3Com Network Card 3C990B TX M User Manual

User Guide  
10/100 PCI Network Interface Card  
with 3XP Processor  
3C990B-TX-M  
3C990BSVR  
10/100 Mbps PCI Client/Server  
Network Interface Cards  
http://www.3com.com  
htt;://www.3com.com/productreg  
09-1742-002  
Published July 2001  
 
Contents  
 
Contents  
 
Contents  
Removing 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server Features 89  
 
About This Guide  
®
This guide describes how to install, configure, and troubleshoot the following 3Com  
10/100 PCI network interface cards (NICs):  
NIC/Description  
Model Number  
3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC  
with 3XP processor  
3C990B-TX-M  
Client NIC for 3DES (168-bit) and  
DES (56-bit) encryption  
3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI Server NIC  
with 3XP processor  
3C990BSVR  
Server NIC for 3DES (168-bit) and  
DES (56-bit) encryption  
This guide is intended for those who install and configure Ethernet NICs. Some familiarity  
with Ethernet networks and NICs is assumed.  
NOTE: If release notes are shipped with your product and the information there differs  
from the information in this guide, follow the instructions in the release notes.  
Most user guides and release notes are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader Portable  
Document Format (PDF) on the 3Com World Wide Web site:  
You can download Acrobat Reader from the EtherCD or from the Adobe Systems  
Incorporated Web site:  
Conventions  
The following tables list conventions that are used throughout this guide.  
Icon  
Notice Type  
Information That  
Information note  
Describes important features  
or instructions  
Caution  
Warning  
Alerts you to potential loss of data or  
potential damage to an application,  
system, or device  
Alerts you to potential personal injury  
1
 
   
About This Guide  
Convention  
Description  
Screen displays  
Commands  
This typeface represents information as it appears on the screen.  
The word “command” means that you must enter the command exactly as  
shown and then press Return or Enter. Commands appear in bold.  
Example:  
To launch the DOS diagnostics program, enter the following command:  
a: install  
The words “enter”  
and “type”  
When you see the word “enter” in this guide, you must type something,  
and then press Return or Enter. Do not press Return or Enter when an  
instruction simply says “type.”  
Words in italics  
Italics are used to:  
I
I
I
Emphasize a point.  
Denote a new term at the place where it is defined in the text.  
Identify menu names, menu commands, and software button names.  
Examples:  
From the Help menu, select Contents.  
Click OK.  
2
 
 
Introduction  
1
®
This chapter describes the following 3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI network interface card  
(NIC) models from the 3C990B NIC family.  
Product Name/Description  
Model Number  
3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC  
with 3XP processor  
3C990B-TX-M  
Client NIC for 3DES (168-bit) and  
DES (56-bit) encryption  
3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI Server NIC  
with 3XP processor  
3C990BSVR  
Server NIC for 3DES (168-bit) and  
DES (56-bit) encryption  
NOTE: Information in this user guide refers to both client and server 3C990B NIC  
models unless specifically indicated.  
The 3C990B NIC connects your PCI-compliant PC to a 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps Ethernet  
network. It provides advanced features for high performance and secure transactions.  
High performance is achieved through an onboard RISC processor; secure transactions are  
achieved through data encryption.  
Onboard 3XP Processor  
The 3C990B NIC represents a new generation of secure, intelligent client NICs with an  
onboard RISC processor (3XP processor). The 3XP processor is designed to optimize  
system and network performance. The NIC off-loads key networking and security tasks  
from the host PC CPU (central processing unit) to the 3XP processor, even when running  
bandwidth-intensive applications such as voice, video, imaging, and Internet and intranet  
applications.  
Data Encryption  
The 3C990B NIC provides Data Encryption Standard (DES) 56-bit encryption and 3DES  
(3DES 168-bit) encryption. Encryption processing is handled entirely by the 3XP processor  
on the NIC.  
The 3XP processor enables true end-to-end network security (IPSec) at the data capacity of  
the connected network cable (wire speed), without sacrificing performance.  
The 3C990B NIC is shipped with encryption disabled. Once you have installed the NIC,  
you can upgrade it to the appropriate level of encryption acceleration (DES or 3DES)  
through the Security Software Utility provided on the 3Com EtherCD. See “Installing and  
3
 
       
1
Introduction  
High Encryption Pack for Windows 2000  
Microsoft Windows 2000 features a built-in VPN client. The Windows 2000 High  
Encryption Pack allows you to enhance your system with the highest available encryption  
level (168-bit). You can download the High Encryption Pack from the following Microsoft  
World Wide Web site:  
encryption/default.asp  
NOTE: The Windows 2000 High Encryption Pack is eligible for export from the  
U.S. to all customers worldwide, except to U.S. embargoed destinations. Please  
see http://www.microsoft.com/exporting/for details. Other countries  
may exercise separate jurisdiction over the import, export, or use of encryption  
products. Users who download this product should observe any local regulations  
that may apply to the distribution or use of encryption products.  
3C990B Client and Server NIC Features  
The 3C990B NIC and accompanying software provide features that relieve network  
congestion and ensure high performance and maximum bandwidth availability.  
Remote Wake-Up  
(RWU) connector  
Remote Wake-Up  
(RWU) connector  
3XP Processor  
YEL/100  
GRN/10  
YEL/100  
GRN/10  
AC  
T
AC  
T
3C990BSVR  
3C990B-TX-M  
The 3C990B NIC provides these features for supported IP and IPX environments:  
I Support for Windows 2000 Offload Features — Off loading of key TCP/IP networking  
and security tasks from the Windows 2000 operating system.  
I Remote Wake-Up — Lets you power on a computer remotely for after-hours  
administration.  
capabilities by enabling the computer to boot from a network server, rather than from its  
local drive. MBA is compliant with the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) specification.  
4
 
         
3C990B Client and Server NIC Features  
computers to report details about themselves and their peripheral devices across the  
network to a DMI 2.0-compliant management application.  
I Remote System Alerts (heartbeat packets) — Can signal a possible computer power  
loss or theft.  
I Remote Control — Lets you troubleshoot and resolve system issues across the network.  
I Keep-Alive — Prevents the computer workstation address from being aged-out of  
switch router tables.  
I Hot Plug NIC Installation — Lets you add a new NIC or remove and replace a NIC  
without turning off power to the computer.  
I Flow Control Features — prevents the loss of packets by keeping the input buffers of a  
device from overflowing.  
I Offline Diagnostics — Provides offline diagnostics programs for configuring, testing,  
and troubleshooting NICs.  
Improved network performance, management, and control.  
Windows 2000 Offload Features  
The 3C990B NIC supports Windows 2000 offload features in an IP environment. The  
Windows 2000 offload features are designed to enhance the Windows 2000 operating  
system capabilities by off-loading key TCP/IP networking and security tasks from the  
Windows 2000 operating system:  
I IPSec Offload — reduces CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor and a crypto  
chip on the NIC to perform data encryption operations. (For more information, see  
NOTE: The 3C990B NIC is shipped with the IPSec offload capability disabled. To  
I TCP Segmentation Offload — reduces CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor  
on the NIC to perform segmentation of TCP packets.  
NOTE: Windows 2000 does not allow IPSec offloads and TCP Segmentation  
offloads for the same session. Though all offload types may be enabled, TCP  
Segmentation offloading will not occur during an IPSec session.  
I IP and TCP Checksum Offload — reduced CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor  
on the NIC to perform the checksum calculation of TCP/IP and UDP/IP packets.  
I 802.1P Packet Priority Offload — reduces CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor  
on the NIC to perform the insertion of the 802.1Q tag header into the packet.  
For more information on enabling and disabling offloads for Windows 2000, see “Using  
Remote Wake-Up  
Remote Wake-Up provides the ability to remotely power-on a network computer for after-  
hours administration. When the PC is in sleep mode and receives a wake-up packet  
(Magic Packet frame) through the LAN, the NIC turns on the power to the PC. Remote  
Wake-Up also requires using a desktop management application that is able to generate a  
Magic Packet Remote Wake-Up signal.  
5
 
                                 
1
Introduction  
If the computer complies with PCI 2.2, Remote Wake-Up is automatically enabled through  
the PCI bus. If the computer complies with PCI 2.1, Remote Wake-Up support is enabled  
by connecting a Remote Wake-Up cable from the NICs Remote Wake-Up (RWU)  
connector to a 3-pin Remote Wake-Up connector on the computer motherboard.  
NOTE: The NIC provides a network connection with or without the Remote Wake-Up  
cable installed.  
Remote Wake-Up Requirements  
The following conditions are required to use Remote Wake-Up:  
I Management application that supports Remote Wake-Up  
I BIOS that supports Remote Wake-Up  
I PCI 2.2-compliant bus or a 3-pin Remote Wake-Up connector on the computer  
motherboard and a 5-volt standby power supply unit rated at a minimum of  
375 milliamperes  
If you are unsure whether your computer meets the requirements listed above, refer to the  
computer documentation or consult the computer manufacturer.  
Remote Wake-Up and Multiple NIC Installations  
To use multiple NICs as Remote Wake-Up NICs in the same computer, the computer must  
have a power supply that can support multiple Remote Wake-Up devices.  
Refer to your computer documentation if you are unsure whether your computer power  
supply can accommodate more than one Remote Wake-Up device.  
Integrated Boot ROM with Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)  
The Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) software adds management capabilities to the NIC  
by enabling the computer to boot from a network server, rather than from the computers  
local drive. MBA is compliant with the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) specification.  
This preboot support allows you to use management applications to perform various tasks  
remotely. For example, you can:  
I Install and configure a new computer that has never been connected to the network.  
I Upgrade software.  
I Configure or reconfigure multiple systems simultaneously.  
I Scan for viruses.  
I Backup hard drives and perform disaster recovery tasks.  
For information on configuring the MBA to boot from the network, see “Configuring the  
For detailed information on the MBA, refer to the Managed PC Boot Agent User Guide,  
located with the MBA software on the 3Com EtherCD.  
Desktop Management Interface (DMI) 2.0  
Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is a network management standard that is widely  
accepted for managing Intel-based computers.  
DMI 2.0 enables managed computers and net computers to report details about  
themselves and their peripheral devices across the network to a DMI 2.0-compliant  
management application.  
6
 
                   
3C990B Client and Server NIC Features  
The 3Com DMI Agent allows any DMI management application to access information  
such as:  
I NIC driver location, version, and size  
I Packets-sent statistics  
I Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) receive errors  
A network administrator can then use this type of information to remotely configure and  
manage a client or server computer.  
The 3Com DMI Agent consists of a DMI browser with the following components:  
I DMI service layer  
I DMI agent  
I GUI installer  
I NDIS drivers  
For detailed information about the 3Com DMI Agent, refer to the 3Com DMI Agent User  
Guide included with the DMI software on the EtherCD. For information about installing  
the 3Com DMI Agent and downloading the 3Com DMI Agent User Guide, see  
Remote System Alerts  
You can configure the 3C990B NIC to transmit a number of different packet alerts to the  
management server to notify the network administrator that there is a system issue that  
requires attention. These alerts support the Alert Standard Forum (ASF) specification and  
provide system monitoring in the OS-absent environment. The alerting capability is  
present whether the system is powered off, booting up, in sleep mode, or the OS has  
hung. There are many different alert types, including those that relate to:  
I Physical security — chassis intrusion, heartbeat, loss of connection  
I Environmental conditions — fan speed, temperature, voltage deviations  
I BIOS issues — ROM initialization, system memory  
Remote Control  
The 3C990B NIC can also receive commands via Remote Control and Management Protocol  
(RMCP). This feature is also specified in the ASF specification and lets network administrators  
troubleshoot and resolve system issues across the network. Commands include:  
I Power on  
I Power off  
I Reboot  
I Reboot from an alternative device (for example: MBA, CD-ROM, and so forth)  
Both monitoring alerts and sending commands are available in the system console  
through the 3Com Remote System Alert Manager. This management plug-in is available  
for HP OpenView Network Node Manager, Microsoft Systems Management Server, and  
Intel LANDesk Client Manager.  
Keep-Alive  
The 3C990B NIC can also transmit a workgroup keep-alive packet periodically while the  
computer is in a sleep state. This packet prevents the computer workstation address from  
being aged-out of switch router tables.  
7
 
                                                 
1
Introduction  
Hot Plug NIC Installation  
If your computer supports PCI hot plug specifications, you can add a new 3Com NIC or  
remove and replace a 3Com NIC without turning off power to the computer. Hot plug  
NIC installation allows you to expand connections without taking the computer out of  
service. It makes troubleshooting faster and easier because you do not need to wait for  
the computer to reboot.  
For instructions on performing a hot plug NIC installation, refer to your computer  
documentation.  
Flow Control Features  
The 3C990B NICs use flow control technology to throttle the incoming data packet stream  
and prevent the loss of packets. IEEE 803.2x flow control prevents the input buffers of a  
device from overflowing. By using pause frames to communicate buffer status between  
linked transmitting and receiving devices (transmitters and receivers). A receiver sends a  
pause frame to tell a transmitter to stop the transmission of data frames for a specified  
period, allowing the receivers input port buffers to empty before receiving new packets.  
Pause Frames  
When a transmitter receives pause frames, it suspends transmission for the specified  
period. When the receivers input buffers can store packets again, it can either send  
another pause frame to tell the transmitter to resume transmission, or wait for  
transmission to resume at the end of the specified period.  
With asymmetric flow control, only one of two linked devices can receive pause frames.  
With symmetric flow control, both linked devices can send and receive pause frames.  
Link Negotiation  
Related to flow control is the auto negotiation capability, in which linked devices advertise  
their flow control capabilities and automatically select the best common mode of  
communication.  
Rare cases (for example, linking to a device that does not support auto-negotiation) may  
require that auto-negotiation be disabled on a port, thereby enabling forced link on that  
port. When forced link is enabled, linked devices must have matching flow control  
capabilities. For example, a port that is set for forced link and reception flow control can  
connect successfully only with a port that is set for forced link and transmission flow control.  
Offline Diagnostics  
The NIC software includes offline diagnostics programs for configuring, testing, and  
troubleshooting NICs. The configuration program within the DOS diagnostics program is used  
for a PC running DOS or NetWare. The 3Com NIC diagnostics program (3Com NIC Doctor) is a  
Windows-based program used for a PC running Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows  
Millennium Edition (Windows Me), Windows 98, or Windows 95.  
8
 
                               
3C990BSVR Server NIC Features  
3C990BSVR Server NIC Features  
The 3C990BSVR NIC and accompanying software provide a variety of features that relieve  
network congestion and ensure high performance and maximum bandwidth availability.  
NOTE: Advanced server features are available for the 3C990BSVR server NIC only.  
They are not available for the 3C990B-TX-M client NIC. Only system administrators  
should configure these features.  
3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server Features  
3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server software adds intelligence to the NIC to improve  
network performance, management, and control. Advanced server features relieve network  
congestion and ensure high performance and maximum bandwidth availability.  
I Load Balancing groups share the network load over resilient server links (RSLs) that  
keep traffic flowing even if a NIC in a group is temporarily disconnected.  
I Self-Healing Drivers (SHDs) detect common error conditions and correct them while  
maintaining server link performance.  
I Failover fault tolerance provides a backup solution in the event of a NIC failure.  
logical partitions that simplify configuration changes, organize work groups  
efficiently, help to control traffic, and provide extra security.  
I Traffic Prioritization (IEEE 802.1p/Q) ensures that business-critical and delay-sensitive  
traffic (such as multimedia applications) has priority over normal data.  
Load Balancing  
Load balancing maximizes bandwidth at the server through the use of multiple parallel  
resilient server links (RSLs) that share the network load as shown in the next figure.  
An RSL consists of two or more NICs that form a virtual NIC. Each virtual NIC has multiple  
physical NICs bound to it, forming a group. Each NIC in a group uses the same protocols  
and frame types. One NIC is designated the primary NIC and the others secondary NICs.  
Transmit-only  
Bidirectional  
Server  
Secondaries  
Secondaries  
Primary  
Primary  
®
®
Switch  
Clients  
Self-Healing Drivers  
Self-healing drivers (SHDs) are automatically installed with the NIC software, and work  
together with RSLs to maintain the network connection. An SHD monitors the NIC  
continuously for error conditions and makes corrections. These corrections can include  
resetting the NIC, rebuilding software data structures, temporarily disabling features, or  
transferring all network traffic to secondary NICs (termed a failover event). An SHD can  
also continuously monitor the status of the physical NICs in a virtual NIC group before and  
after failover. Errors and actions are reported to the system console and to the system log  
file. Error threshold values can be configured at any time.  
9
 
                                   
1
Introduction  
Failover  
In addition to load balancing, RSLs provide failover fault tolerance between a server and a  
switch—if one NIC in a group fails, the others assume the network load of the failed NIC.  
The failover behavior of secondary NICs depends on how you set load balancing:  
I In a transmit load balancing arrangement, the primary NIC is the only one that  
receives packets. If the primary NIC fails, a secondary NIC assumes the configuration  
profile, network traffic, and active status of the failed primary NIC.  
I In a bidirectional load balancing arrangement, all NICs receive packets. If any NIC fails,  
receive load balancing is disabled, and the other NICs continue transmit-only load  
balancing activity. Receive load balancing is restored when new connections are  
established with clients.  
If the primary NIC fails, a secondary NIC takes over packet reception for the group.  
Bidirectional load balancing is restored after a failure when applications create new  
connections and new clients log in as illustrated in the following figure.  
Bidirectional  
load balancing  
Primary failure  
Secondary failure  
Server  
Secondaries  
Secondaries  
Secondaries  
Primary  
Primary  
Primary  
®
®
®
Switch  
Clients  
®
VLANs  
A virtual LAN (VLAN) is a group of location-independent and topology-independent  
devices that communicate as if they were on the same physical LAN. Network devices on  
different LAN segments and of different media types can be members of the same VLAN.  
Membership in a VLAN is determined by a VLAN tag that is transmitted with the Ethernet  
frame for use by a switch.  
With VLANs, you can define a network according to:  
I Organizational groups—For example, you can have one VLAN for the Marketing  
department and one for the Finance department.  
I Application groups—For example, you can have one VLAN for e-mail users and one  
for multimedia users.  
Implementing VLANs on a network has these advantages:  
I It eases the change and movement of devices on IP networks.  
With traditional IP networks, if users move to a different IP subnet, the IP addresses of  
each workstation must be updated manually. With VLANs installed, if an end station  
on VLAN 1 is moved to a port elsewhere on the network, you need only to specify  
that the new port is on VLAN 1.  
10  
 
             
3C990BSVR Server NIC Features  
I It helps to control traffic.  
With traditional networks, congestion can be caused by broadcast traffic that is  
directed to all network devices whether they require it or not. Each VLAN can be set  
up to contain only those devices that need to communicate with each other,  
increasing network efficiency.  
I It provides extra security.  
Devices within each VLAN can communicate only with member devices in the same  
VLAN. If a device in VLAN 1 needs to communicate with devices in VLAN 2, the traffic  
must cross a router.  
The 3C990B NIC multiple VLAN capability supports IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging and works  
with any switch that complies with IEEE 802.1Q specifications. Refer to your Ethernet  
switch documentation for more information on IEEE 802.1Q VLANs.  
Traffic Prioritization  
Traffic prioritization (IEEE 802.1p/Q) ensures that business-critical and delay-sensitive  
traffic (such as multimedia applications) has priority over normal data.  
Server Features Using Other NICs  
Up to two foreign NICs (those that are not 3Com server NICs) are allowed in one group  
per server. For guidelines on using foreign NICs, see these topics:  
11  
 
       
 
Installing and  
2
Connecting the NIC  
This chapter describes how to install the NIC in your PC and connect it to an Ethernet or Fast  
Ethernet network.  
Before starting the installation procedure, you can gain some familiarity with the directory  
structure and various files on the EtherCD supplied with the 3C990B NIC by reading  
Installation Overview  
Installing the NIC involves your carrying out the following tasks:  
I Registering the product  
I Installing the NIC in the PC  
I Connecting the NIC to the network  
I Installing the network driver  
I Enabling data encryption offloads (the 3C990B NIC is shipped with encryption  
offloading disabled)  
Safety Precautions  
Observe the following safety precautions.  
WARNING: Computers operate with voltages that can be lethal. Before  
removing the cover, turn off the computer and unplug it. Disconnect all cables  
that are connected to the main system unit. Remove jewelry from your hands  
and wrists. Use insulated or nonconductive tools.  
CAUTION: The NIC is packed in an antistatic container to protect it during  
shipment. Do not touch the components or any metal parts on the NIC, except  
for the backplate. To avoid damaging the NIC or the computer, reduce static  
electricity on your body by wearing an electrostatic discharge wrist strap  
attached to the chassis or by touching an unpainted metal part of the chassis  
before unplugging the computer and before handling the NIC.  
CAUTION: Install the NIC in a PCI slot that conforms to PCI 2.1 or higher  
specifications. Do not attempt to install the NIC in an ISA or EISA slot. Doing so  
may damage the NIC and the computer.  
WARNING: Make sure that the computer power cord is unplugged. Only  
properly trained and authorized personnel should perform service. Contact the  
computer manufacturer for information about safe service techniques.  
13  
 
             
2
Installing and Connecting the NIC  
Installation Requirements  
The following items are required for hardware and software installation.  
I Network Interface Card (NIC)—At least one 3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI 3C990B NIC  
(included)  
I Processor:  
I
Server: Intel-based CPU (Pentium-class processor)  
Client: 80486 or Pentium-class processor  
I
I RAM:  
I
Server: 128 MB minimum; 256 MB recommended  
Client: 32 MB RAM recommended for running 3Com Advanced Server Technology  
I
I PCI slot—For each NIC, one bus master slot that conforms to PCI 32-bit  
specifications, revision 2.1 or higher  
I Drive—CD-ROM  
I Cable—Category 5 UTP (included) with RJ-45 connectors for Fast Ethernet  
(100 Mbps) connectivity. Category 3, 4, or 5 UTP with RJ-45 connectors for Ethernet  
I Software—One 3Com EtherCD with 3Com Advanced Server software and network  
drivers (included)  
I Operating system—One of the following:  
I
I
I
I
Microsoft Windows 2000  
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 6a  
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me  
Novell NetWare server version 3.12, 4.11, or 5.x with the most recent patches and  
updates available from Novell technical support (www.novell.com)  
NOTE: You can install the NIC base network driver on any Windows PC without  
having to also install a specific Microsoft Service Pack; however, 3Com  
recommends that you always try to use the most recent Service Pack available  
from Microsoft technical support (www.microsoft.com).  
Running 3Com 3Com Advanced Server software on Windows NT 4.0 requires  
Service Pack 6 or greater from Microsoft.  
I Computer BIOS—Latest version. Contact the computer manufacturer to verify.  
Installing Multiple NICs  
If you are installing multiple 3Com 10/100 PCI NICs in one computer running Windows,  
3Com 10/100 PCI NICs in one computer running NetWare, follow the instructions in  
Upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98  
If you are upgrading a computer from Windows 95 to Windows 98, and the computer  
already has a 3Com 10/100 PCI NIC installed, follow the instructions in the WIN98.TXT file  
located in the HELP directory on the EtherCD.  
14  
 
