installed a network card, but this time an ISA card and this is what windows does not see at all even though it's little led's light up when you plug in the network lead.

nothreat · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

I am not completely sure, but I suspect PNP may not work for a card that old. You actually have to install drivers for the ISA card. I know I did when I installed a ISA audio card a couple years back on a Windows 2000 machine. The little lite you see only indicates that something is plugged into the slot, not necessarily that it recognizes the card or is communicating. Do you have any cds (or probably floppys on this card) that might contain drivers? PNP sometimes means plug in and play around till it works.

Boomyal · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

nothreat said:
I am not completely sure, but I suspect PNP may not work for a card that old. You actually have to install drivers for the ISA card. I know I did when I installed a ISA audio card a couple years back on a Windows 2000 machine. The little lite you see only indicates that something is plugged into the slot, not necessarily that it recognizes the card or is communicating. Do you have any cds (or probably floppys on this card) that might contain drivers? PNP sometimes means plug in and play around till it works.

Don't have any floppies or cds for this card nothreat. Don't know whether I ever did. I've had this card in one of my machines or the other at one time. When I pull them out I put them in Baggies and mark what they are.

I'll pull the card and see if I can get a brand on it. I could always download a driver on my XP machine and transfer it via floppy. But still it seems the system should see something that it does not know what to do with.

Now that I have the PCI Firewire card back out, I'll reinstall the PCI network card and see what happens.

Scoop · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Hey boomyal. You will need drivers with an ISA card. PnP does not work with ISA cards. You will have to look at the IRQs that Win2K is assigning to the PCI cards and make sure you are not using those on your ISA card.

The lights you get from plugging in the network cable are just letting you know it is getting a signal from your hub or switch.

I am sure you know this, but you are plugging it into an ISA slot, not a PCI slot correct?

The last thing is that there are very cheap PCI network cards out there. You may be spending more time trying to get this to work than you are saving in money. That is unless you don't have a PCI slot open.

Drrockter · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Some like the challenge. 8)

W2000 won't recognize that card I don't believe. You can try Driverguide and see if there is a driver there, however I think if you do find one it's quite possible that the version will be for W95 or W98

Boomyal · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Scoop said:
That is unless you don't have a PCI slot open.

That's the issue Scoop. I needed the PCI slot, formerly housing the PCI Network card for something else. I had the ISA network card so I thought that would be good. I just reinstalled the PCI network card and Device Manager once again shows a network adaptor.

Soooooooooo, its back to the drawing board to get my Firewire PCI card back into operation.

Drrockter · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Are you running a wireless network at all? There are wireless USB's available.

My mom's system doesn't have a network card so I found a cheap Netgear adapter that does the job and plugs into the USB port. If you use that it may free up a slot.

Drrockter · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Are you running a wireless network at all? There are wireless USB's available.

My mom's system doesn't have a network card so I found a cheap Netgear adapter that does the job and plugs into the USB port. She uses it for her broadband connection. The RJ cord plugs right into it. If you use that it may free up a slot.

Paul Moir · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

What does it say on the ethernet card? Realtek (8019 on the Big Chip perhaps?), NE2000?, 3com somethingerather? Intel Etherexpress?

Should be easy enough to make it work, but windows is going to want drivers. Any unknown devices in the Device Manager?

PnP (Plug N Pray) is only for ISA, but we're splitting hairs there.

Plainsman · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

If you look at the ISA network card, you should see a name on one of the chips. Google that and see if you can find the driver.

What do you need to PCI slot for?

Xcusme · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Best bet is to dump the ISA Nic, reinstall the PCI USB 2.0 card, grab a USB Ethernet dongle, and be done with it....

Just be very careful of that old ethernet card. If you release the ether, you could pass out, fall down and break something....

Boomyal · Sep 20, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

No wireless Drrocter, all painfully run wire. I have the itchies to prove it.

