EP(4) | Device Drivers Manual | EP(4)

# NAME

`ep` — 3Com EtherLink III and Fast EtherLink III 10/100 Ethernet device

# SYNOPSIS

`ep* at eisa?`
`ep* at isa?`
`ep* at pci?`
`ep* at pcmcia?`
`ep* at isapnp?`
`tqphy* at mii?`

# DESCRIPTION

The `ep` device driver supports the 3Com EtherLink III and Fast EtherLink III family of Ethernet cards. This includes, among others, the following models:

3C509
  EtherLink III ISA
3C509B
  EtherLink III ISA (Plug-and-Play)
3C556
  EtherLink III LAN+Modem PC Card (PCMCIA)
3C562
  EtherLink III LAN+33.6K Modem PC Card (PCMCIA)
3C574
  Fast EtherLink III 10/100 LAN PC Card (PCMCIA)
3C579
  EtherLink III EISA
3C589
  EtherLink III LAN PC Card (PCMCIA)
3C590
  Fast EtherLink III PCI
3C592
  EtherLink III EISA Bus Master
3C595
  Fast EtherLink III PCI 10/100
3C597
  Fast EtherLink III EISA 10/100

Category 3, 4 or 5 unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable should be used for RJ-45 (10baseT), thick Ethernet coaxial (RG59 B/U, 50 ohm) for AUI/DIX, and thin Ethernet coaxial (RG58 A/U or C/U, 50 ohm +/- 4) for BNC (10base2). Some 3Com NICs also support MII connectors (switchable 10/100Mbps UTP).

The following media types and options (as given to ifconfig(8)) are supported:

`media` autoselect
  Enable autoselection of media type and options.
`media` 100baseTX `mediaopt` full-duplex
  Set 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) operation and force full-duplex mode.
`media` 100baseTX `mediaopt` half-duplex
  Set 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) operation and force half-duplex mode.
`media` 10baseT `mediaopt` full-duplex
  Set 10baseT (UTP) operation and force full-duplex mode.
`media` 10baseT `mediaopt` half-duplex
  Set 10baseT (UTP) operation and force half-duplex mode.
`media` 10base5
  Set 10base5 (thick-net) operation (half-duplex only).
`media` 10base2
  Set 10base2 (thin-net) operation (half-duplex only).

Note that the 100baseTX media type is only available if supported by the adapter. For more information on configuring this device, see ifconfig(8). To view a list of media types and options supported by your card try “ifconfig <device> media”. For example, “ifconfig ep0 media”.

If more than one of the supported cards is installed, they are probed for in the following order:

1. PCI cards based on PCI function number order.
2. EISA cards based on EISA slot number order.
3. ISA cards based on increasing Ethernet address order.
4. Any ISA cards in Plug-and-Play mode, in Plug-and-Play order.

You may specify the port and IRQ numbers where the cards are expected to be found, but it is not necessary. The cards are intelligent enough to let us know where they live on the bus.

# DIAGNOSTICS

ep0: reset (status: %x)
  The driver has encountered a FIFO underrun or overrun. The driver will reset the card and the packet will be lost. This is not fatal.
ep0: eeprom failed to come ready
  The EEPROM failed to come ready. This probably means the card is wedged.
ep0: erase pencil mark, or disable PnP mode!
  This means that someone has scribbled with pencil in the test area on the card. Erase the pencil mark and reboot. (This is not a joke).

# SEE ALSO

eisa(4), ifmedia(4), intro(4), isa(4), isapnp(4), pci(4), pcmcia(4), tqphy(4), hostname.if(5), ifconfig(8)

August 14, 2013 | Debian