                   
Installing From Diskette  
Upgrading Windows 98 to Windows Me  
If you are upgrading a computer from Windows 98 to Windows Me, and the computer  
already has a 3Com 10/100 PCI NIC installed, follow the instructions in the WINME.TXT  
file located in the HELP directory on the EtherCD.  
Updating the Network Driver and NIC Software  
If you already have a 3Com 10/100 PCI NIC installed and want to update the network driver,  
Installing From Diskette  
If your computer does not have a CD-ROM drive, use a PC that has a CD-ROM drive and  
create installation diskettes from the EtherCD.  
NOTE: The installation diskettes allow you to install the network driver and DOS  
Diagnostics software only. If you want to install the Windows NIC Diagnostics  
program or desktop management software, you must install them from  
the EtherCD.  
Making a DOS-Bootable Diskette  
For installation and configuration procedures that require you to boot from DOS, you  
cannot successfully use the MS-DOS prompt from within Windows. Perform a “clean”  
boot from DOS or use a DOS boot diskette.  
NOTE: If the PC or server is only running DOS and a CD-ROM drive is not installed,  
you must install the NIC software using installation diskettes. For more information  
To make a DOS-bootable diskette:  
1 Insert a blank, formatted diskette in drive A.  
2 At the DOS prompt, enter:  
sys a:  
System files are copied to the diskette.  
3 Remove the diskette from drive A and attach a label for future reference.  
Creating Installation Diskettes  
If you anticipate having to install the driver for the 3C990B NIC without having access to a  
CD-ROM drive, you can create a set of installation diskettes beforehand using a computer  
that does have a CD-ROM drive. To start, you will need three blank, formatted floppy  
diskettes. To create installation diskettes from the EtherCD:  
1 Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows.  
2 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
3 Click NIC Software.  
4 Click Installation Utilities.  
5 Click Create Installation Diskettes.  
The EtherCD Diskette Creation Utility Welcome screen appears.  
6 Click Next.  
15  
 
                     
2
Installing and Connecting the NIC  
7 Insert a blank, formatted diskette labeled Disk 1 in the PC, and then click Next.  
Files are copied. Disk 1 contains the installation files and driver files for  
Windows 2000, Windows NT, and Windows 95/98.  
8 Remove the disk and insert the disk labeled Disk 2 when prompted, and then  
click OK.  
Files are copied. Disk 2 contains the diagnostic and firmware images.  
9 Remove the disk and insert the disk labeled Disk 3 when prompted, and then  
click OK.  
Files are copied. Disk 3 contains the NetWare drivers.  
NOTE: For detailed information about the content of the installation diskettes,  
refer to the ROADMAP.TXT file contained on Disk 2.  
Product Registration  
The United States government places registration requirements on using data encryption  
products. To obtain customer support for the 3C990B NIC, you are required to  
electronically register your NIC product with 3Com.  
In addition to enabling customer support for your NIC, registration also entitles you to  
receive upgrade information and advance feature information.  
NOTE: To be able to register electronically, a Web browser must be installed on your  
system. You must also have an active Internet service provider (ISP) connection.  
NOTE: The original version of Windows 95 (Build 950) does not automatically  
allow you to change your default browser, even if Microsoft Internet Explorer is  
not present. If you are running this version of Windows 95 on your PC, access the  
following site to register your 3C990B NIC:  
To register electronically:  
1 Insert the EtherCD (that shipped with this product) in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
If the Welcome screen does not appear, see “EtherCD Content and Navigation” on  
2 Click Register Product, and then Register Online.  
3 Follow the prompts as they appear.  
Preparing the NIC and the Computer  
preparation steps:  
1 Decide whether you want to use Remote Wake-Up.  
If you want to use the Remote Wake-Up feature on a computer that complies with PCI  
automatically enabled through the PCI bus and no Remote Wake-Up cable is required.  
16  
 
   
Preparing the NIC and the Computer  
2 Make sure that cable requirements are met.  
The RJ-45 port provides a 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps connection automatically, depending  
on the speed of the connected hub or switch.  
The following table shows the cable requirements and maximum network cable  
lengths for the RJ-45 port.  
Network  
Environment  
Maximum  
Cable Length  
Cable Required  
10 Mbps  
(10BASE-T)  
Category 3, 4, or 5  
unshielded twisted-pair  
100 m (328 ft)  
100 m (328 ft)  
100 Mbps  
(100BASE-TX)  
Category 5 unshielded  
twisted-pair  
3 Unpack and inspect the NIC for damage.  
4 Exit all open applications and user processes.  
5 Turn off the power to the computer and attached devices.  
6 Unplug the power cables from the power source.  
7 Remove the computer cover.  
8 Locate an empty, nonshared bus-mastering PCI slot and remove its slot cover. Save  
the screw, if there is one.  
Do not install the NIC in a shared PCI slot. Avoid any PCI slot next to an ISA slot. This  
slot is often shared and does not support bus mastering.  
If you do not know how to identify a PCI slot, check the computer documentation or  
ask the system administrator.  
If you are planning to install the Remote Wake-Up cable, choose an empty PCI slot  
that is close to the Remote Wake-Up connector on the computer motherboard. The  
Remote Wake-Up cable is only required if the computer complies with PCI 2.1 and  
you want to use the Remote Wake-Up. The cable is not required if the computer  
complies with PCI 2.2.  
9 Write down the MAC address of the NIC and note the relative position of the  
intended PCI slot.  
The MAC address is the 12-digit hexadecimal number printed on the small bar code  
label on the component side of the NIC. This information is helpful when you are  
installing the network drivers and connecting the cables to the hub or switch.  
The next step is to install the NIC in the computer and connect it to the network.  
17  
 
             
2
Installing and Connecting the NIC  
Installing and Connecting the NIC  
The following instructions apply to installing the NIC in most computers. If these  
instructions are not appropriate for your computer, refer to the documentation that  
accompanied the computer.  
Remove slot cover  
Insert NIC  
PCI slots  
1 Carefully insert the NIC in the empty PCI slot, as shown in the illustration.  
Press firmly to ensure that the NIC is fully seated in the slot. Secure the NIC with the  
screw if you removed one earlier.  
NOTE: If you want to install the Remote Wake-Up cable, go to the next section,  
2 Replace the computer cover and plug in the power cord.  
Do not turn on the power to the computer.  
18  
 
     
Connecting the Remote Wake-Up Cable  
3 Plug the RJ-45 connector on the twisted-pair network cable into the RJ-45 port on the  
NIC backplate as shown in the figure.  
TUS  
A
ST  
T
AC  
4 Connect the other end of the network cable to an active network port.  
NOTE: If you are installing multiple 3Com 10/100 PCI NICs in one computer  
you are installing multiple 3Com 10/100 PCI NICs in one computer running  
NOTE: If your site network installation procedures require you to verify that  
installed hardware is functional before you install software, run the  
3C99XCFG.EXE DOS diagnostics program before installing the driver. This  
program is located on the 3Com EtherCD. For more information, see “Using the  
Connecting the Remote Wake-Up Cable  
This section describes how to connect the Remote Wake-Up cable from the NIC to the PC  
motherboard. Connecting the Remote Wake-Up cable is optional. Connect this cable only  
if your NIC supports Remote Wake-Up and you want to use this feature.  
WARNING: Make sure that the PC power cord is unplugged. Only properly  
trained and authorized personnel should perform service. Contact your PC  
manufacturer for information about safe service techniques.  
NOTE: If your PC is compliant with PCI 2.2, Remote Wake-Up is automatically enabled  
through the PCI bus. You do not need to connect the Remote Wake-Up cable.  
19  
 
     
2
Installing and Connecting the NIC  
To connect the Remote Wake-Up cable:  
1 Make sure that the NIC is properly installed in a PCI slot.  
2 Insert the Remote Wake-Up cable into the RWU connector on the NIC as shown in  
the next figure.  
Twist the cable twice before attaching the cable to the PC.  
3 Attach the other end of the cable to the connector on the PC motherboard.  
Refer to your PC documentation if you need help locating the connector.  
4 Replace the PC cover and plug in the power cord.  
Do not turn on the power to the PC. Continue at step 3 in “Installing and Connecting  
Installing Software  
See the following topics for requirements and instructions on installing software for  
various operating systems:  
The next step is to install the network driver.  
For a list of additional network drivers that are not included on the EtherCD (for example,  
SCO UnixWare 7, SCO OpenServer 5, Linux 2.2, Solaris) and instructions on how to install  
them, go to the 3Com Web site and search for “3C990B” and “drivers.”  
20  
 
   
Installing NIC Drivers and  
Diagnostics For Windows  
3
This chapter explains the following tasks on a computer running Windows 2000,  
Windows NT, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), Windows 98, or Windows 95:  
I Install the network driver and NIC software using EtherCD  
I Update the network driver or NIC diagnostics program  
I Install multiple NICs  
To obtain the latest version of a driver, go to:  
Search for “3C990B” and “drivers.” The network driver can be used in both Microsoft  
and NetWare network environments.  
NOTE: For instructions on using the installation diskettes (which can be created  
from the EtherCD) to install the network driver, see “Installing From Diskette” on  
page 15. For additional information, refer to the text file for your operating system  
in the HELP directory on the EtherCD.  
Software Installation Requirements  
If your site network installation procedures require you to verify that installed hardware is  
functional before you install software, you can verify that the installed NIC is functional or  
change its configuration settings by running the DOS diagnostics. Use the 3C99XCFG.EXE  
program located on the EtherCD. For more information, see “Using the 3Com DOS  
If you are installing the software during the installation of the network operating system,  
Getting Help  
To display the Help system during the software installation, click Help on any 3Com window.  
Installing the Network Driver Using the EtherCD  
To install the network driver using the EtherCD, follow the steps in the section that is  
specific to your Windows operating system.  
Before Installing the Network Driver  
Before installing the network driver, make sure that:  
I The NIC is installed in the PC and connected to the network. For instructions, see  
I All software installation requirements are met. See “Installation Requirements” on  
21  
 
                     
3
Installing NIC Drivers and Diagnostics For Windows  
I You have the Windows installation files (for Windows 95, 98, Me only). These files  
may be on a CD or diskettes, or they may have been copied to your hard drive when  
Windows was installed on your PC.  
NOTE: If you encounter problems during the installation, refer to the TROUBLE.TXT  
file (located in the HELP directory on the EtherCD) for troubleshooting tips.  
Windows 2000  
This section describes how to install the network driver and NIC software in a PC client or  
server running Windows 2000.  
NOTE: The 3C990B NIC supports Windows 2000 offload features in an IP  
Use the following procedure to install the driver for the first time in a computer that is  
running Windows 2000. (If you are updating a previous installation, see “Updating the  
Installing the Driver  
1 Turn on the power to the PC.  
2 Start Windows 2000 and log in to the Windows 2000 Administrator account.  
The Windows 2000 Found New Hardware Wizard starts. The wizard detects the new  
NIC(s) and begins the driver installation. The Welcome to the Found New Hardware  
Wizard screen appears.  
3 Click Next to continue.  
The Install Hardware Device Drivers screen appears.  
4 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
5 Select Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended), and then click Next.  
The Locate Driver Files screen appears.  
6 Select the CD-ROM drives option, clear any other checked options, and click Next.  
The Driver Files Search Results screen appears.  
Windows finds the driver on the EtherCD.  
7 Click Next to install the driver.  
The Hardware Install screen appears. Files are copied. Then the Completing the Found  
New Hardware Wizard screen appears, displaying the message “Windows has  
finished installing the software for this device.”  
8 Click Finish to close the wizard.  
If the System Settings Change dialog box appears, requesting that you restart your  
computer, click Yes to restart.  
The driver installation is complete for Windows 2000. Next, verify the driver installation to  
confirm that the NIC is properly installed.  
22  
 
     
Installing the Network Driver Using the EtherCD  
Verifying the Driver Installation  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.  
2 Select the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager in the middle panel.  
3 Double click Network Adapters and make sure that the name of the 3Com 10/100  
PCI NIC appears.  
If a red X or a yellow exclamation point (!) appears by the name of the NIC, the  
for troubleshooting help.  
Windows NT 4.0  
This section describes how to install the network driver and NIC software in a PC client or  
server running Windows NT 4.0  
CAUTION: Your computer must have the latest version of the Windows NT 4.0  
service pack installed before you can install the 3Com network driver. You can  
download the latest service pack from the Microsoft Web site.  
Installing the Driver  
1 Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows NT.  
2 Log in to the Windows NT Administrator account.  
3 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
4 Right-click the Network Neighborhood icon.  
5 Select Properties on the pop-up menu.  
The Network window appears.  
6 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. Refer to the WINNT.TXT file located on the EtherCD or  
your Windows NT documentation for instructions.  
7 Click Add.  
The Select Network Adapter dialog box appears.  
8 Click Have Disk.  
The Insert Disk dialog box appears.  
9 Make sure that the correct path to your CD-ROM drive appears in the entry box,  
for example:  
d:  
10 Click OK.  
The Select OEM Option screen appears, displaying two driver options:  
3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC with 3XP Processor  
3Com Server 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC with 3XP Processor  
11 If you have installed a client NIC (3C990B-TX-M), select:  
3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC with 3XP Processor  
If you have installed a server NIC (3C990BSVR), select:  
3Com Server 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC with 3XP Processor  
23  
 
       
3
Installing NIC Drivers and Diagnostics For Windows  
12 Click OK.  
Files are copied. The Network screen appears with the 3Com NIC name listed in the  
Network Adapters list box.  
13 Click Close.  
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. After entering the appropriate TCP/IP information and  
clicking OK, the Network Settings Change window appears.  
If the Microsoft TCP/IP Properties screen does not appear, the installation is complete.  
The Network Settings Change window appears.  
14 Click Yes to restart the PC.  
The network driver installation is complete. Next, verify the driver installation to  
confirm that the NIC is properly installed.  
Verifying the Driver Installation  
1 Double-click the My Computer icon.  
The My Computer screen appears.  
2 Double-click the Control Panel icon.  
The Control Panel screen appears.  
3 Double-click the Network icon.  
The Network screen appears.  
4 Select the Adapters tab.  
5 Make sure that the name of the NIC appears in the list of network adapters.  
If the name of the NIC does not appear in the list of network adapters, the installation  
troubleshooting help.  
6 Click OK to close the Network screen. Close the Control Panel screen and the My  
computer screen.  
You can also use the following alternative method to verify successful NIC installation:  
1 In the Windows task bar, click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and then  
Windows NT Diagnostics.  
The Windows NT Diagnostics screen appears.  
2 Select the Resources tab.  
I
If ELPPx appears in the displayed list in the Device column, the driver is successfully  
installed.  
I
If ELPPx does not appear in the displayed list in the Device column, the installation  
troubleshooting help.  
After you have verified that the driver has been installed properly, the next step is to install  
the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows operating systems (see “Installing the  
24  
 
 
Installing the Network Driver Using the EtherCD  
Windows Me  
This section describes how to install the network driver and NIC software in a PC client or  
server running Windows Me.  
Installing the Driver  
1 Turn the PC power on.  
Windows detects the NIC. The Add New Hardware Wizard starts and displays the  
following message:  
Windows has found the following new hardware:  
PCI Ethernet Controller  
Windows can automatically search for and install software  
that supports your hardware. If your hardware came with  
installation media, insert it now and click Next.  
The Add New Hardware Wizard screen also prompts you to select one of two options.  
What would you like to do?  
_ Automatic search for a better driver (Recommended)  
_ Specify the location of the driver (Advanced)  
2 Select the Automatic search for a better driver (Recommended) option.  
3 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive, and then click Next.  
Files are copied. Windows finds the driver file for the NIC and displays the following  
message:  
3Com 10/100 PCI NIC w/3XP (3C990B)  
Windows has finished installing the new hardware device.  
4 Click Finish.  
The Systems Settings Change screen appears, prompting you to restart your computer.  
5 Click Yes to restart your computer.  
NOTE: You must restart your computer to complete the installation.  
The software installation is complete. Next, verify the driver installation to confirm that the  
NIC is properly installed.  
Verifying the Driver Installation  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.  
2 Select the Device Manager tab.  
3 Double-click Network adapters and make sure that the name of the 3Com 10/100 PCI  
NIC appears.  
If a red X or a yellow exclamation point (!) appears by the name of the NIC, the  
for troubleshooting help.  
After you have verified that the driver has been installed properly, the next step is to install  
the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows operating systems (see the next section,  
25  
 
         
3
Installing NIC Drivers and Diagnostics For Windows  
Windows 98  
This section describes how to install the network driver and NIC software in a PC client or  
server running Windows 98.  
Installing the Driver  
1 Turn the PC power on.  
Windows detects the NIC. The Add New Hardware Wizard starts.  
2 Click Next.  
The Add New Hardware Wizard screen prompts you to select an option.  
3 Select the Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended) option, and then  
click Next.  
The Add New Hardware Wizard screen prompts you for the driver location.  
4 Select the CD-ROM drive option and clear any other check options that are selected.  
5 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive, and then click Next.  
Windows finds the driver file for the device.  
6 Click Next.  
Files are copied.  
The Insert Disk screen appears, prompting you for the Windows 98 CD.  
7 Click OK.  
The Copying Files dialog box appears.  
8 Remove the EtherCD from the CD-ROM drive, insert the Windows 98 CD, enter the  
path to the CD-ROM drive, and click OK.  
The Add New Hardware Wizard displays a message informing you that Windows has  
finished installing the software.  
9 Click Finish.  
The Systems Settings Change screen appears, prompting you to restart your computer.  
10 Click Yes to restart your computer.  
NOTE: You must restart your computer to complete the installation.  
The software installation is complete. Next, verify the driver installation to confirm that the  
NIC is properly installed.  
Verifying the Driver Installation  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.  
2 Select the Device Manager tab.  
3 Double-click Network adapters and make sure that the name of the 3Com 10/100 PCI  
NIC appears.  
If a red X or a yellow exclamation point (!) appears by the name of the NIC, the  
for troubleshooting help.  
After you have verified that the driver has been installed properly, the next step is to install  
the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows operating systems (see the next section,  
26  
 
         
Installing the Network Driver Using the EtherCD  
Windows 95  
This section describes how to install the network driver and NIC software in a PC client or  
server running Windows 95.  
CAUTION: Do not install a 3C990B NIC while installing Windows 95 OSR2 using  
the “Custom” option. Install Windows 95 OSR2 first, then install the 3C990B NIC.  
Before installing the NIC software:  
I Make sure that the NIC is installed in the PC and connected to the network.  
I Make sure that you have the Windows 95 installation files. These files may be on a  
CD or diskettes, or they may have been copied to your hard disk when Windows 95  
was installed on your PC.  
NOTE: If you encounter problems during the installation, refer to the W95NDIS.TXT  
and TROUBLE.TXT files (located in the HELP directory on the EtherCD) for  
troubleshooting tips.  
Installing the Driver  
To begin the driver installation, turn the PC power on. Windows detects the NIC and  
New Hardware Found If the New Hardware Found screen appears, follow this  
procedure to install the NIC driver:  
1 Select the Driver from disk provided by hardware manufacturer option, and then  
click OK.  
The Install From Disk screen appears.  
2 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive, enter the path to the CD-ROM drive, and  
click OK.  
I
If networking has already been installed on your PC, go to step 4.  
I
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 3.  
3 In the specified fields of the Identification tab screen, enter the following information,  
and then click Close.  
I
Computer Name—Identifies the PC on the network for other users. This entry must  
be a unique name of 15 characters or fewer, containing no spaces.  
I
Workgroup—Identifies the group (for example, your department name) to which  
your PC belongs. If your computer is connected to a peer-to-peer network, this  
entry must be exactly the same for all the PCs in your network.  
I
Computer Description—Displays additional details to other users on the network  
about this PC. For example, you could specify that the PC is connected to a printer.  
Filling in this field is optional.  
4 The Insert Disk screen appears, prompting you for the Windows 95 CD. Click OK.  
The Copying Files screen appears.  
27  
 
         
3
Installing NIC Drivers and Diagnostics For Windows  
5 Do one of the following:  
I
If the Windows 95 files were not copied to your hard drive, remove the EtherCD  
from the CD-ROM drive, insert the Windows 95 CD, enter the path to the CD-ROM  
drive, and then click OK.  
I
If the Windows 95 files were copied to your hard drive, enter the path to the  
directory containing these files, and then click OK.  
Files are copied. The Systems Settings Change screen appears, prompting you to  
restart your computer.  
6 Click Yes.  
NOTE: You must restart your computer to complete the installation.  
The software installation is complete. Next, verify the driver installation to confirm that the  
NOTE: After Windows restarts, double-click the Network icon in the Control Panel  
and make sure that the configuration settings are properly set for your network  
environment. Contact your system manager for assistance.  
Update Device Driver Wizard If the Update Device Driver Wizard starts, follow this  
procedure to install the NIC driver:  
1 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive, and then click Next.  
Windows finds the driver.  
2 Click Finish.  
I
If networking has already been installed on your PC, go to step 4.  
I
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 3.  
3 In the specified fields of the Identification tab screen, enter the following information,  
and then click Close.  
I
Computer Name—Identifies the PC on the network for other users. This entry  
must be a unique name of 15 characters or fewer, containing no spaces.  
I
Workgroup—Identifies the group (for example, your department name) to which  
your PC belongs. If your computer is connected to a peer-to-peer network, this  
entry must be exactly the same for all the PCs in your network.  
I
Computer Description—Displays additional details to other users on the network  
about this PC. For example, you could specify that the PC is connected to a printer.  
Filling in this field is optional.  
4 The Insert Disk screen appears, prompting you for the EtherCD. Click OK.  
The Copying Files screen appears.  
5 Enter the path to the CD-ROM drive, and then click OK.  
Files are copied. The Insert Disk screen appears, prompting you for the  
Windows 95 CD.  
6 Click OK.  
The Copying Files screen appears.  
28  
 
