3Com 3C900B-FL User manual

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- ETHERLINK® PCI
NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS
QUICK GUIDE
Introduction
This guide explains how to use EtherCD 5.x to install the
following 3Com® EtherLink® PCI network interface cards
(NICs) in a PC running Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98,
or Windows NT 4.0:
NIC Model Number(s)
EtherLink 10/100 PCI 3C905C-TX-M
For Complete PC Management
EtherLink 10/100 PCI 3C905B-TX
3C905B-TX-M
3C905B-TX-NM
3C905B-COMBO
EtherLink 100 PCI Fiber 3C905B-FX
EtherLink 10 PCI Fiber 3C900B-FL
EtherLink 10 PCI 3C900B-TPO
3C900B-COMBO
For other operating systems, or for more information
on the NICs, see the user guide located on the EtherCD.
If you are installing a 3C900 or 3C905 NIC in a Windows 98
i> PC, follow the instructions in the WIN98. TXT file located
in Help directory on the EtherCD. Do not follow the
instructions in this quick guide.
Part No. 09-1700-000
Published June 1999

Obtaining Installation Diskettes
If your PC does not have a CD-ROM drive, you can obtain
installation diskettes one of two ways:
m Access a PC that has a CD-ROM drive and create
driver installation diskettes from the EtherCD.
See the user guide on the EtherCD for instructions.
= Contact 3Com to order installation diskettes for
EtherCD version 5.1:
s ‘Toll-free number from the United States and Canada:
1-877-226-4604
s Toll number for international calls:
1-510-226-4604
Accessing Help
lf you experience problems installing or using the NIC,
access one of the following help resources:
a 3Com Knowledgebase:
http: //knowledgebase.3com.com
mw E&therLink PCI Network Interface Cards User Guide
(located on the EtherCD)
mw 3ComNIC Help system (installed with the
3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows)
mw Help text files (located in the HELP sini: on
the EtherCD)
installation Overview
2
3
4
There are four steps to the NIC installation:
Run the preinstallation program before installing the
NIC in the PC.
The preinstallation program prevents conflicts with the NIC
and your operating system. It guides you through the NIC
installation and must be run before you physically install
the NIC in the PC.
Install the NIC in the PC.
Connect the NIC to the network.
Install the network driver.

Running the Preinstallation Program 3 |
Installing Multiple NICs
If you are installing multiple EtherLink PCI NICs in a PC or
server, follow the instructions in “Installing Multiple NICs”
in the user guide. Do not follow the instructions in this
quick guide.
Upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98
If you are upgrading a PC from Windows 95 to Windows 98
that already has an EtherLink PCI NIC installed, follow the
instructions in the WIN98.TXT file located in the HELP
directory on the EtherCD.
Updating the Network Driver
If you already have an EtherLink PCI NIC installed and want
to update the network driver, use the Update NIC Driver
option on the EtherCD.
See the user guide on the EtherCD for instructions.
Running the Preinstallation Program
Before you physically install the NIC in a PC, run the
NIC preinstallation program to properly set up your
system environment.
To run the preinstallation program:
Do not install the NIC in the PC.
Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows.
Quit any open applications and disable the
automatic protection feature of any anti-virus
software that may be running.
4 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.
If the EtherCD Welcome screen does not appear, enter
the following command from the Run option of the
Windows Start menu:
d:\installs\setup.exe
where d:\ represents the letter name of your CD-ROM drive.
Click NIC Software.
Click NIC Drivers and Diagnostics.

| 4 ETHERLINK® PCI NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS QUICK GUIDE
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7 Click Install NIC Driver.
= To install the network driver and the 3Com NIC
Diagnostics program, click Install with Diagnostic Program.
a To install the network driver only, click
Install without Diagnostic Program.
Files are copied. A message box appears when the
installation is complete.
8 Click OK.
Select your operating system to continue
the installation.
The Completing NIC Installation screen appears.
10 Click Done.
11 Exit the EtherCD, and then shut down Windows.
12 Turn off the power to the PC.
Do not remove the EtherCD from the CD-ROM drive.
The next step is to install the NIC in the PC.
Installing the NIC in the PC
To install the NIC in the PC:
1 Make sure that you have run the preinstallation
program, as described in the previous section.
2 Remove all jewelry from your hands and wrists. Use
only insulated or nonconducting tools.
3 Turn off the power to the PC and unplug the
power cord.
Remove the cover from the PC.
5 Locate an empty, nonshared bus-mastering PCI slot
and remove its slot cover. Save the screw.
Do not install the NIC in a shared PCI slot. Avoid any
PCI slot next to an ISA slot. This is often a shared slot
and does not support bus mastering.

