[vortex] 3cr 990

[Bogdan Costescu]

On Sat, 7 Apr 2001, Rune Linding wrote:

> is where any work being done to port the driver for linux kernel-2.4.x ?
> and if yes..a approx release date?

Well, from what I gather from 3Com's web pages (can someone point to the
documentation location, if it still exists ? ), this card uses the same
ASIC for the low level operations as the older FastEtherlink cards and
adds the processor used for encryption. So, for normal operation, you
don't need a special driver, but you don't get more from this card that
you would get from a much cheaper 3C905C (which is a bit more than 100 DM
in Germany).

The "advanced" facilities seem only to be available for Win2k. For a Linux
driver to use them, 3Com has to either:
- write their own driver (or pay somebody to do it) or
- release documentation and somebody having the card, enough time and
knowledge do it. But integrating the on-board encryption facilities into
the IP stack is not trivial...

Sincerely

Bogdan Costescu

IWR - Interdisziplinaeres Zentrum fuer Wissenschaftliches Rechnen
Universitaet Heidelberg, INF 368, D-69120 Heidelberg, GERMANY
Telephone: +49 6221 54 8869, Telefax: +49 6221 54 8868
E-mail: Bogdan.Costescu@IWR.Uni-Heidelberg.De