   
Installing the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program  
7 Do one of the following:  
I
If the Windows 95 files were not copied to your hard drive, remove the EtherCD  
from the CD-ROM drive, insert the Windows 95 CD, enter the path to the CD-ROM  
drive, and then click OK.  
I
If the Windows 95 files were copied to your hard drive, enter the path to the  
directory containing these files, and then click OK.  
Files are copied. The Systems Settings Change screen appears, prompting you to  
restart your computer.  
8 Click Yes.  
NOTE: After Windows restarts, double-click the Network icon in the Control Panel  
and make sure that the configuration settings are properly set for your network  
environment. Contact your system manager for assistance.  
The software installation is complete. Next, verify the driver installation to confirm that the  
NIC is properly installed.  
Verifying the Driver Installation  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.  
2 Select the Device Manager tab.  
3 Double-click Network adapters and make sure that the name of the 3Com 10/100 PCI  
NIC appears.  
If a red X or a yellow exclamation point (!) appears by the name of the NIC, the  
for troubleshooting help.  
After you have verified that the driver has been installed properly, the next step is to install  
the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows operating systems (see the next section,  
Installing the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program  
This section describes how to install the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program after you have  
already installed the network driver. This program is for PCs running Windows 2000,  
Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 98, 95, or Me.  
NOTE: If you manually install the network driver by selecting options on the  
EtherCD Welcome Screen, you have the option of installing the network driver  
with or without the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program. If you have already installed  
the network driver together with the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for  
Windows, you can ignore this section. You are ready to configure the NIC as  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics program allows you to run tests that determine the status of  
your network and the NIC. It also allows you to configure the NIC, view network statistics  
and LEDs, and access support databases.  
NOTE: When you install the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program, the network driver is  
automatically updated to the latest version on the EtherCD.  
29  
 
       
3
Installing NIC Drivers and Diagnostics For Windows  
To install the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program:  
1 Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows.  
2 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
NOTE: If the EtherCD Welcome screen does not appear, auto insert is probably not  
instructions.  
3 Click NIC Software.  
4 Click NIC Drivers and Diagnostics.  
5 Click Update NIC Driver.  
6 Click Update Drivers and Diagnostic Program.  
The Update screen appears, displaying a message indicating the 3Com NIC Update Kit  
has successfully updated the network software, and informing you that you must  
restart your PC.  
NOTE: If the Update screen does not appear automatically, click the Update  
button displayed at the bottom of the window.  
7 Click OK to return to the Update NIC drivers screen.  
8 Restart Windows if prompted to do so.  
The installation is complete. You are ready to configure the NIC as described in  
Starting the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program  
To start the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program:  
1 Open the Windows Start menu.  
2 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
3 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostic screen appears. For instructions on using the program, see  
Alternatively, you can also start the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program using the following  
procedure if the 3Com NIC Diagnostics icon is displayed on the right side of the Windows  
task bar:  
1 Double-click the 3Com NIC Diagnostics icon.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostic screen appears. For instructions on using the program, see  
30  
 
   
Updating the Network Driver and NIC Software  
Updating the Network Driver and NIC Software  
The latest 3Com network drivers can be downloaded from:  
Search for “3C990B” and “drivers.”  
To update the network driver and NIC diagnostic software:  
1 Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows.  
2 Insert the EtherCD (or disk 1 downloaded from the Web or created from the EtherCD)  
in the appropriate drive in the PC.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
3 Click NIC Software.  
4 Click NIC Drivers and Diagnostics.  
5 Click Update NIC Driver.  
6 To update the network driver and NIC diagnostics software, click Update Drivers and  
Diagnostics Program.  
To update the network driver and remove the NIC diagnostics software, click Update  
Drivers and remove Diagnostics Program.  
The Update screen appears, displaying a message indicating the 3Com NIC Update Kit  
has successfully updated the network software, and informing you that you must  
restart your PC.  
7 Click OK to return to the Update NIC drivers screen, and then exit the EtherCD.  
8 Restart Windows.  
The installation is complete.  
Installing Multiple NICs  
This section describes how to install multiple 3Com 10/100 PCI NICs in a computer  
running Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows 95, or Windows NT 4.0.  
NOTE: You must use these procedures to install multiple NICs. Failure to follow these  
procedures may lead to problems requiring you to reinstall your operating system.  
Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98, and Windows 95  
To install multiple NICs in a PC running Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98, or  
Windows 95, install and configure each NIC individually, following these steps:  
1 Install the first NIC in your PC and connect it to the network, as described in  
CAUTION: Do not physically install the second NIC in your PC until you  
complete the driver installation for the first NIC, following steps 1-6.  
2 Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows.  
3 Insert the EtherCD when prompted, and then click OK.  
4 Follow the prompts on the screen to install the network driver.  
5 After the network driver is installed, restart the PC.  
31  
 
             
3
Installing NIC Drivers and Diagnostics For Windows  
6 After the PC restarts, exit Windows and turn the power off. Make sure that the PC  
is unplugged.  
7 Install the second NIC in your PC and connect it to the network.  
8 Plug in the PC power cord, turn on the power, and then start Windows.  
Windows detects the second NIC. The second NIC uses the same network driver as  
the first NIC. You are not prompted for the EtherCD.  
When Windows starts, the second NIC appears under Network adapters in the  
Device Manager.  
Windows NT 4.0  
To install multiple NICs in a PC running Windows NT 4.0:  
1 Install the first NIC in your PC and connect it to the network as described earlier in  
this guide.  
2 Turn on the power to the PC and start Windows NT.  
3 Double-click the My Computer icon, then the Control Panel icon, and then the  
Network icon.  
The Network screen appears.  
4 Select the Adapters tab.  
5 Click Add.  
The Select Network Adapter screen appears.  
6 Click Have Disk.  
7 Insert the EtherCD.  
8 Make sure that d:\ appears in the entry box (where d:\ represents the letter name of  
the CD-ROM drive), and then click OK.  
The Select OEM Option screen appears with the name of one of the NICs selected.  
Only one NIC appears on this screen.  
9 Click OK.  
Files are copied. The Network screen appears with the name of the first installed NIC.  
10 Close the Network screen.  
If you are prompted for network information, enter the requested information.  
11 Turn off the PC and install the next NIC (if any).  
12 Restart the PC.  
NOTE: You will not be prompted for the EtherCD when you install the network  
driver for the second NIC.  
32  
 
         
Installing and Configuring  
Data Encryption Offloads  
4
The 3C990B NIC performs data encryption processing offloads in a Windows 2000  
environment. The 3C990B NIC does not encrypt the data itself: the operating system  
performs that function.  
Encryption processing is handled entirely by the 3XP processor on the NIC. The 3XP  
processor enables true end-to-end network security at the data capacity of the connected  
network cable, without sacrificing performance.  
The data encryption offload capability of the 3C990B NIC is disabled when you first  
unpack it. U.S. law requires that users be certified to use certain data encryption products.  
This chapter describes how to obtain the proper certification and enable encryption  
offloading on the 3C990B NIC by:  
I Downloading the 3Com 3C990 Security Software Utility from the 3Com Corporation  
World Wide Web site.  
I Running the Security Software Utility to install DES/3DES encryption on the  
3C990B NIC.  
This chapter also provides instructions for:  
I Upgrading Data Encryption on the 3C990B NIC from 56-bit DES to 168-bit 3DES.  
Overview  
Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) is a framework of open standards for ensuring secure  
private communications over IP networks. IPSec ensures confidentiality, integrity, access  
control, and authenticity of data communications across a public IP network.  
Offloading Encryption Processing  
You can configure any two (or more) computers running Windows 2000 to perform IPSec  
encryption by changing the Local Security Setting in the operating system. With most non-  
3C990B NICs, all the IPSec processing is done by the host central processing unit (CPU),  
which significantly diminishes CPU performance. The 3C990B NIC can offload all the  
encryption processing from the host CPU, thereby freeing the CPU to work on other tasks.  
For any two or more computers running non-Windows 2000 operating systems  
(Windows 95/98/Me/NT), IPSec encryption is provided by third-party applications. The  
3C990B NIC does not provide IPSec encryption offloading for those operating systems.  
33  
 
               
4
Installing and Configuring Data Encryption Offloads  
Selecting Basic or Strong Encryption Processing  
The 3C990B NIC provides Data Encryption Standard (DES) 56-bit encryption processing  
and 3DES (3DES 168-bit) encryption processing. You can configure the 3C990B NIC to  
process data packets encrypted with either DES (basic) or 3DES (strong) algorithms.  
DES and 3DES are IPSec bulk encryption algorithms for coding data. DES encrypts 64-bit  
data blocks using a 56-bit key. DES can be applied in several modes. 3DES (Triple DES)  
achieves a higher level of security by encrypting the data three times using DES with three  
different, unrelated keys. 3DES is also known as 168-bit data encryption.  
Enabling Data Encryption  
To enable data encryption for the 3C990B NIC, follow the procedure outlined in the  
Overview  
The basic tasks involved in enabling data encryption for the 3C990B NIC are as follows:  
1 Access the 3Com Corporation World Wide Web site.  
2 Select DES or 3DES encryption.  
3 Provide data about yourself and your location (as required by law).  
4 Download the 3Com Security Software Utility from the 3Com Web site to your computer.  
5 Run the 3Com Security Software Utility. The utility detects the 3C990B NIC(s) installed  
in your computer.  
6 Follow the displayed prompts to enable data encryption, and restart the computer.  
Each of the steps listed above is covered in more detail in the sections that follow.  
Downloading the 3Com Security Software Utility  
Before you can enable data encryption for the 3C990B NIC, you must download the  
3Com Security Software Utility from the 3Com Corporation World Wide Web site. Follow  
these steps to download the utility:  
1 Launch your preferred Internet browser on your computer.  
3Com recommends using either Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 (or above), or  
Netscape Communicator version 4.0 (or above).  
2 Type the following URL in the browser address field:  
http://www.3com.com/product/offload_enablement  
3 Press Enter.  
NOTE: You can also access the 3Com Security Software Utility download site by  
using the EtherCD. Do the following:  
1 Insert the EtherCD in the computer CD-ROM drive.  
2 Click Encryption Enablement.  
3 Click Begin Encryption Enablement.  
Your default Internet browser is launched with the appropriate URL.  
The Language Selection page appears, providing several different language options.  
34  
 
               
Enabling Data Encryption  
4 Select your desired language.  
All subsequent pages will be displayed in the selected language. An introduction to  
the 3C990B NIC appears. Follow the prompts.  
5 The 3Com 3C990 Security Software Utility Download screen appears, prompting you to  
select the level of data encryption that you want to use on your system:  
I
56-bit DES Encryption Version  
168-bit 3DES Encryption Version  
I
6 Select either 56-bit or 168-bit encryption and then click Download.  
3Com performs an initial security check based on the geographic location of your  
computer:  
I
If your computer passes the initial 3Com security check, the browser prompts you  
for your name, address, and contact information to satisfy U.S. Department of  
I
If your computer fails the initial security check, 3Com will not allow you to  
download the 3Com Security Software Utility. You will be asked to enter your  
name, address, and contact information, and then to submit the information to  
3Com for manual processing. Follow the steps displayed in your browser window.  
7 Enter your personal information, such as name and address, in the appropriate fields:  
Entries for all the following fields are required unless indicated otherwise:  
I
Full Name of Business  
If you will be using data encryption for personal use, type:  
Self  
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Company Web site URL (optional)  
Your Name  
Address  
City  
State  
Zip  
Country  
Use the pull-down menu to select the appropriate country.  
I
I
I
Telephone  
Email  
Fax (optional)  
8 Click Submit.  
3Com performs a second security check based on the personal information you  
I
If your computer passes the second 3Com security check, the system displays a  
Certificate of Eligibility Under U.S. Export Control Laws to Receive Software  
I
If your computer fails the second security check, 3Com will not allow you to  
download the 3Com Security Software Utility. You will be prompted to submit the  
personal information you just entered to 3Com for manual processing. Follow the  
steps displayed in your browser window.  
35  
 
   
4
Installing and Configuring Data Encryption Offloads  
9 Read the Eligibility Certificate, scroll to the bottom of the screen, and click I Agree  
to continue.  
You must agree to the certification conditions to download the 3Com Security  
Software Utility. The 3Com End User Software License Agreement appears.  
10 Read the license agreement, scroll to the bottom of the screen, and click I Agree  
to continue.  
You must agree to the software license conditions to download the 3Com Security  
Software Utility. The File Download dialogue box appears, and prompts you to select  
one of the following options:  
I
Open this file from its current location  
Save this file to disk  
I
11 Select the default option Save this file to disk and click OK.  
The Save As window appears.  
12 Enter the download destination directory and file name you want to use for the  
encryption application.  
Keep the 3Com Security Software Utility in an accessible location. You can use the utility  
not only to install encryption on the 3C990B NIC, but to disable encryption as well.  
Use the Save in field to specify a different directory than the default one displayed, if  
necessary. Use the File name field to change the encryption application filename, if  
desired. (Do not change the filename suffix. Leave the .exe filename suffix as shown.)  
13 Click OK.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility is downloaded to the hard drive location that you  
Installing Data Encryption  
This section explains how to install and activate data encryption on the 3C990B NIC once  
you have downloaded the 3Com Security Software Utility from the 3Com Web site. (If you  
have not yet downloaded the 3Com Security Software Utility, see instructions for  
To install data encryption, use Windows Explorer to find the 3Com Security Software  
Utility in the location where you downloaded it and follow these steps:  
1 Run the 3Com Security Software Utility by double-clicking the utility program icon, or  
by using the Windows Start menu.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility Welcome screen appears. Follow the instructions  
on the screen to close any open applications you may have running. (You can also  
press Alt+Tab to suspend the 3Com Security Software Utility and close applications.)  
2 Click Next.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility first verifies that you have already installed the  
3C990B NIC:  
I
If the utility cannot find a 3C990B NIC, it will stop, allowing you to install the NIC. For  
I
If the utility finds an installed 3C990B NIC, it prompts you to enable or disable  
36  
 
         
Disabling Data Encryption  
3 Select Enable to install data encryption.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility will install data encryption on the 3C990B NIC at  
the level you specified when you downloaded the 3Com Security Software Utility.  
Data encryption will not be enabled on the 3C990B NIC until you restart the  
computer.  
4 Restart the computer to enable data encryption.  
Keep the 3Com Security Software Utility in an accessible location. You may want to  
use the utility again to disable or re-enable encryption on the 3C990B NIC.  
Disabling Data Encryption  
To disable data encryption on the 3C990B NIC, use Windows Explorer to find the 3Com  
Security Software Utility in the location where you downloaded it and follow these steps:  
1 Run the 3Com Security Software Utility by double-clicking the utility program icon, or  
by using the Windows Start menu.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility Welcome screen appears. Follow the instructions  
on the screen to close any open applications you may have running. (You can also  
press Alt+Tab to suspend the 3Com Security Software Utility and close applications.)  
2 Click Next.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility first verifies that you have already installed and  
registered the 3C990B NIC.  
When the Registration Number is validated, the utility will prompt you to choose  
whether you want to enable encryption or disable encryption.  
3 Select Disable to deactivate data encryption.  
The 3Com Security Software Utility will disable data encryption on the 3C990B NIC.  
4 Restart the computer to disable data encryption.  
Keep the 3Com Security Software Utility in an accessible location. You may want to  
use the utility again to enable encryption on the 3C990B NIC.  
Upgrading Data Encryption  
To upgrade the data encryption level for a 3C990B NIC from DES (56-bit) to 3DES  
(168-bit), follow these steps:  
1 Download the 3DES Security Software Utility.  
2 Install Data Encryption using the new 3Com Security Software Utility.  
37  
 
         
4
Installing and Configuring Data Encryption Offloads  
Configuring IPSec In Windows 2000  
The 3C990B NIC accelerates IP security (IPSec) data encryption from supported operating  
systems that provide this offload capability. This feature is currently available in the  
Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system.  
IPSec primarily consists of two parts:  
I encryption/decryption  
I authentication  
To send or receive encrypted data in a PC running Windows 2000 with a 3C990B NIC  
installed, you must first create a security policy, and then enable encryption on the NIC.  
The security policy establishes and defines how encrypted network traffic between  
your PC and a specified server occurs.  
Authentication enables the receiver to verify the sender of a packet by adding key fields to  
a packet without altering the packet data content.  
The following table shows the available levels of encryption:  
Encryption  
Type  
Encryption  
Level  
Description  
AH  
Medium  
High  
Authentication only  
Authentication and encryption  
ESP  
Custom  
Varies  
Provides encryption and an extra authentication that includes the  
IP header.  
Custom allows you to select options for both AH and ESP, such as  
MD%/SHA-1 and DES/3DES. And you can select the rate at which  
new keys are negotiated.  
Microsoft uses IKE key exchange to renew keys every x seconds or y  
bytes. However, this practice is computationally very high in  
overhead. Some users may set these values low and have frequent  
key updates. Users more concerned with performance will set these  
values higher.  
For more information, refer to the Microsoft documentation about  
creating IPSec flows.  
Creating a Security Policy  
The process you use to create and enable a security policy will depend on your network  
environment requirements. The following is an example of one approach to creating a  
security policy.  
NOTE: You must complete all of the sequences in this section to establish and enable  
a security policy for transmitting and receiving encrypted data over the network.  
Defining the Console  
This sequence establishes the Console and defines its parameters.  
To define the Console:  
1 In the Windows taskbar, click Start, Programs, Accessories, and then  
Command Prompt.  
2 At the DOS prompt, enter:  
MMC  
The Console1 screen appears.  
38  
 
           
Configuring IPSec In Windows 2000  
3 In the menu click Console, and then Add/Remove Snap-in.  
The Add/Remove Snap-in screen appears.  
4 Click Add.  
The Add Standalone Snap-in screen appears.  
5 Select IP Security Policy Management, and then click Add.  
The Select which computer this Snap-in will manage screen appears.  
6 Enable the Local computer option.  
7 Click Finish, Close, and then OK.  
Creating the Policy  
This sequence creates and names the new security policy.  
The Console1 and Console Root screen appears with IP Security Policies on Local Machine  
displayed in the list.  
1 In the left pane, click IP Security Policies on Local Machine.  
2 Right-click inside the right pane below the list items.  
3 From the pop-up menu, select Create IP Security Policy.  
The IP Security Policy Wizard Starts.  
4 Click Next.  
The IP Security Policy Name screen appears.  
5 Enter a name for the new security policy that you are creating. You can enter a  
description to help you identify this policy.  
6 Click Next.  
The Requests for Secure Communication screen appears.  
7 Clear the Activate the default response rule check box.  
8 Click Next and then Finish.  
A screen appears with the name of the new security policy in the title bar.  
9 Click Add.  
The Security Rule Wizard starts.  
10 Click Next.  
The Tunnel Endpoint screen appears.  
11 Enable the default option This rule does not specify a tunnel, and then click Next.  
The Network Type screen appears.  
12 Enable the default option All network connections, and then click Next.  
The Authentication Methods screen appears.  
13 Enable the Use this string to protect the key exchange (preshared key): option, type  
the appropriate string text in the entry field, and then click Next.  
Creating a Filter  
This sequence creates a filter for the policy.  
The IP Filter List screen appears.  
1 Click Add.  
A new IP Filter List screen appears.  
39  
 
     
4
Installing and Configuring Data Encryption Offloads  
2 Enter a name for the filter, and then click Add.  
The IP Filter Wizard starts.  
3 Click Next.  
The IP Traffic Source screen appears.  
4 Click Next.  
The IP Traffic Destination screen appears.  
5 Select A Specific IP Address in the pull-down list.  
The IP Address entry box appears on the IP Traffic Destination screen.  
6 Enter destination IP address, and then click Next.  
The IP Protocol Type screen appears.  
7 Accept the default, and then click Next.  
8 Click Finish to close the IP Filter Wizard.  
9 Click Close to close the IP Filter List screen.  
Binding the Filter  
This sequence attaches the new filter to the policy.  
The IP Filter List screen appears.  
1 Enable the option for the new filter name and make sure that the new filter name  
is selected.  
2 Click Next.  
Creating the Filter Action  
This sequence defines how the filter acts on the policy.  
The Filter Action screen appears.  
1 Click Add.  
The Filter Action Wizard starts.  
2 Click Next.  
The Filter Action Name screen appears.  
3 Enter a name (for example: 3DES to the Server), and then click Next.  
The Filter Action General Options screen appears.  
4 Accept the default, and then click Next.  
The screen, Communicating with computers that do not support IPsec, appears.  
5 Accept the default value, and then click Next.  
The IP Traffic Security screen appears.  
6 Select Custom, and then click Settings.  
The Custom Security Method Settings screen appears.  
7 Enable the Data integrity and encryption (ESP): check box, and then make the  
appropriate selections in the Integrity and algorithms list boxes.  
8 Click OK, Next, and then Finish.  
40  
 
       
Configuring IPSec In Windows 2000  
Binding the Filter Action  
This sequence attaches the new filter action to the filter and policy.  
The Filter Action screen appears.  
1 Enable the filter action option and make sure that the filter name is selected. (In this  
example, we used the filter name: 3DES to the Server.)  
2 Click Next, Finish, and then Close.  
The newly created policy appears in the right pane of the Console Root\IP Security  
Policies on Local Machine screen.  
3 Exit this screen and, when prompted, save the new policy information. Use a  
meaningful name for future reference.  
You can modify this security policy by double clicking the icon that is created when you  
save the policy in the previous step.  
Enabling Encryption  
An encryption policy must exist in the Console Root\IP Security Policies on the Local  
Machine screen before you can enable encryption on the 3C990B NIC.  
To enable encryption:  
1 Right-click the desired policy icon in the right pane of the screen.  
2 Select Assign.  
3 A green plus (+) symbol appears on the policy icon to indicate that encryption is  
toggled on.  
Disabling Encryption  
An encryption policy must exist in the Console Root\IP Security Policies on the Local  
Machine screen, and be enabled, before you can disable encryption on the 3C990B NIC.  
To disable encryption:  
1 Right-click the desired policy icon in the right pane of the screen.  
2 Select Un-assign.  
The absence of a green plus (+) symbol on the policy icon indicates that encryption is  
toggled off.  
41  
 
           
 
Installing 3Com Advanced Server  
Features For Windows  
5
This chapter explains the following tasks for a computer running Windows 2000 or Windows NT  
with the 3Com 10/100 PCI Server NIC (3C990BSVR) with 3XP processor installed.  
I Installing 3Com Advanced Server software for a server NIC  
I Configuring groups and VLANs for a server NIC  
3Com Advanced Server (DynamicAccess) features include:  
I Fault tolerance  
I Bi-directional load balancing  
I Resilient server links (RSL)  
I Self-healing drivers (SHD)  
I Multiple virtual LANs (MVLANs) support  
I PCI hot-plug support  
I Traffic prioritization  
For more information about 3Com Advanced Server (DynamicAccess) features, see  
This chapter also describes 3C990B NIC support for Windows 2000 offload features in an  
IP environment. The Windows 2000 offload features are designed to enhance the  
Windows 2000 operating system capabilities by off loading key TCP/IP networking and  
security tasks from the Windows 2000 operating system.  
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Software  
Follow these steps to install 3Com Advanced Server (DynamicAccess) software for a server  
NIC installed in a Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0 computer:  
1 Make sure that the NIC and the network driver are properly installed in your computer.  
about confirming that the NIC and driver are properly installed.  
2 Start Windows.  
3 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
4 Click NIC Software.  
5 Click DynamicAccess technologies.  
6 Click Install DynamicAccess software.  
43  
 