Installing the NIC in the PC 5
et te
If you are planning to install the Remote Wake-Up cable
choose an empty PCI slot that is close to the matching
Remote Wake-Up connector on the PC motherboard.
Remote Wake-Up is supported by the following NICs:
3C905C-TX-M
3C905B-TX
3C905B-TX-M
3C905B-COMBO
3C905B-FX
3C900B-FL
If you have a 3C905C-TX-M NIC and your PC is compliant
with PCI 2.2, Remote Wake-Up is automatically enabled
through the PCI bus. The Remote Wake-Up cable is
not required.
Carefully insert the NIC in the PCI slot.
Figure 1 Installing the NIC
1 Remove slot cover
i
7 2 Insert NIC
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PCI slots

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7 Secure the NIC with the screw you removed in step 5.
lf you want to connect the Remote Wake-Up cable, see
“Connecting the Remote Wake-Up Cable” in the user guide
to continue the installation. If you do not want to connect
the cable, continue with step 8.
8 Replace the PC cover and plug in the power cord.
Do not turn on the power to the PC.
The next step is to connect the NIC to the network.
Connecting the NIC to the Network
Port
RJ-45
AUl
BNC
SC
ST
Connect the appropriate network cable to the port on the
NIC, following the specifications in the table below.
Network Maximum
Environment Cable Required Cable Length
100 Mbps Category 5 unshielded 100 m (328 ft)
(100BASE-TX) __ twisted-pair
10 Mbps Category 3, 4, or 5 100 m (328 ft)
(10BASE-T) unshielded twisted-pair
10 Mbps 10BASES thick Ethernet 500 m (1,640 ft)
(10BASE5) coaxial (10 Mbps only)
10 Mbps 1OBASE2 thin Ethernet coaxial 185 m (607 ft)
(10BASE2) (10 Mbps only)
100 Mbps Long-wavelength fiber-optic Full-duplex: 2,000 m
(1OOBASE-FX) = (1300 nm): 50 p/125 u or (6,560 ft )
62.5 p/125 w multimode fiber Half-duplex: 412 m
(1,351 ft)
10 Mbps Short-wavelength fiber-optic Full-duplex: 2,000 m
(JOBASE-FL) = (850nm):50y/125por —- (6,560 ft)
62.5 w/125 » multimode fiber Half-duplex: 412 m
(1,351 ft)
For detailed instructions, see the user guide.
The next step is to install the network driver.

Installing the Network Driver
This section describes how to install the network driver on a
PC running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0.
For other operating systems, see the user guide on
the EtherCD.
Before installing the network driver:
=m Make sure that you have run the preinstallation program.
mw Make sure that the NIC is installed in the PC and
that it is connected to the network.
=» Make sure you have the Windows installation files
(Windows 95/98 only). These files may be on a CD or
they may have been copied to your hard drive when
Windows was installed on the PC.
Windows 95
To install the network driver:
1 Turn on the power to the PC.
Windows 95 detects the NIC. The Insert Disk dialog box
appears, prompting you to insert the EtherCD.
If the New Hardware Found screen appears or the
i> Update Device Driver Wizard starts, the NIC preinstallation
program was not run on the PC. Follow the instructions in
the W95NDIS.TXT file located in the Help directory on the
EtherCD to continue the installation.
2 Make sure that the EtherCD is inserted in the
CD-ROM drive.
3 Click OK.
The Copying Files dialog box appears.
4 Open the pull-down menu and select:
c:\windows\options\cabs
5 Click OK.
Files are copied.
w If this is the first time that networking is being installed
on your PC, the Identification tab of the Network screen
appears. Go to step 6.
a If networking has already been installed, you are
prompted for the Windows 95 CD. Go to step 7.

