Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnewsc!normt
From: normt@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (Norman R Tiedemann)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Ethernet chip sources/references needed
Summary: SEEQ Chips and Comments on National 839x Series
Message-ID: <1146@cbnewsc.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 Jun 89 14:29:23 GMT
References: <1053@necis.UUCP> <552@qvax2.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 56

In article <552@qvax2.UUCP>, israel@qvax2.UUCP ( Renegade@ex2564) writes:
> In article <1053@necis.UUCP>, adamm@necis.UUCP (Adam Moskowitz) writes:
> > I've been asked to look into what Ethernet chips (or chip sets) are available
> > these days. I know that AMD makes a set as does Intel. I remember hearing
> > about something called (a) "Lance", but I don't know who makes it. If you
> > know who does, or if you know of any other manufacturers who make Ethernet
> > chips, I'd really appreciate hearing from you.
> > Adam S. Moskowitz	            ...!(backbone)!{necntc,encore}!necis!adamm
> 
>    Chip sets generally come in three pieces - A) The Data Link Controller,
> which interfaces to the microprocessor, B) The Manchester Encoder/Decoder,
> which converts serial data from the Data Link Controller into Manchester
> Data format, detects carriers and collisions, converts between TTL signals
> and differential signals, generates clocks and C) The physical media
> transceiver, used for translating
> voltage levels between the cable and the Encoder/Decoder, and usually
> implements jabber functions as well. The LANCE chip to which you refer
> is the AMD7990 Data Link Controller, probably tied with National's 8390
> in terms of popularity. A summary of the more popular components is
> provided below.
> Summary follow of AMD, Thompson, Intel, National Semiconductor and Fujitsu
 ...
>    I also hear that SEEQ has a Data Link Controller, but I have no data

	SEEQ
	----

	8003	Ethernet Data Link Controller (EDLC)
	8023A	Machester Code Converter (MCC)

	These are very much like the others, except the SEEQ chip does not
	have any internal DMA capabilities. If you are looking for a cheap
	system, that does not have to handle much load, the SEEQ is ok.

	For anything else I can not recommend it. I also went through the
	"all" the chips available about a year ago. I agree with the
	summary above, the AMD 7990 and National 8390 are the most 
	popular. I ended up using the full National chip set for my 68010/020
	application. So far it has not disappointed us, there are a few
	strange "features", but they are described in the documentation, and
	are not major. It is relatively easy to use, and handles the full load
	we can pump at it, (Our memory overflows, but the chip set has no
	problems with it.)

	The significance of the new National DP83910 (CMOS 8391) is that all
	three National chips are now made with the same manufacturing process,
	so they hope to integrate them together sometime in the future.

	Norm Tiedemann		AT&T Bell Labs IH 2G-331
	att!ihlpy!normt		2000 Naperville Rd.
	normt@ihlpy.att.com	Naperville, IL	60566
-- 
	Norm Tiedemann		AT&T Bell Labs IH 2G-331
	att!ihlpy!normt		2000 Naperville Rd.
	normt@ihlpy.att.com	Naperville, IL	60566
NOTE: Please note that I have been moved from ihlpa to ihlpy