           
5
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Features For Windows  
7 Select the appropriate menu option for your operating system (Windows NT 4.0 or  
Windows 2000). Do one of the following:  
I
To select Windows NT 4.0, click Install 3Com DynamicAccess Technology for  
Windows NT 4.0 Only.  
I
To select Windows 2000, click Install 3Com DynamicAccess Technology for  
Windows 2000 Only.  
The 3Com DynamicAccess Software Installation screen appears, displaying the  
following prompt:  
Do you wish to install Dynamic Access Software for Servers?  
8 Click Yes.  
The 3Com Advanced Server Software Installation program starts.  
I
I
When 3Com Advanced Server features are installed for Windows NT, NICs bind to  
the Advanced Server protocol and real protocols bind to the Advanced Server  
Miniport. Do not modify these bindings.  
When 3Com Advanced Server features are installed for Windows 2000, LAN  
connections bind to the Advanced Server protocol and real protocols bind to the  
Advanced Server miniport. Do not modify these bindings.  
9 When the 3Com Advanced Server Technology installation is finished, exit the  
EtherCD, and then exit Windows.  
10 Restart the PC.  
NOTE: You must restart the PC to complete the installation.  
Verifying Successful Installation  
After the 3Com Advanced Server software is installed on the server PC, the following  
changes are visible in the Windows Network control panel:  
I For each physical NIC installed in the client PC, a virtual NIC entry appears in the list of  
network adapters.  
All protocols are re-bound to the virtual NIC. The bindings to the physical NIC are  
still intact.  
I A 3Com DynamicAccess entry appears as a protocol.  
I A 3Com DynamicAccess icon is installed in the Windows Control Panel (for NT 4.0  
installations only).  
Configuring Groups and VLANs for a Server NIC  
3Com Advanced Server technology features allow you to configure load balancing groups  
and virtual LANs (VLANs). The features are described in “3Com DynamicAccess Advanced  
The following 3Com Advanced Server technology features are available for NIC groups  
in Windows:  
I Load balancing  
I RSL failover  
I Multiple VLANs  
The examples in this section illustrate typical actions you might take in the course of  
maintaining a 3Com Advanced Server configuration in Windows.  
44  
 
                 
Configuring Groups and VLANs for a Server NIC  
Planning the Configuration  
Consider these items when planning groups and VLANs:  
I Decide whether you want to use bidirectional load balancing, or transmit load balancing.  
To use bidirectional load balancing, you must assign a dedicated IP address for each  
load balancing group. This address must be unique (not used elsewhere on the  
I Decide which NICs are to be part of each group. Each group must include at least two NICs.  
I Decide whether you want to use a foreign (non-3Com) NIC in one of the groups.  
Up to two foreign NICs (that is, NICs that are not 3Com server NIC) are allowed in one  
group per server.  
I Decide which NIC is to be the primary NIC in each group. If a foreign NIC is used, it  
must be designated the primary NIC.  
I Disable load balancing if you have set failover for a group of NICs operating at  
different speeds. 3Com Advanced Server supports failover for a group of NICs  
operating at different speeds (for example, with one NIC operating at 10 Mbps,  
another operating at 100 Mbps, and another at 1,000 Mbps). However, Advanced  
Server supports load balancing only for a group of NICs operating at the same speed  
(with all NICs operating at 10 Mbps, or all operating at 100 Mbps, or all at  
1000 Mbps). For example, if you specify failover from a 3Com Gigabit Server 1000  
PCI NIC to a 3Com 10/100 PCI NIC, you must disable load balancing for that group to  
achieve the best performance.  
I For the best failover performance, turn the spanning tree feature off at switches that  
are connected directly to the server. If the spanning tree feature is turned on,  
a failover may be delayed up to 30 seconds while the switch processes the spanning  
tree algorithm.  
I Plan the cable changes required to connect each primary NIC and all secondary NICs  
to the same network segment.  
I Observe the recommended support limit of four groups per server.  
I The following guidelines apply to groups under Windows 2000:  
802.1p Support Property—The value of the Windows 2000 802.1p support  
property must be the same for all NICs in a group. For example, if this property is  
enabled for the primary NIC, it must also be enabled for all other NICs in the group.  
Microsoft Task Offload Support—It is possible to form a group of NICs that have  
different levels of support for Microsoft Task Offload features (TCP Checksum, TCP  
Segmentation, and IP Sec). In this case, the offload support is limited to the features  
supported by all NICs in the group. For example, if two NICs in a group support all  
offload features but one NIC supports only TCP Checksum, then offload support for  
the group is limited to TCP Checksum.  
I Observe these VLAN configuration guidelines:  
I
Assign a VLAN ID number to each VLAN. If you are not using a DHCP server, each  
VLAN that is using IP services requires an IP address and subnet mask.  
I
I
3Com Advanced Server software supports as many as 16 VLANs per server.  
Each VLAN bound to TCP/IP must exist on a separate IP subnet. DHCP servers used  
to allocate IP addresses must be located on the same IP subnets as the VLANs.  
I
Each VLAN bound to the IPX/SPX protocol must use a unique network number.  
45  
 
                         
5
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Features For Windows  
I
To avoid problems associated with blocked multicast streams, configure end  
stations that support the IEEE 802.1p GARP Multicast Registration Protocol  
specification (GMRP) on separate switch segments from stations that do not  
support it.  
I
I
Under Windows 2000, when VLANs are enabled, the Windows 2000 802.1p  
Support property must be disabled for all the underlying miniports.  
The following memory requirements are for multiple VLAN configurations. You can  
improve overall system performance with VLANs by increasing the physical RAM,  
the virtual memory page size, or both.  
Number of VLANs  
Minimum RAM Size (MB)  
Up to 16  
128  
CAUTION: Before creating or removing a load balancing group or VLAN, take  
note of configuration information such as IP addresses and IPX network numbers.  
3Com Advanced Server software does not restore a network configuration to its  
pre-Advanced Server state. Always verify that the network configuration conforms  
to your expectations after creating or removing a load balancing group or VLAN.  
Working With Server Features  
The 3Com Advanced Server features window contains tabs for these windows:  
I In the Load Balance/RSL window, you can create and change Load Balancing/RSL  
groups. The NICs in a group work together to route traffic efficiently and to recover  
from failures.  
I In the VLANs window, you can set up virtual LANs. All groups listed on the  
Load Balance/RSL window also appear as groups in the VLAN window. Any  
ungrouped NICs in the Load Balance/RSL window are also listed in the VLAN window.  
Windows 2000  
Access 3Com Advanced Server server features through the Windows 2000 Network and  
Dial-up Connections window as follows:  
1 Log in to Windows 2000 with administrator privileges.  
2 Launch the Windows 2000 Network and Dial-up Connections window.  
3 Select a Local Area Connection icon.  
4 Click the right mouse button and select Properties.  
The Local Area Connections Properties window appears.  
5 Click the General tab.  
6 In the General window, select DynamicAccess Protocol and click Properties.  
The DynamicAccess Protocol Properties window appears. Click the appropriate tab to  
configure server features.  
46  
 
               
Configuring Groups and VLANs for a Server NIC  
Windows NT  
Start 3Com Advanced Server features under Windows NT as follows:  
1 Log in to the Windows NT Administrator account.  
2 From the Windows Start menu, select Settings/Control Panel.  
3 Double-click the DynamicAccess SW Server icon.  
The DynamicAccess Resilient Server Link/Load Balance/VLAN Configuration window  
appears. Click the appropriate tab to configure server features.  
Creating a Group  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window, click Create Group.  
3 In the Create Group dialog box, type a group name.  
4 Set the load balancing:  
To enable transmit load balancing — Clear the Receive Load Balance Enabled  
check box and check the Transmit Load Balance Enabled box.  
To enable bidirectional load balancing — Check both the Transmit Load Balance  
Enabled box and the Receive Load Balance Enabled box. Enter only the Host ID bytes  
required for a dedicated IP address. For example:  
Byte 1  
Byte 2  
Byte 3  
Byte 4  
253  
Class A  
Class B  
Class C  
Network ID  
Host ID  
24  
1
Network ID  
Network ID  
Host ID  
2
253  
Host ID  
253  
the dedicated IP address.  
To disable all load balancing — Clear the Receive Load Balance Enabled and the  
Transmit Load Balance Enabled check boxes.  
5 Click OK.  
The name of the new NIC group appears in the Load Balancing/RSL Groups list box.  
Adding NICs to a Group  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window:  
I
Select a group from the Load Balancing/RSL Groups list.  
Select a NIC from the Network Interface Cards list.  
I
3 Click Add NIC.  
The NIC appears as part of the group in the Load Balancing/RSL list box.  
If you click Add NIC repeatedly, NICs are added to the group in the order that they are  
listed after the first NIC you selected.  
47  
 
                 
5
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Features For Windows  
Specifying a Dedicated IP Address  
Bidirectional load balancing requires that you specify a dedicated IP address for the load  
balancing group. This address specifies a Network ID and a Host ID, and it must be unique  
(not used elsewhere on the network). For example:  
Byte 1  
Byte 2  
Byte 3  
Byte 4  
Class A  
Class B  
Class C  
Network ID  
125  
Host ID  
24  
1
253  
Network ID  
139  
Host ID  
2
25  
26  
253  
Network ID  
193  
Host ID  
253  
3
You can specify the dedicated IP address in the Create Group or Group Properties dialog  
boxes. You cannot specify the bytes for the Network ID; they are fixed. Specify the bytes  
for the Host ID for various classes of subnets as follows:  
Class  
Byte 1  
Specify only bytes  
A
B
126  
2, 3, and 4 (the three rightmost boxes).  
3 and 4 (the two rightmost boxes).  
4 (the rightmost box).  
128 - 191  
192 - 223  
C
Changing an IP Address  
If another device is using a bidirectional load balancing group's dedicated IP address, you  
must change either the other devices IP address or that of the load balancing group. Use  
the appropriate procedure below:  
Changing the Other  
Device's IP Address  
After you change the other device's address, restart receive load balancing as  
follows:  
1
In the Load Balancing/RSL window, select the group that had the  
duplicate address.  
2
3
4
Click Properties.  
In the Properties dialog box, click OK.  
In the Load Balancing/RSL window, click OK to exit the window and  
restart Windows.  
Changing the Group's  
Dedicated IP Address  
1
In the Load Balancing/RSL window, select the group that has the  
duplicate address.  
2
3
4
Click Properties.  
In the Properties dialog box, enter a new IP address and click OK.  
In the Load Balancing/RSL window, click OK to exit the window and  
restart Windows.  
48  
 
       
Configuring Groups and VLANs for a Server NIC  
Creating a VLAN  
1 Click the VLANs tab.  
2 In the VLANs window, select a NIC or group from the VLANs list and click  
Create VLAN.  
3 In the VLAN ID dialog box, type a VLAN ID number and click OK.  
Valid VLAN ID numbers are from 1 – 511 and from 768 – 4095. Numbers in the range  
512 – 767 are reserved.  
The new VLAN is added to the VLANs list.  
Windows 2000—If you create more than one VLAN, assign a VLAN ID number to  
each VLAN as follows:  
I
I
I
I
I
Right-click My Network Places and select Properties from the menu.  
In the next window, right-click a VLAN and select Properties from the menu.  
Click Configure.  
In the NIC Properties window, click TCP/IP.  
In the next window, configure the IP address and subnet mask.  
Windows NT—Restart the computer when the software prompts you to do so.  
Specifying Traffic Priorities  
You can use the DynamicAccess Software Setup window to specify traffic priorities.  
1 Double-click the 3Com DynamicAccess icon in the Windows Control Panel.  
The DynamicAccess Software Setup window appears.  
2 Click the appropriate tab:  
I
Traffic Prioritization—Prioritize applications to ease bottlenecks in the network  
and allow critical applications to take network precedence. You can turn traffic  
prioritization on or off independently for each:  
I
I
I
I
NIC that is not in a group and does not have VLANs  
Group that does not have VLANs  
VLAN  
Virtual NIC (NIC, group, or VLAN) shown in the Traffic Prioritization control panel  
I
Administration—Set 3Com Advanced Server control panel access, set VLAN options,  
enable efficient multicast control, and enable the prioritizing of multicast traffic.  
Saving the Configuration  
To save and exit, click OK.  
A prompt asks whether you want to configure traffic prioritization. If you click Yes, the  
DynamicAccess Software Setup window appears.  
To exit without saving the configuration, click Cancel.  
49  
 
                     
5
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Features For Windows  
Disabling Load Balancing for a Group  
Follow these steps to disable load balancing for a group:  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window:  
I
Select a group from the Load Balancing/RSL Groups list.  
I
Click Properties.  
3 In the Group Properties dialog box:  
To disable receive load balancing only—Clear the Receive Load Balance Enabled  
check box.  
To disable all load balancing—Clear the Receive Load Balance Enabled and the  
Transmit Load Balance Enabled check boxes.  
4 Click OK.  
Changing the Primary NIC  
The first NIC added to an empty group is automatically designated the primary NIC. NICs  
added subsequently are designated as secondary NICs. If a foreign (non-3Com) NIC is  
used, it must be designated the primary NIC. Primary status is indicated by a P icon at the  
beginning of the NIC name.  
When there are more than one NIC in a group, you can change the primary NIC as follows:  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window, select a secondary NIC from the Load Balance/RSL  
Groups list.  
3 Click Select Primary.  
Removing a NIC from a Group  
Follow these steps to remove a NIC from a group:  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window, select a NIC from a group in the Load Balancing/RSL  
Groups list.  
3 Click Remove NIC.  
Deleting or Editing a VLAN  
When a VLAN is selected, you can delete it or edit its properties.  
1 Click the VLANs tab.  
2 In the VLANs window, select a VLAN.  
To delete the selected VLAN, click Delete VLAN.  
To edit the VLAN ID for the selected VLAN, click Edit VLAN.  
50  
 
                           
Configuring Groups and VLANs for a Server NIC  
Displaying NIC Properties  
Follow these steps to display NIC properties:  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window, select a NIC.  
3 Click Properties.  
The NIC Properties window appears, showing the properties of the selected NIC.  
Displaying Group Properties  
Follow these steps to display group properties:  
1 Click the Load Balance/RSL tab.  
2 In the Load Balance/RSL window, select a group in the Load Balancing/RSL Groups  
list box.  
3 Click Properties.  
The Group Properties window appears, showing the properties of the selected group.  
Troubleshooting a Load Balancing Configuration  
Use the troubleshooting tips in the following table to solve problems that may occur in a  
load balancing configuration.  
NOTE: To access a database of technical information that can help you diagnose  
and solve NIC installation, configuration, and upgrade problems, go to:  
http://knowledgebase.3com.com  
Symptom  
Tip  
Receive load balancing fails to begin  
functioning.  
Check the Group Properties to verify that the dedicated IP  
address has been entered. If no address appears in the  
Group Properties dialog box, enter one to enable receive  
load balancing.  
Receive load balancing stops  
functioning.  
Cables may be disconnected, or there may be other  
hardware problems. Reconnect or change the cables.  
Correct any other hardware problems. Bidirectional load  
balancing is restored after this type of failure when  
applications create new connections or new clients log in.  
Reconnecting cables does not restore  
load balancing.  
Check the event log for a duplicate IP address. If another  
device is using a load balancing group's dedicated IP  
address, change one of the IP addresses. See “Changing an  
Receive load balancing does not  
function across a router.  
Receive load balancing across a router is not supported.  
Clients across the router cannot use receive load balancing,  
but clients within the subnet get higher throughput from  
receive load balancing.  
51  
 
           
5
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Features For Windows  
Changing Windows 2000 Property Settings  
If you receive warnings about inconsistent property settings (for example, the 802.1p Support  
property) while creating a group, use the following procedure to change a NIC property:  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties from the menu.  
2 Click the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager.  
3 Double-click Network Adapters.  
4 Right-click on the name of the appropriate NIC and select Properties from the menu.  
5 Click the Advanced tab.  
6 Select the appropriate property from the list (for example, 802.1p Support).  
7 Use the scroll list to change the property value.  
8 Exit the Device Manager.  
Identifying Windows 2000 Miniport and LAN Connections  
3Com Advanced Server miniport connections and NIC Local Area Connections are listed in  
the Network and Dial-up Connections window. If a group or VLAN is associated with a  
miniport, the group name and VLAN name appear in the miniport icon name. If a miniport is  
associated with an ungrouped NIC, you can identify the NIC by its MAC address as follows:  
1 In the Network and Dial-up Connections window, right-click the miniport icon and  
select Properties from the menu.  
2 In the DynamicAccess Properties window, click the General tab.  
3 In the General tab, move the cursor over the miniport name. (Do not click the name.)  
After a short pause, the MAC address of the associated NIC appears in a pop-up window.  
Using Windows 2000 Offload Features  
The 3C990B NIC supports Windows 2000 offload features in an IP environment. The  
Windows 2000 offload features are designed to enhance the Windows 2000 operating  
system capabilities by off-loading key TCP/IP networking and security tasks from the  
Windows 2000 operating system:  
I IPSec Offload—reduces CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor and a crypto  
chip on the NIC to perform data encryption operations.  
I TCP Segmentation Offload—reduces CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor  
on the NIC to perform segmentation of TCP packets.  
NOTE: Windows 2000 does not allow IPSec offloads and TCP Segmentation  
offloads for the same session. Though all offload types may be enabled, TCP  
Segmentation offloading will not occur during an IPSec session.  
I IP and TCP Checksum Offload—reduced CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor  
on the NIC to perform the checksum calculation of TCP/IP and UDP/IP packets.  
I 802.1p Packet Priority Offload—reduces CPU utilization by allowing the 3XP processor  
on the NIC to perform the insertion of the 802.1Q tag header into the packet.  
52  
 
                                 
Using Windows 2000 Offload Features  
Enabling Offloads  
Windows 2000 provides the capability to individually enable or disable each of the four  
offload features. (The default setting for these features is enabled.)  
To enable or disable individual offload settings in Windows 2000:  
1 Right-click the My Network Places desktop icon and select Properties.  
The Network and Dial-up Connections screen appears.  
2 Right-click the Local Area Connection icon and select Properties.  
The Local Area Connection Properties screen appears.  
3 Click Configure.  
The 3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC with 3XP Processor screen appears.  
4 Click the Advanced tab.  
5 Select Enable Offloads in the Property list box.  
6 Select the appropriate value in the Value entry box (shown in the following table) for  
the desired offload state.  
7 Close all open windows.  
The following table describes values for the offload functions:  
Value  
Offload Function Enabled  
All Offloads Disabled  
cksum  
No offloads  
TCP Checksum  
cksum-ipsec  
TCP Checksum and IPSec  
cksum-tcpseg  
cksum-tcpseg-ipsec  
ipsec  
TCP Checksum and TCP Segmentation  
TCP Checksum and TCP Segmentation and IPSec  
IPSec  
tcpseg  
TCP Segmentation  
tcpseg-ipsec  
TCP Segmentation and IPSec  
802.1p  
Packet Priority  
802.1p-cksum  
802.1p-cksum-ipsec  
802.1p-cksum-tcpseg  
802.1p-cksum-tcpseg-ipsec  
802.1p-ipsec  
802.1p-tcpseg  
802.1p-tcpseg-ipsec  
Packet Priority and TCP Checksum  
Packet Priority and TCP Checksum and IPSec  
Packet Priority and TCP Checksum and TCP Segmentation  
Packet Priority and TCP Checksum and TCP Segmentation and IPSec  
Packet Priority and IPSec  
Packet Priority and TCP Segmentation  
Packet Priority and TCP Segmentation and IPSec  
53  
 
   
5
Installing 3Com Advanced Server Features For Windows  
Configuring Offloads for a Group of Different NICs  
Your computer may contain a combination of installed NICs (including one or more 3Com  
10/100 PCI NICs with the 3XP processor (3C990Bs)) with varying offload capabilities. If  
you have a mix of dissimilar NICs configured in a group, then 3Com DynamicAccess  
Advanced Server software will support only those offload functions that are supported by  
all the NICs in the group.  
For example, if you have created a group consisting of a 3C990B NIC and another NIC  
that does not have any offload capabilities, then the group will not support any offloads.  
In another example, if you have a group of three NICs with two supporting TCP  
Checksum, TCP Segmentation, and IPSec offloads, and one supporting only IPSec, then  
the group will support only IPSec offloads.  
If you add a NIC to an existing group, and that NIC has offload capabilities that differ from  
those of the group, then you must reconfigure the group: that is, you must delete the  
group, recreate the group, and restart the computer. (If you do not delete and recreate the  
group, the Advanced Server software will not bind to the NIC.)  
Similarly, if you replace a NIC that has been configured as part of a group with another  
NIC that has different offload capabilities, then you must reconfigure the group.  
In addition, if you disable or enable any offloads for a group through the Windows 2000  
Advanced tab, then you must reconfigure the group.  
54  
 
   
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
This chapter describes how to install drivers for Novell NetWare versions 3.12, 4.11,  
and 5.x.  
To obtain the latest shipping version of a driver, go to:  
Search for “3C990B” and “drivers.”  
Installing and Configuring the NetWare Driver  
This section describes how to install the NetWare driver on a Novell server running  
NetWare 3.12, 4.11, or 5.x. The \NWSERVER directory contains the network driver file  
(3C99X.LAN) to be used for servers running NetWare 3.12, 4.11, or 5.x. Additional files  
(NetWare Loadable Modules [NLMs]) that are required for servers running NetWare are on  
the EtherCD in the \NWSERVER directory, or they can be obtained from Novell.  
Using the Latest Support Packs  
The 3C990B NIC does not support NetWare 3.11 or 4.0x servers. The 3C990B NIC does  
not support NetWare 3.12 or 4.11 servers that are not updated to the latest Novell  
Support Pack. NetWare 3.12 does not support 3C990B NIC load balancing/failover or TCP/  
IP checksum offload/hardware checksumming.  
CAUTION: If you plan to form load balancing/failover groups using NetWare 4.11  
or 5.x, do not enable TCP/IP checksum offload for the 3C990B NIC driver.  
Use the following support packs to achieve best results with the network driver.  
NetWare Version  
Required Support Pack  
3.12  
4.11  
Latest patch files.  
Support Pack 6 or later for all types of operation.  
Support Pack 7 or higher is required for proper operation of  
the failover mechanism for the 3C990B server NIC.  
5.x  
Support Pack 2a or later  
NOTE: The required support pack must be loaded before you install the driver for  
the 3C990B NIC.  
You can obtain the latest support packs from the Novell Web site:  
55  
 