ETHERLINK® PC] NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS QUICK GUIDE
6 In the specified fields of the Identification tab screen,
enter the following information, and then click OK:
s Computer Name—tdentities the PC on the network
for other users. This entry must be a unique name of
15 characters or fewer, containing no spaces.
a Workgroup—ldentifies the group (for example, your
department name) to which your PC belongs. If your PC
is connected to a peer-to-peer network, this entry must
be exactly the same for all the PCs in your network.
=» Computer Description—Displays additional details to
other users on the network about this PC. For example,
you could specity that the PC has a printer attached.
Filling in this field is optional.
7 Remove the EtherCD from the CD-ROM drive, insert the
Windows 95 CD, and then click OK.
Files are copied. You are prompted to restart the PC.
8 Remove the Windows 95 CD, and then click Yes to
restart the PC.
You must restart the PC to complete the installation.
The installation is complete. Go to “Veritying Successful
Installation” later in this guide to contirm that the NIC is
properly installed.
_ After Windows restarts, double-click the Network icon
fe — in the Windows Control Panel and make sure that
the correct configuration settings are selected for your
network environment. Contact your system administrator
for assistance.
Windows 98
To install the network driver:
1 Turn on the power to the PC.
Windows 98 detects the NIC. The Insert Disk dialog box
appears, prompting you to insert the EtherCD.
__ If the Add New Hardware Wizard starts, the NIC
preinstallation program was not run on the PC. Follow
the instructions in the WIN98. TXT file located in the
Help directory on the EtherCD to continue the installation.
2 Make sure that the EtherCD is inserted in the
CD-ROM drive.

3 Click OK.
The Insert Disk dialog box appears.
4 Open the pull-down menu and select:
c: \windows\options\cabs
5 Click OK.
Files are copied.
if you are prompted for the EtherCD, click OK, make sure
that the drive letter of the CD-ROM drive (for example, d.)
appears in the dialog box, and then click OK.
You are prompted for the Windows 98 CD.
6 Remove the EtherCD, insert the Windows 98 CD,
and then click OK.
Files are copied. You are prompted to restart the PC.
7 Remove the Windows 98 CD, and then click Yes to
restart the PC.
i> You must restart the PC to complete the installation.
The installation is complete. Go to the next section,
"Verifying Successful Installation,” to confirm that the
NIC is properly installed.
After Windows restarts, double-click the Network icon
> in the Windows Control Panel and make sure that
the correct configuration settings are selected for your
network environment. Contact your system administrator
for assistance.
Windows NT 4.0
To install the network driver:
Turn on the power to the PC.
2 Double-click the My Computer icon, then the
Control Panel icon, and then the Network icon.
The Network window appears.
3 Click the Adapters tab.
If networking has not been installed on your PC before,
Windows NT asks you if you want to install networking.
Click Yes. See the WINNT.TXT file located on the EtherCD
or your Windows NT documentation for instructions.

10 ETHERLINK® PC] NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS QUICK GUIDE
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4 Click Add.
The Select Network Adapter dialog box appears.
5 Click Have Disk.
The Insert Disk dialog box appears.
Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.
Make sure that the letter name of your CD-ROM drive
(for example, d:\) appears in the entry box, and then
click OK.
The Select OEM Option dialog box appears.
8 Make sure that the 3Com EtherLink PCI NIC is
selected, and then click OK.
The Adapters tab of the Network screen appears.
9 Click Close.
a If the Microsoft TCP/IP Properties screen appears,
enter the requested information for your network
environment. Refer to your system administrator or
the Windows NT documentation for assistance.
ws |f the Microsoft TCP/IP Properties screen does not
appear, the installation is complete.
10 Click Yes to restart the PC.
The network driver installation is complete. Go to the next
section, “Verifying Successful Installation,” to confirm that
the NIC is properly installed.
Verifying Successful Installation
Follow the steps for your operating system.
Windows 95 and Windows 98
To verify successful NIC installation:
1 Open the Windows Start menu, select Settings, and
then select Control Panel.
2 Double-click the System icon, and then select the
Device Manager tab.
3 Double-click Network adapters and make sure that
the name of the 3Com EtherLink NIC appears.
If a red X or a yellow exclamation point (!) appears next
to the name of the NIC, the installation was not successful.
See the next section for troubleshooting help.