[lug] NIC Speed

[J. Wayde Allen]

On Wed, 1 May 2002, Timothy C. Klein wrote:

> Hmm, I will have to test this.  I have 3 3Com cards (got two free from
> Qwerst with my DSL routers, I bought one).  I also have two cards that I
> think were branded Sohoware, but are based on the Dec tulip chips.  I
> also have something based on the Via-Rhine chipset.  I will have to
> benchmark them all.  It'll be interesting if the 3Com's are slower --
> not only did the cost 5x as much (~ $20 vs ~ $100 ), the 3Com also has a
> PCB about twice as big, and has conisiderably more silicon on it.

Please keep us posted.  

A few days ago I stopped by CompUSA to see what they had for network
cards.  If I remember correctly they were selling Linksys, Compaq,
Siemens, and 3com NIC's.  I hadn't looked into this lately and was a bit
surprised at the price range from $15 to $100.  It wasn't at all clear to
me what the advantages or disadvantages were between the ends of this
scale either.  Anyone know for sure?

I was intrigued by the clearance sale on the Siemens cards since the box
said it supported Linux, unlike all of the other products.  Anyone have
experience with these?

- Wayde
  (wallen at lug.boulder.co.us)