                       
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
Obtaining NetWare Loadable Modules  
You can obtain current NLMs for the NetWare servers listed in the table below from the  
\NWSERVER directory on the EtherCD, or from the Novell Web site:  
NetWare Server  
NLM Name  
ETHERTSM.NLM  
MSM31X.NLM  
NBI31X.NLM  
ETHERTSM.NLM  
TCPIP.NLM  
NetWare 3.12  
NetWare 4.11, 5.x  
NBI.NLM  
MSM.NLM  
NOTE: To upgrade the NetWare driver for a NetWare server, you must create  
installation diskettes from the EtherCD that accompanied this product. Use these  
diskettes to install the Netware server driver. See “Creating Installation Diskettes”  
Server Software Installation Requirements  
Before you install software, you may want to verify that the installed NICs are functional  
or change their configuration settings by running DOS diagnostics. Use  
the 3C99XCFG.EXE program located on the EtherCD.  
The instructions in this section describe how to set up a sample server configuration.  
Setting up your own configuration may require a slightly different sequence of tasks and  
different numbers of NICs.  
If you are installing the software during the installation of the network operating system,  
Netware Packet Receive Buffers  
Follow these guidelines for NetWare 4.11 and 5.x:  
I The driver requires 200 packet receive buffers for each installed NIC.  
I You must increase the minimum and maximum packet receive buffers values by 200  
for each installed NIC.  
For example, if you install two NICs, increase the parameters in the STARTUP.NCF file  
by 400 as follows:  
Before installing NICs  
SET MINIMUM PACKET RECEIVE BUFFERS = 1000  
SET MAXIMUM PACKET RECEIVE BUFFERS = 2500  
SET MAXIMUM PACKET RECEIVE BUFFERS = 2900  
56  
 
         
Installing and Configuring the NetWare Driver  
Slot Numbers for Multiple NICs  
If you are installing more than one NIC on a server, you must know which NIC corresponds  
to a given PCI slot in order to connect a cable from the NIC to the appropriate port on the  
hub or switch. You can correlate slots with physical NICs by the NIC MAC addresses. (The  
MAC address is written on a bar code label on the top component side of the NIC.)  
Obtaining Slot Numbers  
The NetWare driver installation program requires you to enter a PCI slot number for each  
NIC. In older versions of NetWare software, the term slot number referred to the physical  
slot in which the NIC was installed in the server. Now, the slot number is a combination of  
the bus number, bus type, and the physical slot number. The value of a slot number can be  
10001 or larger.  
Follow this procedure to obtain slot numbers for a multi-NIC installation:  
2 Follow the installation instructions in this chapter to load the EtherCD, copy the driver,  
and load the driver.  
3 In the NetWare Console, issue a CONFIG command.  
4 Write down the slot number that is listed for the installed NIC.  
5 Install the second 3C990B NIC.  
6 Follow the installation instructions in this chapter to install the driver on the second NIC.  
Each time you load the driver, the CONFIG command displays the slot numbers for all  
the 3C990B NICs in the system.  
Installing the NetWare 3.12 Server Driver  
To install the driver in a NetWare 3.12 server:  
1 Copy the MSM31X.NLM, ETHERTSM.NLM, and NBI31.NLM files from the \NWSERVER  
directory on the EtherCD to the directory on your hard drive where other NLM files  
are located.  
NOTE: Copy the NLM files only if the versions existing on the server are older than  
the versions supplied on the EtherCD.  
The NLM file location is typically in the sys:system directory. You need a NetWare client  
system to copy the NLM files to the server.  
2 Copy the LAN driver file (3C99X.LAN) from the EtherCD to the same directory.  
3 Add the following two lines to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file:  
load sys:\system\3c99x.lan slot=<slot> NAME=<name>  
FRAME=<frametype>  
bind ipx to <name> net=<number>  
NOTE: If you copy the NLM files to a different directory, you must specify the path  
in the preceding LOAD statement.  
4 Save and exit the file, and then reboot the server.  
57  
 
               
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
Installing the Server Driver for NetWare 4.11 and 5.x Using INETCFG  
To install the driver in a NetWare 4.11or 5.x server:  
1 Copy the MSM.NLM, ETHERTSM.NLM, and NBI.NLM files from the \NWSERVER  
directory on the EtherCD to the directory on your hard drive where other NLM files  
are located.  
NOTE: Copy the NLM files only if the versions existing on the server are older  
than the versions supplied on the EtherCD.  
CAUTION: You can configure load balancing only through the command line  
interface or by manually updating the AUTOEXEC.NCF file. You cannot have load  
balancing automatically configured by INETCFG.SYS.  
The NLM file location is typically in the sys:system directory. You need a NetWare client  
system to copy the NLM files to the server.  
2 Insert installation diskette 2 in drive A.  
3 At the server prompt, enter:  
load inetcfg  
The Internetworking Configuration screen appears.  
4 In the displayed menu, select Boards, and then press Enter.  
5 Press Insert.  
A list of currently installed drivers appears.  
6 Press Insert again.  
The New Driver dialog box appears.  
7 Enter the directory:  
a:\nwserver\3c99x.lan  
An updated list of installed drivers appears.  
8 Select 3C99x, and then press Enter.  
You are prompted to name the NIC, for example: 3c99x_1.  
9 Type the name of the NIC and press Enter.  
You are prompted for the slot number. For information on how to verify the slot  
10 Enter the slot number, and then press Enter.  
11 Press Esc, Enter (to save), and then Esc.  
The Internetworking Configuration screen appears.  
12 Select Bindings, and then press Enter.  
The configured protocols for installed NICs appears. (This list will be empty if no  
protocols are currently bound to the NIC.)  
58  
 
 
Installing and Configuring the NetWare Driver  
13 Press Insert.  
The Select From the List of Configured Protocols screen appears.  
For NetWare 5.x:  
I
The default To a Network Interface is selected. Press Enter.  
The Select a Configured Network Interface screen appears.  
Select the board. For example, enter: 3c99x_1, and then press Enter.  
I
14 When prompted, enter the network number, and then press Enter.  
15 In the Frame Type field, press Enter to display a list of frames, choose a frame, and  
press Enter.  
16 Press Esc.  
You are prompted to save the changes.  
17 Press Enter to save the changes.  
The configured Protocol to Network Interface Bindings screen appears.  
18 Press Esc to Exit.  
The Main menu appears.  
I
NetWare 4.11: Restart the server.  
NetWare 5.x:  
I
I
Select Reinitialize System.  
I
Press Enter to reinitialize.  
19 Press Esc to exit from the program.  
Installing the Server Driver and Advanced Server Features Using  
AUTOEXEC.NCF  
You can also install the server driver by editing (or adding new) LOAD commands in the  
AUTOEXEC.NCF file.  
With NetWare installed and the server up and running, complete the following steps to  
install and configure the driver and 3Com Advanced Server technology server features on  
a NetWare file server.  
In NetWare screens, use the arrow keys to select an item, and then press Enter.  
Loading the 3Com EtherCD  
NetWare 4.11  
NetWare 5.x  
Insert the CD in the CD-ROM drive and enter these commands:  
load cdrom  
cd mount ecd200p99x  
Insert the CD in the CD-ROM drive and enter this command:  
load cdrom  
Wait for the message that states the CD is mounted successfully, and then  
proceed to copy the driver.  
59  
 
   
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
Copying the Driver  
1 Enter this command at the prompt:  
I
NetWare 4.11: load install  
NetWare 5.x: load nwconfig  
I
2 In the Configuration Options screen, select Driver options.  
3 In the Driver Options screen, select Configure network drivers.  
4 In the Additional Driver Actions screen, select Select a driver.  
The Select a Driver screen appears, listing all previously saved drivers in the system.  
If this is the first installation of the 3Com server NIC driver, it does not appear in this list.  
5 Press Insert.  
A system message for selecting a disk drive appears.  
6 Press F3.  
7 Enter a path to the volume that contains the driver. For example:  
3C99XC_TXM:\nwserver  
The Select a Driver to Install screen appears with the 3Com Server 10/100 PCI NIC  
driver name highlighted.  
8 Press Enter to select the driver.  
9 Select Yes at the prompt to confirm the name of the driver to copy.  
The installation program copies the driver to the appropriate server subdirectory. The  
Configuration screen appears.  
Specifying the Slot Number  
You need not specify the slot number if you are installing only one NIC.  
1 In the Configuration screen, select Slot Number.  
2 Enter the slot number of the NIC that you want to install. For example:  
10001  
instructions on changing other parameters in this screen.  
Loading the Driver  
1 Select Save parameters and load driver.  
The installation program loads the configured driver and then writes the appropriate  
LOAD and BIND commands to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file.  
The system assigns a network number.  
2 Enter a network number, or press Enter to select the system-assigned number.  
If no errors are encountered, the installation program asks whether you want to select  
an additional network driver.  
3 Select Yes to set up another NIC.  
60  
 
     
Installing and Configuring the NetWare Driver  
Setting Up Another NIC  
1 Follow the prompts for another NIC:  
a Select the driver  
b Enter the slot number  
c Save parameters and load the driver  
2 Repeat the process for all NICs to be set up.  
3 After all NICs are set up, press Esc several times to return to the Installation Options screen.  
Installing Multiple Server NICs  
To support more than one NIC in a NetWare server, change the AUTOEXEC.NCF file to the  
following format:  
load 3C99X.LAN slot=<slot1> NAME=<name1> FRAME=<frametype1>  
bind ipx to <name1> net=<net1>  
load 3C99X.LAN slot=<slot2> NAME=<name2> FRAME=<frametype2>  
bind ipx to<name2> net=<net2>  
The values <slot1> and <slot2> are the numbers of the PCI slots in which the NICs are  
physically installed. To view the numbers of these PCI slots, use the 3Com Configuration  
for instructions.  
The values <name1> and <name2> are unique names assigned to each NIC by your  
system administrator. The values <name1> and <name 2> must be different.  
The frame parameters <frametype1> and <frametype2> can be one of the following:  
I Ethernet_802.2  
I Ethernet_802.3  
I Ethernet_II  
I Ethernet_SNAP  
Make sure that the frametype for the server and the workstation is the same. For example,  
if the server uses Ethernet_802.2, the workstation must also use Ethernet_802.2.  
The values <net1> and <net2> are unique numbers assigned by the system administrator  
to each NIC. Make sure that <net1> and <net2> are different numbers.  
See the appropriate Novell NetWare manuals for further information.  
Verifying the PCI Slot Number  
To verify the PCI slot number in which a NIC is installed:  
1 Boot the NetWare server with the -na option.  
This prevents the AUTOEXEC.NCF file from loading. For example, enter:  
server -na  
2 Issue the load command for the NIC LAN driver without a slot parameter.  
For example, enter:  
load sys:\system\3c99x.lan  
61  
 
         
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
3 NetWare lists the valid slot number(s) for the NIC, depending on how many NICs are  
installed. The values appearing in the list are the slot values that you should use.  
Example:  
After you issue the command, a message appears. At the end of the message,  
additional text similar to the following appears:  
Total of 2 3C99x PCI adapter card(s) found. Supported slot  
values are 2,3.  
Slot:2  
Installing Server Features  
Two drivers are associated with 3Com Advanced Server technology features under  
NetWare: SE and LBRSL.  
1 From the Configuration Options screen select Product options.  
2 Select Install a product not listed.  
The following message appears:  
Product will be installed from A:\. If you are installing  
from floppy, insert the first diskette of the product you  
want to install into the drive and verify that the path above  
is correct.  
Press <F3> to specify a different path;  
Press <ENTER> to continue.  
3 Press F3.  
4 Enter this command:  
3c99xC_txm:\nwserver  
The following message appears:  
Product “3Com DynamicAccess Server Features” was found.  
Verify that this is the product you want to install before  
proceeding.  
Press <ENTER> to continue.  
Press <ESC> to abort installation.  
5 Press Enter.  
The system copies the 3Com Advanced Server software to the SYS volume.  
Configuring Groups  
1 Press Esc to return to the Installation Options screen.  
2 From the Configuration Options screen, select NCF files options (create/edit server  
startup files)  
3 Select Edit AUTOEXEC.NCF file.  
4 Make the following changes to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file:  
a Add a command to load the SE and LBRSL drivers before any commands to load  
LAN drivers. For example:  
load se  
load lbrsl  
62  
 
       
Installing and Configuring the NetWare Driver  
CAUTION: Do not set Novells Load Balance Local LAN=ON when using SE and  
LIBRSL (the 3Com Load Balancing suite).  
b Add or verify the LOAD commands for the LAN drivers for all slot-frame instances.  
c For each Load Balancing/RSL group, load the same protocols and frame types on  
the primary and all secondary NICs.  
d On the primary NIC only, bind a protocol to each slot-frame instance.  
e Remove any protocol BIND commands from each secondary NIC.  
f For each group, add an LBRSL GROUP command to group the primary and  
secondary NICs together. There can be only one LBRSL GROUP command per  
group, and it must list the primary and all secondary NICs. Place this command  
after the LAN driver LOAD commands or the SYS:ETC\INITSYS.NCF command. To  
specify a load balancing group with resilient server links, use the LB option. To  
specify a resilient server link group without load balancing, use the RSL option.  
CAUTION: If you are connecting the 3C990B NIC to a spanning tree-enabled hub  
or switch, it is possible that the link may drop during load/reset. To avoid this  
potential problem, avoid creating the load balancing group in the AUTOEXEC.NCF  
file and comment out the LBRSL GROUP/BIND LB <slot 1><slot 2> line. Wait a  
couple of minutes until one of the clients connected to the server is able to “see”  
the server. Then use the command prompt on the server console screen to enter  
the command shown above to form the load balancing group.  
For more information on maintaining the group configuration, see “Maintaining  
5 Save the AUTOEXEC.NCF file and return to the server prompt.  
The sample AUTOEXEC.NCF file below shows a group of two NICs. The primary NIC in slot  
10001 is bound to a secondary NIC in slot 10002.  
63  
 
   
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
load se  
load lbrsl  
;Define primary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10001 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p1_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10001 frame=ethernet_ii name=p1_ii  
;Define secondary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10002 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p2_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10002 frame=ethernet_ii name=p2_ii  
;Bind protocols to primary NIC  
bind ipx to p1_802.2 net=FF02  
bind ip to p1_ii address=192.1.1.1 mask=ff.ff.ff.00  
;Create a group with NIC 10001 primary and NIC 10002  
secondary  
lbrsl group lb 10001 10002  
;To create a resilient server link group without load  
balancing (for  
;use with NICs from manufacturers other than 3Com) use the  
rsl option:  
;lbrsl group rsl 10001 10002  
Verifying the Installation and Configuration  
To verify that the driver has been properly loaded on the NetWare server, perform the  
following procedure:  
1 At the system prompt, enter:  
load monitor  
The NetWare Monitor screen appears.  
2 From the Available Options menu, select LAN/WAN Drivers.  
The Available LAN Driver menu appears. If the driver has been properly loaded, the  
driver and frame types associated with the driver appear on this menu.  
3 Select a driver to view its associated statistics.  
A functioning driver displays packets being sent and received.  
To verify that the server is communicating over the network, complete the following  
procedure:  
1 Set up a NetWare client on a LAN supported by the server to be tested.  
2 Log in or map to the server.  
If you cannot log in or map to the server, the link is not functional.  
If the link is functional, the following message appears:  
Link integrity test for primary slot #XXXXX passed.  
64  
 
   
Changing NetWare Driver Configuration Parameters  
Changing NetWare Driver Configuration Parameters  
You can change server configuration parameters using the NetWare installation program  
Configuration screen. The following table lists the parameters shown on the Configuration  
screen. Default values are shown in uppercase text.  
Parameter  
Range of Values  
Description  
Slot Number  
All PCI slot numbers valid to  
the system  
Represents the PCI slot number of the physical  
NIC to be configured.  
Node Address  
Default is factory-assigned  
MAC address.  
Leave blank to use factory-assigned default.  
ENABLE_CHKSUM  
0 (Disable)  
NetWare 5.x only. Enter the parameter on the  
load line to enable TCP/IP checksum offload. The  
default value is 0 (zero), which means Disable.  
1 (Enable)  
Do not enable TCP/IP checksum offload if you  
plan to form load balancing/failover groups.  
SHD_LEVEL  
0 (None)  
1 — The default value, indicating Basic.  
Monitors levels for the following self-healing  
driver conditions: firmware heartbeat,  
interrupt availability, recoverable transmit and  
receive errors (CRC, transmit underruns,  
receive overruns, collisions, jabbers).  
1 (Basic)  
2 (Enhanced)  
3 (Basic + Enhanced)  
2 — Indicates Enhanced. In this state the NIC  
monitors DMA stalls and hardware errors.  
VERBOSE  
0 (Disable)  
1 — Enables driver warning and error messages.  
1 Enable  
The default value is 0 (zero), which means  
Disable.  
MEDIA_SELECT  
0 (Auto negotiate)  
Sets the media speed at which the NIC  
communicates with other network devices.  
1 (10 Mbps HALF duplex)  
2 (10 Mbps FULL duplex)  
3 (100 Mbps HALF duplex)  
4 (100 Mbps FULL duplex)  
The default value is 0 (zero), which means  
Auto negotiate. In Auto negotiate mode, the  
NIC automatically sets itself to the best  
possible speed and duplexity of the network.  
When set at any other valid value (1-4), the  
NIC is forced to connect at the rate indicated  
in the Range of Values column.  
Note: If you force the speed and duplexity on  
the NIC by using this parameter, make sure  
that the NIC has the same speed and duplexity  
as the network.  
Maintaining Groups  
3Com Advanced Server technology server features allow you to configure load balancing  
groups. The load balancing features are described in “3Com DynamicAccess Advanced  
The following 3Com Advanced Server technology features are available for NIC groups  
in NetWare:  
I load balancing  
I RSL failover  
65  
 
                               
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
The examples in this section illustrate typical actions you might take in the course of  
maintaining a 3Com Advanced Server server configuration under NetWare. They show  
how to add NICs and groups to a server where 3Com Advanced Server technology  
features are already installed and configured.  
Two drivers are associated with 3Com Advanced Server technology features in  
NetWare: SE and LBRSL.  
Planning the Configuration  
In planning the configuration of your load balancing groups, consider the following factors:  
I Plan the cable changes required to connect each primary NIC and all secondary NICs  
to the same network segment.  
I For optimum failover performance, turn the spanning tree feature off at switches that  
are connected directly to the server. If the spanning tree feature must be turned on, a  
failover may be delayed up to 30 seconds while the switch processes the spanning  
tree algorithm.  
I Decide which NICs are to be part of each group. Each group must include at least  
two NICs.  
I Decide whether you want to use a foreign NIC in one of the groups.  
One foreign NIC (one that is not a 3C990B NIC) is allowed in one group per server.  
I Decide which NIC is to be the primary NIC in each group.  
I Decide whether groups are to perform load balancing:  
I
I
I
Load balancing groups provide failover and share the network load.  
Resilient server link groups provide failover, but do not share the network load.  
If you plan to form load balancing/failover groups, do not enable TCP/IP checksum  
offload.  
I To use bidirectional load balancing, you must assign a dedicated IP address for each load  
balancing group. This address must be unique (not used elsewhere on the network).  
I Obtain the slot numbers of the NICs. You need these numbers if you are installing  
Adding a Secondary NIC to a Group  
To add a secondary NIC to a load balancing group, follow these steps:  
1 Install the new secondary NIC.  
Connect the new secondary NIC to the network that is used by the group.  
2 Make the following changes to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file:  
I
I
I
Add or verify the LOAD commands for the LAN drivers for all slot-frame instances.  
Load the same protocols and frame types on the new secondary NIC.  
Add the slot number of the new secondary NIC to the LBRSL GROUP command.  
3 Reboot the server.  
The sample AUTOEXEC.NCF file in the following figure shows a group of three NICs. The  
primary NIC in slot 10001 is bound to two secondary NICs in slot 10002 and slot 10003.  
66  
 
                   
Maintaining Groups  
load se  
load lbrsl  
;Define primary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10001 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p1_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10001 frame=ethernet_ii name=p1_ii  
;Define secondary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10002 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p2_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10002 frame=ethernet_ii name=p2_ii  
load 3c99x slot=10003 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p3_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10003 frame=ethernet_ii name=p3_ii  
;Bind protocols to primary NIC  
bind ipx to p1_802.2 net=FF02  
bind ip to p1_ii address=192.1.1.1 mask=ff.ff.ff.00  
;Create a group with NIC 10001 primary and NICs 10002 and  
1003 secondary  
lbrsl group lb 10001 10002 10003  
;To create a resilient server link group without load  
balancing (for  
;use with NICs from manufacturers other than 3Com) use the  
rsl option:  
;lbrsl group rsl 10001 10002 10003  
Adding a Group  
To add a load balancing group, follow these steps:  
1 Install the NICs.  
Connect all NICs in the group to the same network.  
2 Make the following changes to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file:  
I
Add or verify the LOAD commands for the LAN drivers for all slot-frame instances.  
I
In each group, load the same protocols and frame types on the primary and all  
secondary NICs.  
I
I
I
On the primary NIC only, bind a protocol to each slot-frame instance.  
Remove any BIND commands from each secondary NIC.  
For each group, add an LBRSL GROUP command to bind the primary and secondary  
NICs together. There can be only one LBRSL GROUP command per group, and it  
must list the primary and all secondary NICs. Place this command after the LAN  
driver LOAD commands or the SYS:ETC\INITSYS.NCF command. To specify a load  
balancing group with resilient server links, use the LB option. To specify a resilient  
server link group without load balancing, use the RSL option.  
67  
 
