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From: phillips@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Mark D Phillips)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Ethernet cards and System 7
Summary: are any Ethernet cards System 7 ready?
Keywords: System 7, Ethernet cards, Ethernet drivers
Message-ID: <8129@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU>
Date: 24 Apr 91 18:46:39 GMT
Distribution: comp.sys.mac.hardware comp.sys.mac.system comp.sys.mac.comm
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
Lines: 41

Ethernet Cards and System 7

I recently found out that I will not be able to install System 7.0b4 on
any of my Ethernet-equipped Macs as the cards' manufacturers do not have
System 7-compatible drivers for their Ethernet boards.  Further, it
could be some months before the drivers become available, so even
when the final 7.0 comes out, I cannot use it on some of my computers.
The Macs on our network that have Ethernet boards are the very Macs that
could take advantage of the new 7.0 features, so we are a bit upset
about this.

Is this a general problem with Ethernet-equipped Macs, or did we buy
from the wrong people?  Are their any Mac Ethernet cards that currently
have System 7-compatible drivers and installers?  We could be buying
some more cards in the near future, so any insight would be helpful.

** Additional Details for Those Who Care **

We use several types of (Thin) Ethernet boards:
          Shiva (formerly Kinetics) EtherPort SE's
          Shiva (formerly Kinetics) EtherPort SE/30's
          EMAC (Everex) SpeedLink SE's
          EMAC (Everex) SpeedLink SE/30's
   and an EMAC (Everex) SpeedLink II

EMAC Tech Support states that they are not even working on developing
new drivers until System 7 ships.  They would not give any estimate on
when they will have new drivers except to say that it would take "less
than a year".

Shiva Tech Support states that they should release the software for the
EtherPort SE/30's and the 'short' Mac II cards (i.e. cards based on a
National chip set) when System 7 ships or shortly thereafter.  The
drivers for the SpeedLink SE's (based on an Intel chip set) won't be
released for some months (I got a rough guess of 4 to 6 months but no
promise), as they are just beginning development.


Mark Phillips, User Support Specialist          phillips@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
BPRU D-5-West FSKMC Johns Hopkins               phillips@jhunix.BITNET
4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore MD 21224         AppleLink: PHILLIPS6