Which NIC?

tharris · Post by **tharris** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 9:40 am

I have 2 W2k pro computers networked thru a Linksys Befsr41 using static IPs and NetBios for file sharing. I have cable internet service. I got an Acer 486 75mhz computer from a friend and put Windows NT 4 on it. I want to add it to the network. I have 2 NICs I can use. One that has connections for coaxal and RJ45 (I don't have drivers for it) and the other is a new Belkin NIC 10/100BT I got on sale. Which NIC would you use and why? And how slow would it be surfing the net with this computer? Anything else you can add would be greatly appreciated. I am just experimenting and learning about networks. Linux is next.

Thank you

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 12:25 pm

Well, don't worry about the speed of the NIC, your old ISA 10Base Combo card will not be the bottleneck of your performance....your broadband connection is most likely 1.5 down...perhaps 2 or 3 at best.....well below what the NIC itself is capable of dealing with.

I'd probably still use the ISA card, because it that computer couldn't utilize a PCI based NIC too well, and it would depend on what your ISA NIC was..brand/quality wise, but I'd bet it's more hardware controller based than the Belkin PCI NIC. The Belkin would probably be a bit more CPU intensive...something you don't want to do on that 486.

Get NT 4 Service Pack 6.0a downloaded or burnt to a CD....often when juggling around network properties on NT 4....on a reboot you'd get several services failing to start in the event viewer..usually some networking components such as workstation and server service. Quickest fix was to service pack it...something you could do over and over with NT 4.

And todays websites will bog down that computer quite a bit...it won't be a ball of fire on the internet.

How much RAM will that motherboard take? Probably 16 megs......your patience will be taxed.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 2:23 pm

All the more reason not to run NT on it. NT is too bloated and too resource hungry for an old 486.

I would recomend that you install FreeDOS on it. FreeDOS has several GUI's for it, the most popular one is SEAL.

You can also network FreeDOS and use it in a Microsoft Network.

If FreeDOS isn't what you want, go with a lightweight linux distro like Debian or Slackware, not RedHAT or Mandrake, that would be worse then installing NT on it.

Stef

objohn · Post by **objohn** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 6:43 pm

I agree - NT4 runs like a dog on a 486 - we have running on some old Apricot LS Pro II machines at work with 32MB ram and a 486 dx100 CPU - it's painfully slow.

FREEDOS is a good suggestion

tharris · Post by **tharris** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:29 am

Thanks guys

I will try FreeDOS and THEN I will try what I really want to play with - LINUX. As I said before this is a learning experience and I feel like a kid in a candy store. LOL I am older and didn't get to play with puters as a kid so now I am doing it with my son. WE have some experience with Mandrake and Redhat using the command line mostly. So how hard would slackware be to setup and network with our others computers? Again, anything you guys can add will be appreciated.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 12:45 pm

Well, if you know how to stop and stop services, edit configuration files, and configure a network device from the command line SlackWare would be easy.

You can also install X with a lightweight windowmanager (blackbox, enlightenment, WIndowMaker). I've done that on a 486-66, ran fine, just don't expect a hell of a lot out of a full blown GNOME or KDE desktop.

You got to remember that the installation is text based, so it might be better to read the installation manual beforehand.

Save yourself a lot of trouble and find out if your NIC's are Linux compatible, and which kernel module that they're know to work under!!!

http://www.scyld.com/network/

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Ethernet-HOWTO.html

Stef

tharris · Post by **tharris** » Tue Mar 11, 2003 9:49 am

Thanks again for all your help. I am about to dive in and have fun. It's good to know if I get in trouble you guys are here. I really enjoy this site!!! I can't tell you how much I have learned.

Take Care

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Mar 11, 2003 10:13 am

Originally posted by objohn
I agree - NT4 runs like a dog on a 486 - we have running on some old Apricot LS Pro II

Whoa....haven't seen Apricot rigs in oodles of years. I remember some had pretty funky looking desktop units...rather slim profiles for their time!

objohn · Post by **objohn** » Tue Mar 11, 2003 4:55 pm

They're strange old machines all right!! The slimline ones were the LS Pro and the larger ones the LS Pro II.

Got a stock of them waiting for disposal if you want some for sentimental reasons!!!!!!!!

OJ