   
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
3 Reboot the server.  
The sample AUTOEXEC.NCF file in the following figure shows one group of three  
NICs and one group of two NICs. The primary NIC in slot 10001 is bound to two  
secondary NICs in slot 10002 and slot 10003. The primary NIC in slot 10004 is bound  
to the secondary NIC in slot 10005.  
load se  
load lbrsl  
;Define Group 1 primary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10001 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p1_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10001 frame=ethernet_ii name=p1_ii  
;Define Group 1 secondary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10002 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p2_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10002 frame=ethernet_ii name=p2_ii  
load 3c99x slot=10003 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p3_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10003 frame=ethernet_ii name=p3_ii  
;Define Group 2 primary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10004 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p4_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10004 frame=ethernet_ii name=p4_ii  
;Define Group 2 secondary NIC slot-frame instances  
load 3c99x slot=10005 frame=ethernet_802.2 name=p5_802.2  
load 3c99x slot=10005 frame=ethernet_ii name=p5_ii  
;Bind protocols to primary NICs  
bind ipx to p1_802.2 net=FF02  
bind ip to p1_ii address=192.1.1.1 mask=ff.ff.ff.00  
bind ipx to p4_802.2 net=FF04  
bind ip to p4_ii address=192.1.2.1 mask=ff.ff.ff.00  
;Create Group 1 with NIC 10001 primary  
;and NICs 10002 and 10003 secondary  
lbrsl group lb 10001 10002 10003  
;Create Group 2 with NIC 10004 primary  
;and NIC 10005 secondary  
lbrsl group lb 10004 10005  
;To create resilient server link groups without load balancing  
;use the rsl option:  
;lbrsl group rsl 10001 10002 10003  
;lbrsl group rsl 10004 10005  
68  
 
 
Maintaining Groups  
Server Feature Commands  
3Com Advanced Server feature commands for NetWare can be used to create sophisticated  
configurations of groups and for troubleshooting. You can enter them at the NetWare command  
line or add them to the appropriate NCF file. The commands are summarized below.  
As shown in the examples, all commands are preceded by the keyword lbrsl.  
group  
This command creates groups from specified slot parameters for primary and secondary NICs.  
Syntax  
lbrsl group lb addr RxIPAddr pri_slot sec_slot  
[sec_slot ...]  
lbrsl group rsl pri_slot sec_slot  
[sec_slot...]  
where:  
lb specifies a load balancing group.  
rsl specifies a resilient server link group.  
RxIPAddr is a dedicated IP address for the load balancing  
group  
pri_slot is the PCI slot number of the primary NIC.  
sec_slot is the PCI slot number of a secondary NIC.  
Example lbrsl group lb addr 192.1.1.100 10001  
10002  
lbrsl group rsl 10001 10002  
Default  
None  
display status  
This command displays information about all groups, or if a primary slot parameter is  
specified, only about the specified group. A separate message is displayed for each loaded  
frame type. Board numbers are also displayed. Information about the relationship  
between the board numbers and the frame types is shown in the NetWare 5 Console  
Monitor. On the Available Options screen, select LAN/WAN drivers for this information.  
Syntax  
lbrsl display status [pri_slot]  
where:  
pri_slot is the PCI slot number of the primary NIC in  
the group for which information is to be displayed. If  
this parameter is not specified, information for all  
groups is displayed. An example of the type of  
information displayed follows:  
Group NNN (LB group)  
Primary board id: Original NNN, Current NNN  
Load balancing on incoming IP packets: Enabled; IP Rx  
Addr: NN.NN.NN.NN  
Primary node address: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX  
Timeout values in seconds: send NNN, receive NNN,  
wait NNN, link NNN  
Probe Interval: NNN seconds  
Slot number NNN (Active), Node Address:  
XXX:XXX:XXX:XXX:XXX:XXX  
Example lbrsl display status 10001  
69  
 
           
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
help  
This command displays the syntax for the 3Com Advanced Server server features  
commands.  
Syntax  
lbrsl help  
link timeout  
When a group is being created, the software waits the number of seconds specified by  
this command for the link/topology check to finish and then displays timeout  
information.  
Syntax  
lbrsl link timeout seconds  
where:  
seconds is the time in seconds.  
Example lbrsl link timeout 10  
Default  
5
probe interval  
This command sets the probe packet interval. If no argument is specified or the specified  
argument is invalid, the current value is displayed. Otherwise, the new value is displayed.  
Syntax  
lbrsl probe interval seconds  
where seconds is the interval in seconds.  
Example lbrsl set probe interval 1  
Default  
1 second  
If the delay is longer than 1 second, NIC or link  
failures are not recognized as quickly.  
receive timeout  
This command sets the receive timeout individually for each group and displays a message  
for each loaded frame type.  
Syntax  
lbrsl receive timeout pri_slot seconds  
where:  
pri_slot is the PCI slot number of the primary NIC.  
seconds is the time in seconds  
Example lbrsl receive timeout 10001 1  
Default 1 second  
70  
 
                 
Maintaining Groups  
retry count  
This command sets the number of retries that the software attempts when a probe packet  
fails to appear at the receive end. After the retries, the software puts the board in Wait  
mode. If no argument is specified or the specified argument is invalid, the current value is  
displayed. Otherwise, the new value is displayed.  
Syntax  
lbrsl retry count number_of_retries  
where:  
number_of_retries is any positive integer  
Example lbrsl retry count 2  
Default  
5
send timeout  
This command sets the timeout value, in seconds, that the software waits before  
retransmitting a probe packet when a send request to the link support layer (LSL) is not  
acknowledged. A message is displayed for each loaded frame type.  
Syntax  
lbrsl send timeout pri_slot seconds  
where:  
pri_slot is the PCI slot number of the primary NIC.  
seconds is the time in seconds.  
Example lbrsl send timeout 1001 10  
Default  
10  
ungroup  
This command deletes a group. The LAN driver for the group must not be loaded. The  
following message appears for all frame types that the NIC supports:  
Cleaning up resources for group associated with Primary Slot  
#xxxx.  
Syntax  
lbrsl ungroup pri_slot  
where:  
pri_slot is the PCI slot number of the primary NIC.  
Example lbrsl ungroup 10001  
Default None  
71  
 
           
6
Installing NetWare Drivers  
wait timeout  
This command sets the timeout value, in seconds, that the software waits before marking  
specified argument is invalid, the current value is displayed. Otherwise, the new value is  
displayed.  
Syntax  
lbrsl wait timeout seconds  
where:  
seconds is any positive integer.  
Example lbrsl wait timeout 2  
Default  
1
Troubleshooting a Group Configuration  
Use the troubleshooting tip in the table below to solve problems that may occur in a  
group configuration.  
NOTE: To access a database of technical information that can help you diagnose  
and solve NIC installation, configuration, and upgrade problems, go to:  
http://knowledgebase.3com.com  
Symptom  
Tip  
More than one non-3Com server NIC  
has been detected in one or more  
groups on this server.  
You can use only one NIC that is not a 3Com server NIC in  
one 3Com load balancing/RSL group per server. Check the  
groups and remove all but one of the non-3Com server  
NICs from the groups.  
72  
 
       
7
Configuring the NIC  
This chapter describes how to configure the NIC.  
NOTE: Before you change the NIC configuration settings, contact your system  
administrator.  
Default NIC Settings  
The table below lists the configuration settings for the NIC. The default setting is shown in  
uppercase in the Settings column.  
Option  
Description  
Settings  
DISABLED  
NetBoot ROM  
Provides the ability to boot a PC over the network. Enables or  
disables the Netboot ROM (if a boot ROM is installed on the NIC).  
I
I
Enabled  
Duplex  
Determines if the NIC transmits data across the network in both  
directions simultaneously (full-duplex) or in one direction at a  
time (half-duplex).  
I
AUTO  
SELECT  
I
I
Full-Duplex  
Half-Duplex  
I
I
I
Auto Select allows the NIC to automatically connect at the  
duplex mode of the connected hub or switch. When you  
select this setting, the Media Type is automatically set to  
Auto Select.  
Full-Duplex sets the NIC to operate in full-duplex mode. To  
use this setting, the switch that you are connected to must  
support full-duplex. You must also manually set the NIC  
Media Type setting.  
Half-Duplex sets the NIC to operate in half-duplex mode. You  
must also set the NIC Media Type setting.  
Note: If you are running Windows 2000, changes made to the  
Duplex setting though the 3Com NIC Diagnostics are not  
reflected in the registry unless you also change the Media Select  
property setting in Windows 2000:  
1
In the Device Manager window, double-click Network  
adapters.  
2
3
4
Right-click the 3C990B NIC and select Properties.  
Select the Advanced tab.  
Select Media Select in the property list, and make the  
appropriate setting change in the Value list.  
(continued)  
73  
 
                   
7
Configuring the NIC  
Option  
Media Type  
Description  
Settings  
Determines the type of media your network is using.  
I
AUTO  
SELECT  
I
I
I
Auto Select allows the NIC to automatically select the Media  
Type for you.  
I
I
100BASE-TX  
(100 Mbs)  
If you set the NIC Duplex setting to Auto Select, the  
Media Type is automatically set to Auto Select.  
10BASE-T  
(10 Mbs)  
If you set the NIC Duplex setting manually, you must set the  
Media Type setting manually.  
Note: If you are running Windows 2000, changes made to the  
Media Type setting though the 3Com NIC Diagnostics are not  
reflected in the registry unless you also change the Media Select  
property setting in Windows 2000:  
1
In the Device Manager window, double-click Network  
adapters.  
2
3
4
Right-click the 3C990B NIC and select Properties.  
Select the Advanced tab.  
Select Media Select in the property list, and make the  
appropriate setting change in the Value list.  
Self Healing  
In BASIC mode, monitors firmware heartbeat and interrupt stalls,  
and tries to automatically reset the NIC.  
I
I
I
BASIC  
Disabled  
Enhanced  
Also monitors link status and reports changes.  
In ENHANCED mode, checks for transmit/receive errors and tries  
to recover.  
Error  
Tolerance  
Specifies threshold levels for transmit/receive errors. An RSL failover  
or NIC reset occurs when the threshold is exceeded during the  
sampling period.  
I
I
I
HIGH  
Medium  
Low  
I
I
I
High = 100 of each error category (default setting)  
Medium = 50 of each error category  
Low = 5 of each error category  
Alert Type  
Enabled alert types are reported to the Windows System Events  
monitor. The default setting is ALL. alert types:  
I
I
I
I
I
Off  
Information  
Warning  
Error  
- Information  
- Warning  
- Error  
ALL  
Flow Control  
When enabled, the NIC throttles the incoming data packet stream  
to prevent the input buffers from overflowing and losing packets.  
I
I
DISABLED  
Enabled  
74  
 
           
Configuration Methods  
Configuration Methods  
The NIC can be configured using any of the methods listed in the table below.  
NOTE: This section describes how to configure the NIC using the 3Com NIC  
Diagnostics program for Windows. For instructions on using the other two  
methods, see the file or section mentioned in the table.  
Method  
Description  
Requirement(s)  
3Com NIC  
Diagnosticsprogram  
for Windows  
Configure the NIC locally using the 3Com NIC  
Diagnostics program for Windows:  
Windows 2000  
Windows NT 4.0  
Windows Me  
Windows 98, or  
Windows 95  
1
Make sure that the 3Com NIC diagnostics  
program is installed. See “Installing the  
for installation instructions. See “Using the  
chapter for usage instructions.  
2
3
Open the Windows Start menu.  
Select Programs, and then  
3Com NIC Utilities.  
4
Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
3Com  
Configure the NIC locally using the 3Com  
Configuration and Diagnostics program for DOS:  
DOS or NetWare  
Configuration and  
Diagnosticsprogram  
for DOS  
1
2
3
Copy 3c99xcfg.exe from the EtherCD to the  
root directory of a DOS-bootable diskette.  
Reboot the PC using the DOS-  
bootable diskette.  
Enter at the DOS prompt:  
a:\3c99xcfg.exe  
Customers running Japanese DOS must switch  
to U.S. mode DOS before running this program.  
DMI 2.0 or 2.0s  
Configure the NIC remotely using the 3Com DMI  
Agent software.  
3Com DMI Agent and a  
DMI-compatible browser  
or a network  
management application  
that supports DMI 2.0  
or 2.0s  
Windows 2000  
Advanced Tab  
Configure the NIC locally as described in  
Windows 2000  
75  
 
     
7
Configuring the NIC  
Changing General NIC Configuration Settings  
This section describes two NIC configuration methods. Depending on your PC operating  
system, you can use one of the following configuration programs:  
I 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program—for PCs running Windows 2000, Windows NT  
4.0, Windows Me, Windows 98, or Windows 95.  
I 3Com Configuration and Diagnostics Program for DOS—for PCs running DOS  
and NetWare.  
Using the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program  
This section describes NIC configuration for PCs running Windows 2000, Windows NT  
4.0, Windows Me, Windows 98, or Windows 95.  
Before you configure the NIC, make sure that:  
I The NIC is installed in the PC and is connected to the network.  
I The network driver is installed.  
I The 3Com NIC Diagnostics program is installed.  
To change the NIC general configuration settings, such as network driver optimization,  
duplex mode, and media type:  
1 Open the Windows Start menu.  
2 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
3 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears.  
NOTE: Click Help to obtain general information about the function of a screen. To  
obtain specific information about any topic on a screen, click the question mark (?)  
in the upper right corner of the screen, move it over a topic, and click once.  
4 If your PC has more than one NIC installed, open the Network Interface Card (NIC) list  
box and select the NIC to be configured.  
5 Click the Configuration tab.  
The Configuration screen appears.  
6 Under Network Parameter, select the setting to be changed.  
For a description of each setting, click the question mark (?) in the upper right corner  
of the screen, move it over a setting, and click once.  
7 Open the Set Value list box and select a new value from the list of available options.  
Repeat the process to change any other configuration setting.  
To undo changes and return the settings to their previous values, click Undo Changes.  
To return the settings to the factory default settings, click Set Factory Defaults.  
8 Click OK to save the changes and exit the program.  
NOTE: For complete instructions on using the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program,  
76  
 
           
Configuring the Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)  
Using the 3Com DOS Configuration Program  
This section describes NIC configuration for computers running DOS or NetWare.  
To run the DOS diagnostic program:  
1 Copy 3c99xcfg.exe from the EtherCD to the root directory of a DOS-bootable diskette.  
2 Boot to DOS using the DOS-bootable diskette.  
3 Enter the following at the DOS prompt:  
a:\3c99xcfg.exe  
where a:\ is the drive containing the DOS-bootable diskette.  
If multiple NICs are installed in the PC, select Select NIC on the first screen to display a  
list of installed NICs. Use the arrow keys to select the NIC that you want to configure  
and press Enter.  
4 Use the arrow keys to scroll the list and make a selection. Press Enter.  
NOTE: On the Configuration screen, when you choose the Auto Select setting for  
Media Type, the setting for Duplex is automatically changed to Auto Select.  
Selecting Auto Select for Duplex automatically changes the Media Type setting to  
Auto Select.  
NOTE: Note that any configuration change you make through the Windows 2000  
Advanced tab overrides the same configuration setting made through the 3Com  
NIC (Windows) Diagnostic program or the 3Com DOS Diagnostic program.  
5 Continue this procedure for other options. For more information on a specific option,  
select the option and press F1.  
NOTE: Press Esc to return to a previous screen. If a secondary window is open,  
press Esc to close the window.  
Configuring the Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)  
This section explains how to configure the Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) boot ROM to  
boot from the network.  
NOTE: For detailed information on using, configuring, and troubleshooting the  
MBA boot ROM, refer to the Managed PC Boot Agent User Guide, located with  
the MBA software on the EtherCD.  
Enabling or Disabling the Boot ROM Setting  
The default NIC boot ROM setting is Disabled. This setting must be enabled to boot from  
the network.  
To enable or disable the NIC boot ROM setting:  
1 Make sure that the NIC is installed and is connected to the network and that the NIC  
driver is installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
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7
Configuring the NIC  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears.  
5 Select the Configuration tab.  
The Configuration screen appears.  
6 Under Network Parameter, select NetBoot ROM.  
7 Open the Set Value list box and select Enabled to enable the boot ROM or Disabled to  
disable the boot ROM.  
8 Click OK to save the setting and exit the program.  
Booting From the Network  
The boot process for the MBA boot ROM varies depending on the type of PC you have  
(BBS BIOS-compatible or non-BBS BIOS-compatible).  
If your PC was purchased recently, it may be BBS (BIOS Boot Specification) BIOS-  
compatible. The BBS determines how the system BIOS identifies boot devices in a PC (such  
as a CD-ROM drive, a hard drive, or a floppy drive), allows the user to select the boot  
order of these devices, and then attempts to boot from each device in the specified order.  
Refer to your PC documentation if you do not know which type of PC you have.  
BBS BIOS-Compatible PCs  
To enable a BBS BIOS-compatible PC to boot from the network using the MBA boot ROM:  
1 Make sure that the NIC boot ROM setting is Enabled.  
2 Set the MBA manually as the first boot device in the PC BIOS.  
Refer to your PC documentation for instructions on accessing and configuring the  
PC BIOS.  
3 Reboot the PC.  
The MBA attempts to boot from the network using the default boot method PXE. To  
change the default boot method or any other MBA configurations, press Ctrl+Alt+B  
when the following message appears:  
Initializing MBA. Press Ctrl+Alt+B to configure...  
If the network boot fails, the following message appears:  
Network boot aborted, press any key to continue  
The BIOS continues to the next device in the boot order (for example, the local hard drive).  
NOTE: To cancel the network boot, press Esc anytime during the network boot process.  
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Disabling the 3Com Logo  
Non-BBS BIOS-Compatible PCs  
To enable a non-BBS BIOS-compatible PC to boot from the network using the MBA boot ROM:  
1 Make sure that the NIC boot ROM setting is Enabled.  
2 Change the MBA default boot setting from Local to Network.  
To change the default boot setting or any other MBA configurations, use the  
MBACFG utility or press Ctrl+Alt+B when the following message appears:  
Initializing MBA. Press Ctrl+Alt+B to configure...  
CAUTION: For computers running Windows 98, boot directly to DOS (using a  
DOS-bootable diskette) instead of restarting in MS-DOS mode from a Windows 98  
session. The MBACFG.EXE program will not work properly if you restart in MS-  
DOS mode with the 3C990B NIC drivers loaded.  
NOTE: For more information on using, configuring, and troubleshooting the MBA  
boot ROM, refer to the Managed PC Boot Agent User Guide, located with  
the MBA software on the EtherCD.  
Disabling the 3Com Logo  
To disable the 3Com logo that appears during startup:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, the network driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears.  
5 On the General screen, make sure that the check box next to Show 3Com Logo on  
Startup is not selected.  
6 Exit the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program.  
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8
Troubleshooting the NIC  
This chapter describes procedures for locating problems you might have with the  
3Com 10/100 PCI (3C990B) NIC. It explains how to:  
I Interpret the NIC LEDs.  
I Access 3Com support databases.  
I Troubleshoot NIC installation problems.  
I Troubleshoot NIC and network connection problems.  
I Troubleshoot Remote Wake-Up.  
I Remove the network driver.  
NOTE: To access a database of technical information that can help you diagnose  
and solve NIC installation, configuration, and upgrade problems, go to:  
http://knowledgebase.3com.com  
Interpreting the NIC LEDs  
The 3C990B NICs have light-emitting diodes (LEDs), as described in the following table,  
that can assist with network troubleshooting.  
LED  
State  
Meaning  
If drivers are installed, the 10BASE-T connection is active.  
YEL/100 GRN/10  
Green  
If drivers are not installed, the NIC is receiving power.  
Something is preventing the connection between the NIC and the  
hub or switch.  
Off  
Blinking  
The cable polarity is reversed. Try a different network cable or  
contact your system administrator.  
If drivers are installed, the 100BASE-TX connection is active.  
If drivers are not installed, the NIC is receiving power.  
YEL/100 GRN/10  
Yellow  
Something is preventing the connection between the NIC and the  
hub or switch.  
Off  
The cable polarity is reversed. Try a different network cable or  
contact your system administrator.  
Blinking  
Network traffic is present.  
ACT (activity)  
Blinking  
Steady  
Heavy network traffic is present.  
No network traffic is present.  
Off  
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8
Troubleshooting the NIC  
Viewing the NIC LEDs in the Diagnostics Program  
To view the LEDs in the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, the network driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
are installed.  
NOTE: For instructions on using the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program, see  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears and displays following LEDs:  
Link — lights if there is a valid connection between the NIC and the network.  
Transmit — lights if the NIC is transmitting information.  
Receive — lights if the NIC is receiving information.  
Troubleshooting Problems with the LEDs  
If a Link LED indicates a problem, check the following ensure that:  
1 Your network hub or switch and the cable connecting to your NIC comply with the  
specifications appropriate for your network connection.  
2 The hub or switch is powered on.  
Accessing 3Com Support Databases  
In addition to the 3Com support databases listed in this section, check the README.TXT  
files in the ENGLISH, INSTALLS, and NWSERVER subdirectories and check the Help text  
files located in the HELP directory on the EtherCD.  
Accessing the 3Com Knowledgebase  
To access a database of technical information that can help you diagnose and solve NIC  
installation, configuration, and upgrade problems, go to:  
Accessing the 3Com NIC Help System  
To access the 3Com NIC Help system:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, its driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Select 3Com NIC Doctor Help.  
The main Help screen appears.  
5 Click Help Topics to display a list of Help topics or click Find to search for a Help topic.  
82  
 
                         
Troubleshooting the NIC Installation  
Accessing Release Notes and Frequently Asked Questions  
To access release notes and frequently asked questions about the NIC:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, its driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears.  
5 Click the Support tab.  
The Support screen appears.  
6 Click Support Databases to display customer support databases about the NIC in three  
categories:  
Release notes — Display tips about installing and using the NIC.  
Frequently asked questions — Display common questions asked by customers and  
answered by 3Com support experts.  
Knowledgebase topics — Display NIC compatibility topics.  
Troubleshooting the NIC Installation  
If you encounter any of the following problems or error messages, follow the steps in  
Problems/Error Messages  
I A red X or a A yellow exclamation point (!) appears by the name of the NIC in the  
Windows Device Manager.  
I The Network Neighborhood icon does not appear on the Windows desktop.  
I The NIC does not appear in the Network Configuration or Properties window.  
I Error: “This device is not present, not working properly, or does not have all of the  
driver installed. Code 22.”  
I Error: “Windows was unable to locate a driver for this device.”  
I Error: “You have selected a plug and play adapter. Please turn off your machine an  
install the adapter. Then turn on your machine and reinstall.”  
Cleaning Up a Broken Installation  
If the network driver installation failed, or was not completed properly, follow the steps  
below to clean up your system and install the NIC correctly.  
This procedure:  
I Removes all 3C990B NIC drivers from your system.  
I Removes the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program.  
I Installs the latest network driver.  
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8
Troubleshooting the NIC  
You can reinstall the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program after completing this procedure. See  
1 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
2 Click NIC Software.  
3 Click Installation Utilities.  
4 Click Undo Broken Installation and Uninstall.  
You are given the option to Proceed or go Back. Before proceeding, write down your  
network settings so that you can refer to your notes when you reinstall the NIC.  
5 Click Proceed.  
The uninstall process begins. A warning message appears.  
6 Click OK.  
A message appears stating that all of the 3C990B NICs have been removed from  
your system.  
7 Click OK.  
8 Exit the EtherCD, and then exit Windows.  
9 Restart the computer.  
If you are prompted for 3Com files when Windows restarts, open the drop-down box  
and select the following path:  
\options\cabs  
about confirming that the NIC and driver are properly installed.  
After the driver has been reinstalled, reinstall the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program. See  
Troubleshooting the Network Connection  
If you encounter problems with using the NIC or connecting to the network, check the  
table below for troubleshooting tips.  
CAUTION: Before inserting or removing the NIC from the computer, turn the  
computer power off and unplug the power cord.  
Tip  
Description  
Check the NIC  
Make sure that the NIC is installed correctly in a PCI slot. Check for specific  
hardware installation hardware problems, such as broken traces or loose or broken solder  
Check the NIC  
Make sure that the NIC software is installed correctly in the computer.  
software installation  
information about confirming that the NIC and driver are properly installed.  
(continued)  
84  
 
