[CS-FSLUG] Why I've NEVER LIKED nor will use Asus!!

[Leon Brooks]

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 13:28, N. Thompson wrote:
> If I remember btw the box I got the rtl8139 compatible nic in even
> said it was Linux compatible.

The RTL cards suck. Up until (I think) the 8139D, they had a design 
hardware problem (data alignment) which *required* the Linux kernel to 
copy every single IP packet in and out. The -D revision fixed that, but 
those cards in general have always been uninspiring for reliability and 
performance.

A long time ago, I preferred the DEC (digital) Tulip cards, then some of 
the cloners started using a buggy chipset which would switch the card 
to the BNC connector if the UTP was unplugged. The cards didn't 
actually feature a BNC connector, and they were wired to think the BNC 
was always connected, so it wasn't possible to get them to switch back 
to UTP again.

Some of the NatSemi- and ViaRhine-based cards do OK, 3COM seem fine but 
check that the exact model number is supported before buying. The only 
BroadCom chips I've used have been onboard (hp) gigabit and have worked 
fine.

Intel's older cards sucked. They did everything using proprietary Intel 
MS-DOS programs (and by MS-DOS I mean they generally crashed if you 
tried to run them under MS-Windows or DR-DOS, so we're talking fairly 
hostile here), no plug-and-pray, and didn't give out no documentation 
to nobody, which made drivers a bit hit-and-miss.

Since the advent of the EtherExpress Pro 100, they've been excellent, 
albeit 2 or 3 times the price of everything else.

Cheers; Leon

-- 
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
  -- 1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV