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Gateway G/Ethertwist MC (16 bit MCA) nic drivers

A

Alfh

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Joined
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Location
Finland
I bought two of these (untested) and did not found much information online. There is ADF file "@6018.ADF - Gateway Communications G/Ethernet Controller" but i think it's different model? Tried it anyway.
I installed card on a IBM PS/2 Model 95. It found a new card and asked for option disk. So i copied @6018.ADF in plank DOS formatted disk and computer configured new settings and booted up.

gateways.png

So what about a driver? There's driver disk on Archive.org. In the manual.com found in the disk mentions a MCA TCP driver "GEMCTCP.COM" should be in folder "PC_TCP" but there was only two ISA (?) drivers. But i did manage to find it from discmaster.
tcpip.png

So tried it and got not much of response (Sorry about bad picture quality).
gataway_gemctcp.jpg

Next I downloaded "mTCP_2025-01-10.zip" from http://www.brutman.com/mTCP/ and copied it to c:\mtcp. mTCP needs to set environment variable point to the configuration file. I did modify only hostname in sample.cfg and typed a new line in autoexec.bat: set MTCPCFG=C:\MTCP\SAMPLES\SAMPLE.CFG
To get IP from DHCP there is dhcp.exe in mTCP folder. So i tried that.
mtcp_dhcp.jpg

Success! Ping works, DNS resolving works. But when i try telnet into something, i get login response and computer freezes. Same thing with other services.

I have Windows 3.11 Workgroups installed and it doesn't have Gateway NIC in network adapter list. So i need a driver disk on that too. I also have OS/2 2.11 installed, but I'm not very familiar with it, so I'm hoping to make this work reliably in DOS before messing with OS/2.
 
Gateway Communications G/Ethernet & G/EtherTwist

LAN_DRV_207 mentions the MC variant

The G/Ethernet and G/EtherTwist document provides the instructions to
install drivers for the following adapters by Gateway Communications:

G/Ethernet 8, G/Ethernet 16, G/Ethernet MC, G/EtherTwist 8,
G/EtherTwist 16, G/EtherTwist MC, and G/EtherTwist AT Hub

The following network operating systems are covered:

Advanced and SFT NetWare versions 2.15 and 2.2
ELS NetWare 286 Level II
NetWare Lite
NetWare 386 v3.1x
Microsoft's LAN Manager v2.0x for DOS and OS/2 operating systems
NetBIOS operating systems that comply with IBM's PC LAN program

EDIT: Oh... snap
The 3.5" diskette includes drivers and related files for the
G/Ethernet and G/EtherTwist Micro Channel adapters, as well as the adapters listed above.

EDIT: Wading through the 5.25" image, you keep seeng references to the MC adapter.
 
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ardent-blue said:
Gateway Communications G/Ethernet & G/EtherTwist

LAN_DRV_207 mentions the MC variant
Click to expand...
Yes i already downloaded that and also newer version of it: https://archive.org/details/gethernet-2
Alfh said:
So what about a driver? There's driver disk on Archive.org. In the manual.com found in the disk mentions a MCA TCP driver "GEMCTCP.COM" should be in folder "PC_TCP" but there was only two ISA (?) drivers. But i did manage to find it from discmaster.
tcpip.png
Click to expand...

There is three different versions of packet driver GEMCTCP.COM in Discmaster and I just tested them all: https://discmaster.textfiles.com/search?q=GEMCTCP.COM&dedup=dedup
1.15B DHCP works, static IP works. I can ping other computers on my network but if I ping PS/2 from network the PS/2 hangs. Not even ctrl+alt+del work when it freezes.
1.14 No DHCP, no ping with static IP
1.13 No DHCP, no ping with static IP

I'm not familiar with Microsoft LAN Manager but maybe i'll start looking for it.
 
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Last night was dark, no beer in the fridge, and I was wearing sunglasses...

From my readings, HP wendt from "Starlan" product line to "Ethertwist" [and then to "ProCurve"]. Starlan was an earlier version of the final 10b-T standard. Ethertwist could be jumpered for Starlan compatibility. Other than the multiple jumpers to choose AUI or TP, there are no other jumpers.

The biggest bummer is the unfortunate fact that HP had the David Systems files [from 3com] on their "no help whatsoever" support page. Adding insult to injury, the HP support site dumpster fire has a policy that HP purges files ten years after EOL. God help us all.
 
I did try MS Lan Manager with those NDIS drivers found on that Archive.org's 360k image. It installed ok but no network after booting. Error running NETWKSTA.EXE.
NDIS driver configured in PROTOCOL.INI: IO_ADDRESS = 0x2A0, INTERRUPT = 3 but in IML those are I/O 380, IRQ 5. I tried to edit those on PROTOCOL.INI to match IML setting but still no luck. There is no IRQ 3 option in "@6018.adf".
360k disk's manual.com says that there is no need to change default protocol.ini settings when using Micro Channel. Strange.


ardent-blue said:
David Systems/Gateway Communications Ethernet Adapter oh, I noticed the David files under 3com.

EDIT: the link page is FTP. They're all dead, Jim.

Seems to be National and Fujitsu chipsets, drivers for one can't be used with the other.

DP8390DN / DP83910N/ATT&T 7220 PC
Click to expand...
So these have the National DP8390DN chip. 3Com drivers page mentions "gendis.zip 951006 14718 6500/6501/6502 National Chipset NDIS Dri". I found it at: https://discmaster.textfiles.com/br...etwork Support Library.iso/gateway/gendis.zip and it has same MSLANMAN.DOS files as in that 360k Archive.org image, sha sums differ though.

ardent-blue said:
Last night was dark, no beer in the fridge, and I was wearing sunglasses...

From my readings, HP wendt from "Starlan" product line to "Ethertwist" [and then to "ProCurve"]. Starlan was an earlier version of the final 10b-T standard. Ethertwist could be jumpered for Starlan compatibility. Other than the multiple jumpers to choose AUI or TP, there are no other jumpers.

The biggest bummer is the unfortunate fact that HP had the David Systems files [from 3com] on their "no help whatsoever" support page. Adding insult to injury, the HP support site dumpster fire has a policy that HP purges files ten years after EOL. God help us all.
Click to expand...
There is "HP 27246A MC LAN Adapter116 TP" mentioned in may 1992 EtherTwist catalog: HPEthertwist_ProductCatalog_5091-3364E_38pages_May92_OCR.pdf but it has a RJ11 port on it.
hp_27246A.png
It's probably this card: https://www.megley.com/wesley/forsale/27246-60001.jpg
Lan Manager would have driver for that.
lanmand_driver_list.jpg
 
Alfh said:
There is ADF file "@6018.ADF - Gateway Communications G/Ethernet Controller" but i think it's different model? Tried it anyway. I installed card on a IBM PS/2 Model 95. It found a new card and asked for option disk. So i copied @6018.ADF in plank DOS formatted disk and computer configured new settings and booted up.

View attachment 1294863
Click to expand...
Do me a solid and use more light. I'll add this to the Gateway Communications page...
 
The NDIS driver in the 360k image version is 3.10. I got "G/Ether HardWare Initialization Failed" message at boot with that.

I installed gendis.zip NDIS driver (Version 3.11) and message was "G/Ether MC -Initialization Complete"! But the computer hangs when it tries to "LOAD TCPIP" at end of the autoexec.bat. I put REM in it and computer boots up. NETWKSTA.EXE fails too.
I also tried to change IRQ to 4, 10 and 11 in IML and PROTOCOL.INI but result was same.

ardent-blue said:
Do me a solid and use more light. I'll add this to the Gateway Communications page...
Click to expand...
I don't have a decent camera, but I'll try.
 
Just one adapter, both are the same.

Interesting, the AT&T 7220 is on yours, but not on the ones I could find.
 
ardent-blue said:
Just one adapter, both are the same.

Interesting, the AT&T 7220 is on yours, but not on the ones I could find.
Click to expand...
Couldn't do better with these cameras and lights.
Tried my old Canon Ixus camera:
IMG_7087.JPG IMG_7085.JPG

Phone camera with flash:
20250213_190522.jpg 20250213_190549.jpg

Phone camera w/o flash:
20250213_190459.jpg 20250213_190624.jpg
 
I brought my Model 50 on the table and installed NIC in that. "@6018.ADF" configured it again at IRQ 5 / I/O base 280. I ran that 1.15B GEMCTCP.COM packet driver and mTCP stuff from a floppy. And it worked!
Tried connect to some BBS and IRC server and connection was steady.

bbs_test.JPG

Next i tried to boot Model 95 with clean DOS 6.22 floppy and did the same thing with that, but it froze again after connecting the IRC server. It connected and received some text before it froze after second or two. Dunno if the driver is not compatible or Model 95 does not like the card..
 
I looked at the packet driver, ver 1.13 sigh....

Picture from phone w/flash is pretty good enough.

Added your pictures. It seems like the 9132 dated 8220-087 uses one big PLCC, while yours used more Natl Semi chips.

Tomorrow is another day. Thankfully it is supposed to start snowing in the late evening. But the roads should be clear enough for grocery shopping...

I think you might have a later driver install version? Mine was 1.01

Gateway Communications I'll have to credit the images, identify components, and whatnot.
 
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Do me a solid and post a link to the last Driver Install package. I have a downlevel one [v 1.01], that will never do...

The image was clear enough to identify the LEDs for each status.

What is the component ID for the AT&T T7220? The angle sordid obscures it. U28?

Something became blindingly oblivious. The HP27246A has a RJ11 for phone line connectors [ease of swapping in Ethertwist] and RJ45 for UTP. The Gateway Communications Ethertwist uses AUI -AND- RJ45.

Gateway Communications page has been updated.
 
Alfh said:
There is "HP 27246A MC LAN Adapter116 TP" mentioned in may 1992 EtherTwist catalog: HPEthertwist_ProductCatalog_5091-3364E_38pages_May92_OCR.pdf but it has a RJ11 port on it.
View attachment 1294972
Click to expand...
I don't have a decent image for the HP27246A, but I've surfed a bit, and the "Ethertwist" adapter could run over phone lines, using the RJ11 plug -OR- it could run over the RJ45 and use UTP.

At one time, Ethertwist was used for smaller offices, and it could be run over the existing phone lines. The phone lines were unhooked from the TELCO block [Block 66, for example], and a connector crimped on, then plugged into an Ethertwist hub. That way, you avoided having to run UTP -AND- phone lines. More than that, I dunno.
 
Alfh said:
I brought my Model 50 on the table and installed NIC in that. "@6018.ADF" configured it again at IRQ 5 / I/O base 280. I ran that 1.15B GEMCTCP.COM packet driver and mTCP stuff from a floppy. And it worked!
Tried connect to some BBS and IRC server and connection was steady.

Next i tried to boot Model 95 with clean DOS 6.22 floppy and did the same thing with that, but it froze again after connecting the IRC server. It connected and received some text before it froze after second or two. Dunno if the driver is not compatible or Model 95 does not like the card..
Click to expand...
Model 50, 286-10
Model 95 which complex? It might be the CPU speed?
 
Looking at @6018, I see it has a SIMMple hex progression, so diddling the IRQs or I/O should be possumble -BUT- your card [and all GC cards] have non-populated edge connector positions.

I must purify myself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka... Compare your card's connectors to the full slot...

No surprise, DMA support TOTALLY absent.
 
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ardent-blue said:
Do me a solid and post a link to the last Driver Install package. I have a downlevel one [v 1.01], that will never do...
Click to expand...
What package do you mean?
Edit: Oh I see now.
The packet driver I used is 1.15B and Lan Manager driver (v3.11) is from gendis.zip. So i don't know what install package those originate.

ardent-blue said:
The image was clear enough to identify the LEDs for each status.
Click to expand...
Ah sorry here's a pic.. Looks same as http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohland/Ethertwist/Gateway_8220_Ports.jpg
connectors.jpg
ardent-blue said:
What is the component ID for the AT&T T7220? The angle sordid obscures it. U28?
Click to expand...
U29

ardent-blue said:
Model 50, 286-10
Model 95 which complex? It might be the CPU speed?
Click to expand...
Model 8595-AHF
System Unit 486SX-25, 16MB, 400MB
Processor Board: IBM FRU 92F0079
 
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