Paul, no unknown devices in Device Mgr., There seems to be no recognition of the card. The ISA network card has various stickers on it including 'network address' number. I can find no brand name on it but there is a shunt grid for IRQ setting. It is set on I/O= soft configuration. It also lists IRQ's 10 and 3 each with several I/O variations as follows:
I/O 300 IRQ 10
I/O 280 IRQ 3

all with several variations of com and rom #'s

The big onboard chip says "SMC UltraChip with three rows of numbers.

EricKems, I need the PCI slot for the, take your pick, the IEEE 1394 FireWire PCI card. The other PCI slots are taken up with the USB 2.0 card, the Scuzzy card for the scanner that will not work on XP, the sound card and now the USB 2.0 card.

Drrockter · Sep 21, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

I would go with the dongle that xcusme recommended. That's what I was trying to explain in one of my other posts but the word escaped me.

Boomyal · Sep 21, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Drrockter said:
I would go with the dongle that xcusme recommended. That's what I was trying to explain in one of my other posts but the word escaped me.

ah, excuse me! You and Xcusme may play with dongles if you so desire but leave me out!

ok, I give up. what is a dongle and how would it fit into my program (gulp) With everything else plugged into the mother board I am simply trying to add back my Firewire capability.(as well as keeping my USB2.0 and internet, via cable, connection) How will your dongle help me accomplish that?

...Speedy answers would be appreciated, my wife is getting tired of having all these cards and computer case parts scattered all over her living room.:%

...EDIT: ok, I think I even own a dongle.

It is attached to a PCMCIA ethernet card for an older lap top that I had. It has a connector to the card, on one end, and a R45 female on the other. Still don't see how one of these will allow me to connect the cable via my USB 2.0 card or otherwise? My PC certainly does not have a PCMCIA slot either.

Xcusme · Sep 21, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Ok, have a look here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833156133

There are many companies making these USB to Ethernet adaptors. They work best when plugged into a USB 2.0 port.

The adaptor that you already have allows an older laptop (with PCMCIA slot) to have an Ethernet port . Since your desktop machine doesn't have a PCMCIAport, you can't use that card/dongle combo. I have a couple 3M branded models that work like a charm.

ndemge · Sep 21, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

I have an SMC network card driver disk at home.... It's one of the disks they send with all the cards, has drivers for hundereds of cards on it, you just go to the folder for your model.

Will see what it's got if you want.

Paul Moir · Sep 21, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

I believe that all those cards were non-PnP ISA cards, set up with jumpers.

If that's the case I agree that Boomyal's best bet is to pick up a USB network adapter if he has a free USB port. His hardware skills seem very good to me, but setting up a non-PnP ISA card in windows is a difficult task that requires a lot of specific knowlege about the system. Like which IRQs are free (or can be freed for the card), etc.

Boomyal · Sep 21, 2006

Re: ISA network card?

Paul said:
I believe that all those cards were non-PnP ISA cards, set up with jumpers.

If that's the case I agree that Boomyal's best bet is to pick up a USB network adapter if he has a free USB port. His hardware skills seem very good to me, but setting up a non-PnP ISA card in windows is a difficult task that requires a lot of specific knowlege about the system. Like which IRQs are free (or can be freed for the card), etc.

Yes Paul, this ISA card has a jumper on it. And you are right that I have limited ability to fiddle with IRQ's etc. One way would be to remove all other PCI cards, load the ISA card and let it grab whatever IRQ it wants (currently set on 'soft configuration) then reload the PCI cards and hope that no hard fast IRQ requirements are taken up by the ISA board. That is about the limit of my knowledge. I know that conflicts can be taxing.

I do not have another empty PCI slot. Therein lies my dilemma. Soooooooooooo, I stopped at Fry's and picked up a USB/ethernet Dongle. I'll get to hooking it up to see how it goes.

Xcusme, I got the exact one you posted the link for. It states that it is for USB 1.1 but my PCI USB card is 2.0. My motherboard had built in 1.1 but I wanted the 2.0. That is what started this whole chain reaction.

Thanks for everyones help. Just be sure, in the future, to keep your Dongles to yourselves.:devil:

ISA network card?

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