Frequently Asked Questions
49
How do I remove
the 3Com icon from
my Windows
system tray?
1
Double-click the 3Com icon to start the 3Com NIC
Diagnostics program.
2
In the bottom-right corner of the main window, click the
Enable Tray Control
check box to remove the check mark.
3
Exit the program and the icon will not appear anymore.
Which PCI slot
should I use for my
OfficeConnect NIC?
3Com PCI NICs, such as the OfficeConnect NIC, are
designed to work in any bus-mastering PCI slot, preferably
slot 1. Normally, slot 1 is marked on the PC motherboard
and is located closest to the computer power supply.
Avoid any PCI slot next to an ISA slot. This is often a
shared slot and does not support bus mastering. The
NICs perform best in those slots that support
bus-mastering data transfers.
Some PCs have three types of expansion slots: PCI, ISA,
and EISA. PCI slots are usually white and shorter than the
other expansion slots (see Figure 3 in Chapter 2). ISA slots
are usually black. EISA slots are usually brown, and are as
long as ISA slots. If you’re not sure what type of expansion
slots your PC has, see your PC documentation for details.
Also refer to your PC manual for information on which
slots support bus-mastering data transfers.
Do I have to configure
the OfficeConnect NIC?
PCI is a self-configuring bus architecture. Most of the
time you only need to install the NIC in your PC; PCI does
the rest. However, on some PCI computers, you may be
required to configure the computer’s BIOS manually after
installing your PCI NIC. Refer to your PC documentation
for more information about your PC’s BIOS.
What interrupts
should I avoid?
You should avoid using any interrupts used by ISA/EISA
boards that do not properly support shared interrupts
(level-triggered). If you don’t know or aren’t sure whether
other devices or adapters in your PC support shared
interrupts, then avoid using them.
Avoid using the same interrupt as your local hard drive
(normally IRQ 14 for IDE drives and IRQ 11 for most SCSI
host adapters), because not all hard drives support shared
interrupts at this time. Avoid using 9 because it cascades
with 2.
Does the OfficeConnect
NIC support
full-duplex?
Yes, the OfficeConnect NIC supports full-duplex operation
at 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps.
Full-duplex is the ability of a device or line to transmit data
simultaneously in both directions (the PC is sending and
receiving data at the same time).
Table 5
Frequently Asked Questions (continued)
Question
Answer