   
Troubleshooting Remote Wake-Up  
Tip  
Description (continued)  
Check the network  
connection  
I
Inspect all cables and connections. Make sure that the cable complies with  
length and rating specifications described in “Installing and Connecting  
I
Examine the cable for obvious signs of damage, wear, or crimping.  
Substitute a known working cable. Check the length and rating of the  
cable. Make sure that the cable complies with 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX  
recommendations.  
Check the  
computer BIOS  
Make sure that you are running the latest BIOS for your computer. If the BIOS  
has not been upgraded in the previous 12 months, contact the computer  
manufacturer to obtain the current version of the BIOS software.  
Run the NIC  
diagnostic tests  
If the tests fail, replace the NIC with a known working NIC and run the tests  
again, using the same configuration settings as those used on the failed NIC. If  
the working NIC passes all tests, the original NIC is probably defective. For  
information on product repair, see “Technical Support” on page 109.  
Check the  
Review the known problems and solutions found in the following areas:  
3Com support  
databases  
I
I
I
3Com Knowledgebase  
3Com NIC Help system  
Release Notes and Frequently Asked Questions  
using these databases.  
Download the latest  
NIC driver  
The 3Com Software Library is your World Wide Web connection to software,  
drivers, and INF files for all 3Com products. Point your browser to the 3Com  
Web page (http://www.3com.com/). Under Service and Support, click  
Software, Drivers & INFs.  
Run the Clean Up  
Failed Installation  
program  
The Clean Up Failed Installation program is located on the EtherCD. See  
Troubleshooting Remote Wake-Up  
If your computer does not boot in response to a Remote Wake-Up event, perform these  
troubleshooting steps:  
NOTE: Wake-On-Error is enabled by default.  
2 Make sure that you are using the latest driver for the NIC.  
This driver is shipped with the NIC on the EtherCD. It can also be downloaded from the  
3Com Software Library. Point your Web browser to the 3Com home page:  
Under “Service and Support,” click Software, Drivers, and INFs.  
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8
Troubleshooting the NIC  
3 Check the computer BIOS.  
I
Boot the computer and enter the BIOS.  
I
For instructions on entering the BIOS, refer to the computer documentation or  
consult the computer vendor.  
I
I
Locate the Wake-Up on LAN event setting.  
Verify that the setting is enabled.  
4 Check the Remote Wake-Up cable connection.  
If the computer complies with PCI 2.2, the Remote Wake-Up cable is not required.  
Remote Wake-Up is automatically enabled through the PCI bus.  
I
Turn off the power to the computer and remove the computer cover.  
I
Make sure that the Remote Wake-Up cable is plugged in to the RWU connector on  
the NIC and in to the appropriate connector on the computer motherboard.  
Unplug and reinsert the cable if necessary.  
I
Replace the Remote Wake-Up cable with a known functioning Remote Wake-Up  
cable and perform the Remote Wake-Up Test again.  
5 If the previous steps have failed, install a known functioning Remote Wake-Up NIC in  
the computer.  
If Remote Wake-Up works with the new NIC installed, consult your computer vendor  
for a replacement NIC.  
If Remote Wake-Up does not work with the new NIC installed, there may be a  
problem with the computer motherboard. Consult your computer manufacturer.  
Troubleshooting a Network Connection  
When working with 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX cabling, concentrators, and NICs from  
different vendors, it is possible to connect everything but still have no network  
communication.  
To narrow the range of possible causes of common network connection problems:  
1 Determine whether your equipment complies with the 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX standard.  
This is particularly important for data concentrators (hubs or repeaters).  
2 Connect a straight-through cable from the PC to the hub.  
The hub performs an internal crossover so that the signal can go from TD+ to RD+  
and TD– to RD–. When you look at an RJ-45 connector from the front (that is, the  
opposite side from where the wires enter the connector), pin 1 is identified on the  
right side when the metal contacts are facing up.  
3 Make sure that the TD+ and TD– wires are twisted together, and that the RD+ and  
RD– are twisted together.  
Using wires from opposing pairs can cause signals to be lost.  
86  
 
   
Removing the Network Driver  
Troubleshooting Hubs  
A crossover cable can be used to identify the type of failure when hub performance or  
connectivity is in question.  
To use a crossover cable:  
1 Connect a file server and a client PC back-to-back with a crossover cable to verify that  
the NIC and network operating system are properly configured.  
2 To make a crossover cable, connect TD+ to RD+ and TD– to RD–.  
The cable performs the crossover that is usually performed by the hub.  
Cabling Pinouts  
The following illustration compares the cabling pinouts for straight-through and crossover cables.  
12345678  
Straight-through  
10BASE-T cable  
Crossover  
10BASE-T cable  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TD+ 1  
1
TD+  
TD2  
2 TD–  
3
4
5
3
4
5
RD+  
RD+  
RD6  
6 RD–  
7
8
7
8
If the file server and client PC function together as a small network, then either the  
existing cabling or the hub is failing.  
When a crossover cable is used, the LED on the NIC functions differently than it would  
under normal operating conditions. For example, with a correct crossover connection, the  
LED lights, whereas with a straight-through connection, the LED does not light. If you  
make a crossover cable and the polarity is mismatched (that is, TD+ to RD– instead of TD+  
to RD+), the LED blinks.  
Removing the Network Driver  
To remove the network driver from your computer, follow the steps for your operating system.  
Windows 2000  
The Windows 2000 system does not allow you to uninstall the network driver from the  
Network and Dial-up Connections window. To remove the network driver:  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon.  
2 Select Properties on the pop-up menu.  
The System Properties screen appears.  
3 Select the Hardware tab.  
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8
Troubleshooting the NIC  
4 Click Device Manager in the middle panel.  
The Device Manager screen appears.  
5 Double-click Network Adapters.  
6 Right-click the name of the NIC.  
7 Select Uninstall on the pop-up menu.  
A warning message appears.  
8 Click OK to confirm the driver removal.  
The network driver is removed. The Device Manager screen appears.  
NOTE: The Windows 2000 system does not allow you to uninstall the 3Com  
Advanced Server technology miniport using the Device Manager. To remove  
Advanced Server technology features in Windows 2000, see “Removing 3Com  
9 Exit the Device Manager and shut down Windows.  
To reinstall the NIC driver and software, restart the computer.  
To physically remove the NIC from the computer, shut down the system, turn the  
power off, and remove the NIC from the computer.  
Windows NT 4.0  
To remove the network driver:  
1 Double-click the My Computer icon, then the Control Panel icon, and then the  
Network icon.  
The Network screen appears.  
2 Click the Adapters tab.  
3 Select the name of the NIC in the Network Adapters box, and then click Remove.  
4 Click Yes to confirm the removal.  
5 Click Close to close the Network screen.  
You are prompted to restart the computer.  
6 Depending on whether you are removing the NIC or reinstalling NIC software, do the  
following:  
I
If you are physically removing the NIC from the computer, click No. Do not restart  
the computer until you shut down the system, turn the power off, and remove the  
NIC from the computer.  
I
If you are reinstalling the NIC software, click Yes to restart the computer.  
Windows 95, 98, and Me  
To remove the network driver:  
1 Double-click the My Computer icon, then the Control Panel icon, and then the  
System icon.  
2 Click the Device Manager tab.  
3 Double-click Network adapters.  
4 Select the name of the NIC.  
5 Click Remove.  
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Removing 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server Features  
6 Click OK to confirm the device removal.  
NOTE: Note that removing the network driver does not result in the removal of  
You are prompted to restart the computer.  
If you are physically removing the NIC from the computer, click No. Do not restart the  
computer until you shut down the system, turn the power off, and remove the NIC from  
the computer.  
If you are reinstalling the NIC software, click Yes to restart the computer.  
Removing 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server Features  
Follow the steps in this section to remove 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server features  
for your operating system.  
Windows NT 4.0  
To remove 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server features:  
1 From the Start menu, select Settings/Control Panel.  
2 Double-click the Network icon.  
3 In the Network window, click the Protocols tab.  
4 In the Protocols tab, select DA Pass Thru Driver Transport.  
5 Click Remove.  
6 Follow the prompts to remove the software and reboot the server.  
Windows 2000  
The Windows 2000 system does not allow you to uninstall the 3Com Advanced Server  
technology miniport using the Device Manager. To remove 3Com DynamicAccess  
Advanced Server features:  
1 Launch the Windows 2000 Network and Dial-up Connections window.  
2 Select a Local Area Connection icon.  
3 Click the right mouse button and select Properties from the menu. The Local Area  
Connections Properties window appears.  
4 Click the General tab.  
5 In the General window, select DynamicAccess Protocol and click Uninstall.  
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8
Troubleshooting the NIC  
NetWare  
To remove 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server features:  
1 Enter this command at the prompt:  
NetWare 4.11: load install  
NetWare 5.x: load nwconfig  
2 In the Installation Options screen, select Product options.  
3 In the Other Installation Actions screen, select View/Configure/Remove installed products.  
The Currently Installed Products screen appears, listing software products that are  
installed in the system.  
4 From the list of products, select 3Com DynamicAccess Server Features and press Del.  
Select Yes to remove the software.  
NOTE: For instructions on removing the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program from  
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9
Running NIC Diagnostics  
The 3Com 10/100 PCI (3C990B) NIC uses two types of NIC diagnostics programs: a  
Windows-based diagnostics program and a DOS-based diagnostics program.  
NOTE: Before starting any diagnostics program, close all running applications.  
Use the Windows-based 3Com NIC Diagnostics program if you are running any of the  
following operating systems:  
I Windows 2000  
I Windows NT 4.0  
I Windows Me  
I Windows 98  
I Windows 95  
Use the 3Com DOS Diagnostics program if you are running any of the following operating  
systems:  
I DOS  
I NetWare  
NOTE: The following sections explain how to start both NIC diagnostics programs.  
However, specific instructions are provided only for using the Windows-based  
3Com NIC Diagnostics program.  
This chapter explains how to:  
I Run the NIC diagnostic tests.  
I View the NIC LEDs in the NIC Diagnostics program.  
I View network statistics.  
I Use the 3Com icon in the Windows system tray.  
I Remove the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program.  
Running the 3Com DOS Diagnostics Program  
To start the 3Com DOS diagnostics program for DOS and NetWare installations:  
1 Copy 3c99xcfg.exe from the EtherCD to the root directory of a DOS-bootable diskette.  
CAUTION: If you are running Japanese DOS, you must switch to U.S. mode DOS  
before running the 3Com DOS diagnostics program.  
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9
Running NIC Diagnostics  
2 Boot to DOS using the DOS-bootable diskette.  
3 Enter the following at the DOS prompt:  
a:\3c99xcfg.exe  
where a:\ is the drive containing the DOS-bootable diskette.  
For more information about the 3Com DOS Diagnostics program to configure the NIC,  
Running the NIC Diagnostics Tests  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows contains tests that can check the status  
of the following items:  
I Network  
I NIC  
To run the NIC Test or Network Test:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, the network driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics screen appears.  
NOTE: Click Help to obtain general information about the function of a screen. To  
obtain specific information about any topic on a screen, click the question mark (?)  
in the upper right corner of the screen, move it over a topic, and click once.  
The following tabs are available for viewing NIC data:  
Tab  
Description  
General  
Select the General tab to display the node address, I/O address, and  
device ID for the installed NIC.  
Configuration  
Statistics  
Select the Configuration tab to view and modify configuration  
settings for the installed NIC.  
Select the Statistics tab to view network traffic statistics about the  
installed NIC.  
Diagnostics  
Support  
Select the Diagnostics tab to access diagnostics tests that you can  
run on the installed NIC.  
Select the Support tab to access various 3Com customer support  
resources.  
Utilities  
Select the Utilities tab to:  
- Update firmware for the installed NIC.  
- Perform an encryption loopback test (to test the encryption chip).  
- Test the SMBus on the system.  
5 Select the Diagnostics tab.  
The Diagnostics screen appears.  
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Viewing the NIC LEDs in the 3Com Diagnostics Program  
Running the Network Test  
Run the Network Test to check the NIC connectivity to the network.  
To successfully pass the Network Connectivity test, at least one of the following conditions  
must be met:  
I A Windows client running on the same network. This client must have a successfully  
installed Windows diagnostics program that is currently not running.  
I A NetWare server running on the same network.  
I A DHCP server running on the same network.  
A DNS server running on the same network with TCP/IP properties configured for the  
DNS server.  
To run the Network test:  
1 On the Diagnostics screen, click Run Network Test.  
The Network Connectivity Test screen appears.  
2 Click Start.  
If the test passes, the NIC connection to the network is functioning correctly.  
3 Click Close.  
If the test fails, make sure that the:  
I
I
I
NIC is properly connected to the network cable.  
Hub or switch to which the NIC is connected is powered on.  
Cable complies with the proper length and specifications for your network.  
Running the NIC Test  
Run the NIC Test to check the physical components, connectors, and circuitry on the NIC.  
1 On the Diagnostics screen, click Run NIC Test.  
The NIC Test screen appears.  
2 Click Perform NIC Test.  
While the test is running, a progress bar indicates test progress.  
If the test passes, the NIC is functioning correctly.  
If the test fails, a message indicates the error type. Click Help in the error message  
screen to obtain more information.  
3 Click Close.  
Viewing the NIC LEDs in the 3Com Diagnostics Program  
To view the LEDs in the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, the network driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
93  
 
           
9
Running NIC Diagnostics  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears and displays following LEDs:  
Link—lights if there is a valid connection between the NIC and the network.  
Transmit—lights if the NIC is transmitting information.  
Receive—lights if the NIC is receiving information.  
Viewing Network Statistics  
To view statistical information about the network:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, the network driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears.  
5 Click the Statistics tab.  
The Statistics screen appears, providing numerical data for a variety of network  
events, such as: packets transmitted, bytes transmitted, late collisions, and so forth.  
The information is updated by the NIC driver every five seconds.  
For a description of each statistic, click the question mark (?) in the upper right corner  
of the screen, drag it over a statistic and click once. A pop-up box appears, displaying  
information about the statistic.  
6 Click OK to exit the diagnostics program. To go to another diagnostics screen, click  
the appropriate tab.  
Using the 3Com Icon in the Windows System Tray  
The 3Com icon, which can be enabled to appear in the Windows system tray, allows you  
to start the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program. It also allows you to view the NICs link speed  
and number of frames sent and received.  
Enabling the Icon  
To display the 3Com icon in the Windows system tray:  
1 Make sure that the NIC, the network driver, and the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
are installed.  
2 Open the Windows Start menu.  
3 Select Programs, and then 3Com NIC Utilities.  
4 Click 3Com NIC Doctor.  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics General screen appears.  
5 On the General screen, select the check box next to Show Icon in System Tray.  
6 Close the 3Com NIC Diagnostic program.  
The NIC icon appears in the Windows system tray.  
When you double-click the icon, the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program starts.  
94  
 
                     
Removing the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program  
Displaying Network Statistics  
When you drag the mouse pointer over the icon (but do not double-click the icon) a  
network statistics box appears, displaying the following information:  
Frames Sent and Received—A count of the number of frames (packets) sent and  
received through the NIC since the last time statistics were reset.  
Link Speed—The speed (10 Mbps or 100 Mbps) at which the NIC is connected to the network.  
The information is updated each time you move your mouse pointer over the 3Com icon.  
Removing the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program  
The 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program can be removed using the Add/Remove Programs  
Wizard in Windows, or by using the EtherCD.  
For instructions on using the Add/Remove Programs Wizard in Windows, refer to your  
Windows documentation.  
To remove the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program using the EtherCD:  
1 Start Windows.  
2 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
3 Click NIC Software.  
4 Click NIC Drivers and Diagnostics.  
5 Click Installation Utilities.  
6 Click Remove Diagnostics.  
7 Click Proceed, and then follow the prompts on the screen.  
95  
 
           
 
Specifications and  
A
Cabling Requirements  
This appendix lists the specifications, standards conformance, cable requirements, and  
connector pin assignments for the 3Com 10/100 PCI NIC.  
3C990B NIC Specifications  
The following table provides environmental, interface, and standards information for the  
3Com 10/100 PCI NIC with 3XP processor (3C990B family).  
Hardware  
Memory  
128 KB external RAM  
Bus interface  
PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.2  
32-bit bus  
PCI master  
Dimensions  
Supports bus master scatter-gather DMAs.  
Length: 13.31 cm (5.24 in)  
Height: 8.51 cm (3.35 in)  
Power requirement  
+5 V 5% operating 1.26A maximum for normal operation (375  
mA for low power mode)  
Network Interface  
10 Mbps Ethernet 10BASE-  
T
Ethernet IEEE 802.3 industry standard for a 10 Mbps baseband  
CSMA/CD local area network  
100 Mbps Ethernet  
100BASE-TX  
Ethernet IEEE 802.3u industry standard for a 100 Mbps baseband  
CSMA/CD local area network  
Environment  
Operating temperature  
Storage temperature  
Operating humidity  
Storage humidity  
Altitude  
32˚ to 158˚ F (0˚ to 70˚ C)  
–22˚ to 194˚ F (–30˚ to 90˚ C)  
10 to 90% noncondensing  
10 to 90% noncondensing  
–300 to 3,000 m (–984 ft to 9,840 ft)  
Standards Conformance  
IEEE 802.3 10BASE-T  
IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-TX  
IEEE 802.3x full-duplex, auto negotiation, and flow control  
IEEE 802.1p (General Attribute Registration protocol) for multicast addresses  
IEEE 802.1Q VLAN Tagging  
(continued)  
97  
 
       
A
Specifications and Cabling Requirements  
Standards Conformance  
Microsoft PC97  
Microsoft PC98  
Microsoft PC99  
PCI 2.1 and 2.2  
DMI 1.0 and 2.0  
ACPI 1.0  
SMBus 2.2  
WBEM, CIM, WMI  
Cabling Requirements  
The cable, quality, distance, and connectors must comply with the  
Electronic Industries Association/Telecommunications Industries Association (EIA/TIA) 568  
Commercial Building Wiring Standard and the Technical Services Bulletin TSB38 standards.  
Network connection criteria are shown below:  
NIC:  
3C990B family  
Cable:  
Category 3, 4, or 5 unshielded twisted pair  
Network cable connector:  
Transceiver:  
RJ-45  
On-board  
Maximum Network Segment:  
Speed:  
100 m (328 ft)  
10/100 Mbps  
Media Type:  
10BASE-T  
100BASE-TX  
RJ-45 Connector Pin Assignments  
The following illustration shows the RJ-45 connector pin assignments for the  
3C990B NICs.  
YE  
L/100  
N/10  
G
R
1 TD+  
_
AC  
T
2 TD  
3 RD+  
4
5
_
6 RD  
7
8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  
98  
 
           
B
Installing the 3Com DMI Agent  
This appendix explains how to install the 3Com Desktop Management Interface (DMI)  
Agent on your PC.  
The 3Com DMI Agent allows any DMI-compatible browser or network management  
application that supports DMI 2.0 to remotely manage and configure advanced features  
of a 3C990B NIC.  
NOTE: For detailed information about the 3Com DMI Agent, refer to the 3Com  
DMI Agent User Guide included with the 3Com DMI Agent software on the  
EtherCD.  
About the 3Com DMI Agent  
The 3Com DMI Agent allows you to obtain basic NIC information, including:  
I Node address  
I MAC address  
I Driver version  
Additionally, depending on the features of your NIC, the 3Com DMI Agent allows you to  
view and configure advanced NIC features, including:  
I Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) software  
I Remote Wake-Up events  
I Workgroup keep-alive packet  
I Remote system alerts (including heartbeat)  
Each PC that contains a 3C990B NIC and the 3Com DMI Agent generates a Management  
Information Format (MIF) file that contains information about the PC and the NIC. DMI  
applications use the information from the MIF to manage the PC and the NIC.  
The content of the MIF is based on the capabilities of the NIC driver found in the PC. For  
example, if a NIC with an MBA boot ROM is found, all groups related to the boot ROM  
are included in the MIF for that particular NIC. This ensures that the network management  
application does not receive irrelevant information for the NIC.  
For a description of each MIF supported by the 3Com DMI Agent, refer to the 3Com DMI  
Agent User Guide included with the 3Com DMI Agent software on the EtherCD.  
System Requirements  
This section lists the client PC and network management requirements for installing and  
using the 3Com DMI Agent.  
Client PC Requirements  
Your PC requires the following items to use the 3Com DMI Agent:  
I DMI Service Provider 2.0 or greater (such as Smart Technologies Service Provider 2.0)  
I NDIS 3, 4, or 5 driver  
99  
 
             
B
Installing the 3Com DMI Agent  
I Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Me, Windows 98, or Windows 95 using  
the appropriate Service Pack listed below:  
I
I
I
Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4  
Windows 98 Retail Release  
Windows 95 Retail Service Pack 1 or OEM Service Release (OSR2)  
Network Management Requirements  
The 3Com DMI Agent InstallShield Wizard checks for the presence of a DMI service  
provider on the computer you are configuring as a network management station. The  
network management station requires a DMI-compatible browser or a network  
management application that supports DMI 2.0, such as:  
I Hewlett Packard TopTools  
I Tivoli Management Suite  
I Dell OpenManage  
I Compaq Insight Manager Management Station  
I Intel LANDesk Client Manager  
Installing the 3Com DMI Agent  
This section describes how to install the 3Com DMI Agent on a PC running  
Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Me, Windows 98, or Windows 95.  
NOTE: Before installing the DMI Agent, logon to the PC with an account that has  
system administration privileges.  
To install the 3Com DMI Agent:  
1 Make sure that the PC meets the requirements listed in “Client PC Requirements” on  
2 Make sure that the 3C990B NIC is installed in the PC and is connected to the network.  
3 Insert the EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
The EtherCD Welcome screen appears.  
4 Click NIC Software.  
5 Click Install 3Com DMI Agent Now.  
The 3Com DMI Agent setup program prepares the InstallShield Wizard, which allows  
you to:  
I
View the latest README.TXT file  
I
Copy the 3Com DMI Agent User Guide to your computer hard drive.  
NOTE: The 3Com DMI Agent User Guide is in Microsoft Word format. If you do  
not currently have access to Microsoft Word, you can download a free version of  
the Microsoft Word reader from the Microsoft Web site.  
I
Install the 3Com DMI Agent software  
100  
 
