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  From: Andrew Reid <andrew.reid@plug.cx>
  To  : Grant <grant@conprojan.com.au>
  Date: 23 Apr 2001 12:46:56 +0930

Re: Network card

On 23 Apr 2001 12:51:57 +1000, Grant wrote:

> Well that just sucks... I've used 8139c NIC's and NEVER had any problems 
> with them (that I've noticed mind you)... I've seen the 8139x chipset
> used on many different brands of NIC's and I thought, why would it be
> so widely used if it's crap. We run a network of 40 computers here and
> they ALL use 8139b or 8139c chipsets and we never have had problems.

We run a network of 200+ machines, with mostly Realtek-based NICs. We
made the mistake early on of putting one in the Firewall. We noticed on
the console that we were getting transmission problems. We replaced it
with a 3Com and have never had a problem since.

"...why would it by so widely used if it's crap." Why do people use
Microsoft Windows on Firewalls when it's crap? People do. In the case of
these network cards it's because they're dirt cheap.

In situations where you don't need to trust the cards (such as on normal
workstations) the Realtek cards are fine. I'd prefer a decent card made
by a company that will exist in a few months time, but I'm not going to
be too picky.

> *shrug* ;)

Shrug all you like. The fact of the matter is that these are not
reliable cards. Not reliable like 3Com, or maybe even the Intel
EtherExpress cards.

   - andrew

-- 
Andrew Reid                   email: andrew.reid@plug.cx
                              www:   http://www.plug.cx
"If ignorance is bliss        phone: +61 401 946 813
 why aren't there more 
 happy people?"


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