       
Installing the 3Com DMI Agent  
6 Follow the prompts on the screen.  
To verify successful installation, use a DMI-compatible browser or a network  
management application that supports DMI 2.0 or 2.0s to verify that the 3Com NIC  
is present.  
NOTE: If you have 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server features and a foreign  
(non-3Com) NIC installed, the foreign NIC is displayed as a 3Com NIC in the DMI  
browser.  
Refer to the 3Com DMI Agent User Guide or contact your system administrator for  
instructions.  
101  
 
 
C
EtherCD Content and Navigation  
This appendix provides information about EtherCD content and navigation.  
If auto insert is enabled for your CD-ROM drive, the 3Com Welcome screen is displayed  
when you insert the EtherCD in your CD-ROM drive.  
If the Welcome screen is not displayed when you insert the EtherCD in your CD-ROM  
drive, you can:  
or  
The following table describes the navigation links available on the Welcome screen:  
Links  
Description  
User Guide  
I
I
Prints a PDF version of the user guide.  
Copies a PDF version of the user guide to your computer hard drive.  
NIC Software  
I
I
I
Installs and configures the NIC in supported Windows operating systems.  
Installs 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server features.  
Creates installation diskettes to install the NIC software in a PC that does not  
have a CD-ROM drive installed.  
Other Software  
I
Installs Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 4.0 for English or version 3.0 for  
international).  
Register Product  
Release Notes  
I
I
Registers your NIC product online.  
Describes the features of 3C990B NICs, includes frequently asked questions  
and known problems.  
103  
 
     
C
EtherCD Content and Navigation  
Root Subdirectories List  
The following table lists and describes the root subdirectories included on the EtherCD  
that shipped with this product.  
Subdirectory  
Contains  
English  
In each language subdirectory files specific to that language. This subdirectory  
contains copies of Adobe Acrobat Reader (4.0 or 3.0), CMI Client installation files,  
the Disk Copy utility, and a PDF version of the user guide.  
Help  
Installation and configuration files, basic troubleshooting, support information,  
and system resource information.  
Installs  
Images for 3Com DynamicAccess Advanced Server features, MBA, and 3Com  
EtherDisk diskettes.  
Ndis2  
The DOS NDIS 2.x driver.  
NWClient  
A DOS NetWare client driver file and runtime image file, a sample NET.CFG file,  
and an installer for the DOS ODI client driver.  
NWServer  
A server driver, LDI import file, and appropriate .NLMs for loading into a NetWare  
4.11 or 5.x server.  
Enabling Auto Insert  
If auto insert is not enabled for your CD-ROM drive, the EtherCD Welcome screen is not  
displayed when you insert the EtherCD in your CD-ROM drive. To enable auto insert on  
your (Windows 9x) CD-ROM drive:  
1 Right-click the My Computer icon, and then select Properties.  
2 Select the Device Manager tab.  
3 Click the + symbol next to CD-ROM in the list.  
4 Select the name of your CD-ROM drive.  
5 Click Properties, and then select the Settings tab.  
6 Select the check box for Auto insert notification.  
To view the Welcome screen on the CD navigator with auto insert enabled, reinsert the  
CD in the CD-ROM drive.  
104  
 
     
Text Files List  
Text Files List  
The following table lists the text files that are included in the Help directory on the  
3Com EtherCD.  
File Name  
client32.txt  
license.txt  
netware.txt  
File Description  
Contains NetWare 4.11 on Windows 95/98 client driver installation notes.  
Includes the 3C990B NIC software license agreement.  
Explains how to install the ODI driver for the NetWare 4.1x and 5.x server. You can  
also get NetWare installation instructions from README text files located in the  
following directories:  
\nwserver\readme.txt (client)  
\nwserver\readme_se.txt (server)  
\english\diskcopy\disk2\nwserver\readme.txt (client)  
\english\diskcopy\disk2\nwserver\readme_se.txt (server)  
nwdosodi.txt  
register.txt  
support.txt  
trouble.txt  
unt_nt4.txt  
Explains how to install the driver for a 16-bit NetWare client running DOS.  
Explains why and how to register your NIC.  
Contains information about technical assistance services available from 3Com.  
Contains troubleshooting tips.  
Explains how to perform an automated installation of Windows NT 4.0 over the  
network (unattended install).  
unt_w98.txt  
w95ndis.txt  
Explains how to perform an automated installation of Windows 98 over the  
network (unattended install).  
Provides instructions specific to Windows 95 for first-time installations, updating  
drivers, removing the NIC driver and EtherCD software, troubleshooting  
installation problems, and a peer-to-peer networking overview.  
w95netwr.txt  
Explains how to install the Windows 95 driver to support the Microsoft client for  
NetWare networks.  
wakefaq.txt  
win2000.txt  
Contains common questions and answers about Remote Wake-Up.  
Explains how to install the NIC, verify a successful installation, uninstall the NIC  
software, and update the driver.  
win98.txt  
winnt.txt  
Explains how to install the NIC, verify a successful installation, uninstall the NIC  
software, and update the driver.  
Provides installation instructions and troubleshooting tips for installing drivers in  
Windows NT 4.0.  
In addition to the Help directory, you can find general installation information and the  
latest release notes in the \INSTALLS\README.TXT file (or on EtherDisk 1, if you install  
from diskettes.)  
105  
 
   
 
Installing a 3Com NIC While  
Installing the NOS  
D
Follow these instructions to install 3Com software while you are installing the network  
operating system. (This procedure is often called “performing a fresh installation.”)  
Windows Fresh Installation  
To display the Help system during the driver installation, click Help on any 3Com window.  
Windows NT  
For instructions, see the WINNT.TXT file in the HELP directory on the EtherCD.  
Windows 2000  
During the Windows 2000 installation, the Hardware Wizard detects installed NICs and  
installs drivers it finds for them from the Windows 2000 CD. If you want to install the  
latest software from the EtherCD after you finish installing Windows 2000, restart the  
server and follow the instructions for Windows in “Updating the Network Driver and NIC  
NetWare Fresh Installation  
These instructions apply to NetWare versions 4.11 and 5.x.  
Requirements  
Installation Instructions  
These instructions are intended for installing from the 3Com EtherCD. If you download  
3Com software from the Web and make installation diskettes to use for the installation,  
the steps are slightly different (you do not need to remove and replace the NetWare CD).  
1 Install the NIC hardware and connect it to the network.  
2 Start the installation and proceed as usual until you reach the Device Types screen.  
3 In the Device Types screen:  
Locate the Network Boards field, and notice that there are no NICs listed. From the  
Options menu, select Modify.  
4 In the next screen, select Network Boards and press Enter.  
5 Press Insert (Add a Board).  
6 Press Insert (Add Unlisted Driver).  
7 Remove the NetWare CD from the CD-ROM drive.  
8 Insert the 3Com EtherCD in the CD-ROM drive.  
9 Press F3.  
107  
 
                             
D
Installing a 3Com NIC While Installing the NOS  
10 Enter the location of the driver on the 3Com EtherCD. For example:  
D:\nwserver  
11 In the Driver Summary screen, select 3C99X.LAN and press Enter.  
Edit parameters as necessary.  
12 From the Additional Driver Options menu, select Return to Driver Summary.  
13 Remove the EtherCD from the CD-ROM drive.  
14 Insert the NetWare CD in the CD-ROM drive.  
15 From the Options menu, select Continue.  
The installation continues.  
In NetWare 5.x, the Configure Server Properties windows appear. Locate the Network  
Boards list in the Protocols window. The installed NICs are listed in this window. Select  
each installed NIC and configure its protocols. Proceed with the installation, and  
reboot when you are prompted to do so.  
16 When the installation is finished, edit the STARTUP.NCF file.  
Specify receive buffers for each installed NIC.  
108  
 
E
Technical Support  
3Com provides easy access to technical support information through a variety of services.  
This appendix describes these services.  
Information contained in this appendix is correct at time of publication. For the most  
recent information, 3Com recommends that you access the 3Com Corporation World  
Wide Web site.  
Online Technical Services  
3Com offers worldwide product support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through the  
following online systems:  
I World Wide Web site  
I 3Com Knowledgebase Web Services  
I 3Com FTP site  
World Wide Web Site  
To access the latest networking information on the 3Com Corporation World Wide Web  
site enter this URL into your Internet browser:  
http://www.3com.com/  
This service provides access to online support information such as technical  
documentation and software library, as well as support options that range from technical  
education to maintenance and professional services.  
3Com Knowledgebase Web Services  
This interactive tool contains technical product information compiled by 3Com expert  
technical engineers around the globe. Located on the World Wide Web at http://  
knowledgebase.3com.com, this service gives all 3Com customers and partners  
complementary, round-the-clock access to technical information on most 3Com products.  
3Com FTP Site  
Download drivers, patches, software, and MIBs across the Internet from the 3Com public  
FTP site. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  
To connect to the 3Com FTP site, enter the following information into your FTP client:  
I Hostname: ftp.3com.com  
I Username: anonymous  
I Password: <your Internet e-mail address>  
NOTE: You do not need a user name and password with Web browser software  
such as Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer.  
109  
 
                     
E
Technical Support  
Support from Your Network Supplier  
If you require additional assistance, contact your network supplier. Many suppliers are  
authorized 3Com service partners who are qualified to provide a variety of services,  
including network planning, installation, hardware maintenance, application training, and  
support services.  
When you contact your network supplier for assistance, have the following information ready:  
I Product model name, part number, and serial number  
I A list of system hardware and software, including revision levels  
I Diagnostic error messages  
I Details about recent configuration changes, if applicable  
If you are unable to contact your network supplier, see the following section on how to  
contact 3Com.  
Support from 3Com  
If you are unable to obtain assistance from the 3Com online technical resources or from  
your network supplier, 3Com offers technical telephone support services. To nd out more  
about your support options, call the 3Com technical telephone support phone number at  
the location nearest you.  
When you contact 3Com for assistance, have the following information ready:  
I Product model name, part number, and serial number  
I A list of system hardware and software, including revision levels  
I Diagnostic error messages  
I Details about recent configuration changes, if applicable  
Here is a list of worldwide technical telephone support numbers. These numbers are  
correct at the time of publication. Refer to the 3Com Web site for updated information.  
Country  
Telephone Number  
Asia, Pacific Rim  
Australia  
Hong Kong  
India  
1 800 678 515  
800 933 486  
+61 2 9937 5085 or  
000800 6501111  
001 800 61 009  
03 5783 1270  
Indonesia  
Japan  
Malaysia  
New Zealand  
Pakistan  
Philippines  
P.R. of China  
1800 801 777  
0800 446 398  
+61 2 9937 5083  
1235 61 266 2602  
10800 61 00137 or  
021 6350 1590 or  
00800 0638 3266  
800 6161 463  
Singapore  
S. Korea  
From anywhere in S. Korea:  
From Seoul:  
Taiwan, R.O.C.  
Thailand  
82 2 3455 6455  
00798 611 2230  
00798 611 2230  
0080 611 261  
001 800 611 2000  
(continued)  
110  
 
     
Support from 3Com  
Country  
Telephone Number  
Europe, Middle East and Africa  
From anywhere in these regions, call:  
Or access the following Internet site:  
0870 24713901  
http://www.3com.co.uk/support/emea.html  
#belgium  
Europe and South Africa  
From the following countries, you may use the toll-free numbers:  
Austria  
8088 33 25  
0800 78354  
8088 33 25  
0800 1 019387  
0800 91 7736  
0800 100 0427  
06800 14370  
1 800 553 117  
18009431983  
800 780557  
Belgium  
Denmark  
Finland  
France  
Germany  
Hungary  
Ireland  
Israel  
Italy  
Luxembourg  
Netherlands  
Norway  
Poland  
Portugal  
South Africa  
Spain  
Sweden  
Switzerland  
U.K.  
800 29727  
0800 023 0245  
800 1 0767  
00800 4411 349  
800 844 029  
0800 991183  
900 95 8966  
020 796980  
0800 835283  
0800 085 1816  
Latin America  
Brazil  
Mexico  
0800 13 3266  
01 800 849CARE  
800 666 5065  
Puerto Rico  
Central and South America  
AT&T +800 998 2112  
North America  
1 800 527 8677  
Enterprise Customers:  
1 800 876 3266  
111  
 
E
Technical Support  
Returning Products for Repair  
Before you send a product directly to 3Com for repair, you must first obtain an  
authorization number. Products sent to 3Com without authorization numbers will be  
returned to the sender unopened, at the senders expense.  
To obtain an authorization number, call or fax:  
Country  
Telephone Number  
+65 543 6500  
Fax Number  
Asia, Pacific Rim  
+65 543 6348  
+31 30 6029999  
Europe, South Africa, and  
Middle East  
+31 30 6029900  
Central and South America  
525 201 0075  
Argentina  
Bolivia  
Brazil  
0810 222 3266  
511 241 1691  
0800 133266 or  
55 11 5643 2700  
525 201 0004  
562 240 6200  
525 201 0004  
525 201 0004  
525 201 0004  
525 201 0004  
511 241 1691  
525 201 0004  
525 201 0004  
Caribbean  
Chile  
Colombia  
Ecuador  
Mexico  
Paraguay  
Peru  
Uruguay  
Venezuela  
From the following countries, you may call the toll-free numbers; select option 2 and  
then option 2:  
Austria  
0800 297468  
0800 71429  
800 17309  
Belgium  
Denmark  
Finland  
France  
Germany  
Hungary  
Ireland  
0800 113153  
0800 917959  
0800 1821502  
00800 12813  
1800553117  
1800 9453794  
1678 79489  
0800 0227788  
800 11376  
00800 3111206  
0800 831416  
0800 995014  
900 983125  
020 795482  
0800 55 3072  
0800 966197  
Israel  
Italy  
Netherlands  
Norway  
Poland  
Portugal  
South Africa  
Spain  
Sweden  
Switzerland  
U.K.  
U.S.A. and Canada  
1 800 527 8677  
1 408 326 7120  
(not toll-free)  
Enterprise Customers:  
1 800 876 3266  
112  
 
   
Index  
Advanced Server features  
checksum offload (TCP/IP), enabling for  
commands for Netware server features  
Numerics  
100BASE-TX  
Windows  
10BASE-T  
3Com Configuration and Diagnostics  
3Com DMI Agent  
adding NICs to a group 47  
creating a group 47  
creating a VLAN 49  
deleting or editing a VLAN 50  
removing the NIC from a  
group 50  
window, defined 46  
Windows 2000  
accessing the program 46  
installing 43  
network management  
protocol bindings, modifying 44  
Windows NT  
installing 43  
configuration parameters  
NetWare  
protocol bindings, modifying 44  
starting the program 47  
3Com icon, in Windows system tray  
3Com Knowledgebase Web  
3Com NIC Diagnostics program  
Security Software Utility  
changing 65  
alerts, remote system  
ENABLE_CHKSUM 65  
enabling driver warning and error  
messages 65  
AUTOEXEC.NCF file  
changing to install the NetWare 3.12  
enabling TCP/IP checksum  
offload 65  
MEDIA_SELECT 65  
monitoring levels for self-healing  
driver conditions 65  
Node Address 65  
setting the media speed 65  
SHD_LEVEL 65  
Slot Number 65  
VERBOSE 65  
changing to support multiple  
3CR990 NIC  
Windows  
B
Alert Type 74  
Error Tolerance 74  
flow control 74  
configuring  
A
creating  
adding NICs to a group  
C
group  
cabling  
NetWare 62, 67  
Windows 47  
administration with  
DynamicAccess software 49  
113  
 
 
Index  
removing a NIC from a group 50  
removing the NIC from a  
group 50  
fresh install  
full-duplex  
D
data encryption, see encryption  
deleting or editing a VLAN,  
window, defined 46  
Windows 2000  
accessing the program 46  
installing 43  
Desktop Management Interface (DMI),  
protocol bindings, modifying 44  
Windows NT  
G
disabling load balancing for a group,  
GARP Multicast Registration Protocol  
installing 43  
protocol bindings, modifying 44  
starting the program 47  
DynamicAccess server features  
DynamicAccess Software Setup  
adding NICs to  
diskettes  
NetWare 66  
Windows 47  
E
configuring during NetWare driver  
editing  
efficient multicast control,  
encryption (3C990B NIC)  
displaying  
DMI (Desktop Management Interface),  
displaying properties of,  
Windows  
creating 47  
disabling load balancing for 50  
DOS  
3Com Configuration and  
configuration program, changing  
H
encryption (Windows 2000)  
help command, NetWare server  
HP OpenView Network Node  
driver installation requirements  
drivers  
Windows 2000  
installing 22  
removing 87  
Windows 95  
error messages, sending to NetWare  
exclamation point (!) (yellow) in  
Build 950, installing 27  
installing 27  
OSR2, installing 28  
I
installation  
duplex mode  
diskettes  
F
failover  
DynamicAccess server features  
NetWare  
creating 15  
obtaining 15  
commands 69  
configuration guidelines 66  
Windows  
fresh install  
foreign NIC  
adding NICs to a group 47  
changing the primary NIC 50  
creating a group 47  
creating a VLAN 49  
deleting or editing a VLAN 50  
NetWare 107  
Windows 2000 107  
Windows NT 107  
114  
 
Index  
maintaining, NetWare 66  
maintaining, Windows 44  
removing NICs from,  
Windows 50  
verifying driver installation and  
troubleshooting  
NetWare 72  
network  
Windows 51  
installing drivers  
connection  
M
testing 93  
maintaining server features  
troubleshooting 86  
IP address  
IPSec  
Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)  
NIC  
MBA see Managed PC Boot Agent  
configuration parameters, NetWare  
foreign  
memory requirements  
messages, sending to NetWare  
Microsoft Systems Management  
miniport connections, relating to LAN  
multiple NICs  
defined 11  
K
designating as primary 45  
in NetWare groups 66  
in Windows groups 45  
accessing through diagnostics  
properties  
displaying, Windows 51  
editing, Windows 50  
L
LAN connections, relating to miniport  
LEDs  
NIC diagnostic program  
link  
N
NetBoot ROM  
load balancing  
NetWare  
Novell, see NetWare  
changing settings using DOS  
correlating slot numbers and physical  
DynamicAccess server feature  
dedicated IP address 48  
failure 10  
groups  
O
offloading  
adding NICs to, Windows 47  
adding, NetWare 67  
configuring during NetWare driver  
installation 62  
creating, Windows 47  
115  
 
Index  
removing  
Windows network drivers,  
specifications  
system requirements  
server features  
NetWare 90  
Windows 2000 89  
Windows NT 89  
offloads  
configuring for a group of different  
enabling TCP/IP checksum for  
requirements  
driver installation  
NetWare 56, 107  
Windows 21, 107  
P
T
TCP/IP checksum offload, enabling for  
technical support  
3Com Knowledgebase Web  
S
security  
properties  
test  
Security Software Utility  
configuring  
text files, EtherCD 105  
traffic prioritization  
NIC  
displaying, Windows 51  
editing, Windows 50  
troubleshooting  
property settings, changing in Windows  
PXE, see Preboot Execution Environment  
Windows NT 44  
maintaining  
R
NetWare 66  
Windows 44  
load balancing  
NetWare 72  
Windows 51  
slots  
Windows 2000 property  
Protocol, see RMCP  
Remote Wake-Up  
software  
3Com NIC Diagnostics program,  
116  
 
Index  
Windows 98  
installing  
U
W
uninstalling  
warning messages, sending to NetWare  
driver 26  
multiple NICs 31  
DynamicAccess server features  
NetWare 90  
Windows  
Windows 2000 89, 90  
Windows NT 89  
Windows Me  
updating  
upgrading Windows 95 to  
upgrading Windows 98 to Windows  
Windows NT 4.0  
Windows 2000  
installing Advanced Server  
installing Advanced Server  
installing  
installing DynamicAccess 43  
Advanced Server features 43  
driver 22  
DynamicAccess 43  
V
multiple NICs 31  
miniport and LAN connections,  
X
Windows 95  
configuration guidelines 45  
creating 49  
Y
installing  
driver 27  
multiple NICs 31  
deleting or editing 50  
ID numbers, legal ranges 49  
number allowed in a server 45  
window, defined 46  
yellow exclamation point (!) in Windows  
117  
 
 
Regulatory Compliance  
Information  
FCC Class B Statement  
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:  
1 This device may not cause harmful interference, and  
2 This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause  
undesired operation.  
WARNING: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,  
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules, and the Canadian Department of Communications Equipment Standards  
entitled, “Digital Apparatus,” ICES-003.These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against  
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency  
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to  
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular  
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be  
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by  
one or more of the following measures:  
I Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.  
I Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.  
I Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from the one which the receiver is connected to.  
I Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.  
The user may find the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications Commission helpful:  
The Interference Handbook  
This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.  
NOTE: In order to maintain compliance with the limits of a Class B digital device, 3Com requires that you use  
quality interface cables when connecting to this device. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by  
3Com could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment. Refer to the manual for specifications on  
cabling types.  
 
   
Regulatory Compliance Information  
FCC Declaration of Conformity  
We declare under our sole responsibility that the  
Model:  
Description:  
3C990B-TX-M  
3Com 10/100 PCI Network Interface Card with 3XP Processor  
Client NIC for 3DES (168-bit) encryption and DES (56-bit) encryption  
3C990BSVR  
3Com Server 10/100 PCI Network Interface Card with 3XP Processor  
Server NIC for 3DES (168-bit) encryption and DES (56-bit) encryption  
to which this declaration relates, is in conformity with the following standards or other normative documents:  
I ANSI C63.4-1992 Methods of Measurement  
I Federal Communications Commission 47 CFR Part 15, subpart B  
15.107 (e) Class B Conducted Limits  
15.109 (g) Class B Radiated Emissions Limits  
3Com Corporation, 5400 Bayfront Plaza, P.O. Box 58145, Santa Clara, CA 95052-8145  
(408) 326-5000  
Industry Canada Class B Emission Compliance Statement  
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.  
Avis de Conformité à la Réglementation d’Industrie Canada  
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conform à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.  
VCCI Class B Statement  
This is a Class B product based on the standard of the Voluntary Control Council for Interference  
from Information Technology Equipment (VCCI). If this is used near a radio or television receiver in a domestic  
environment, it may cause radio interference. Install and use the equipment according to the instruction manual.  
 
       

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