Xref: utzoo comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc:717 comp.sys.ibm.pc:17979 comp.dcom.lans:1695
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!bellcore!rutgers!mailrus!ames!ll-xn!mit-eddie!interlan!backman
From: backman@interlan.UUCP (Larry Backman)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Interlan PC Ethernet interface
Message-ID: <552@interlan.UUCP>
Date: 11 Aug 88 11:19:35 GMT
References: <22590@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Reply-To: backman@interlan.UUCP (Larry Backman)
Organization: MICOM-Interlan, Boxborough, MA (1-800-LAN-TALK)
Lines: 40

In article <22590@amdcad.AMD.COM> phil@amdcad.AMD.COM (Phil Ngai) writes:
>I recently saw a new Ethernet interface from Interlan called the
>NI5210. (well, it's new to me) Size and architecture-wise it looks
>very similar to the WD8003E. It's a very small card, with dual ported
>memory and no DMA (I think). One key difference is that Sun PC-NFS
>V3.0 does not support it directly. PC-NFS does have NI5010 support but
>I do not think that is the same. 
>
>I haven't seen app notes on architecture and performance, which WD has
>for their product. (I think Interlan reads the net. I hope they get
>the message.)


	[]

	Phil,

	Interlan technical staff reads the neeet; Interlan marketinng staff
	who are supposed to produce such things as performance results, don't
	even know what the net is.

	The NI5210 is over 2 years old; depending on who you believe there are
	50,000 to 100,000 of them out there!  It has 8 or 16K of dual ported
	RAM, no DMA, and is in fact supported by PC-NFS.  You can get a driver
	for PC-NFS from either Sun-East or from us.

	Performance figures, well..., the driver group say's that its as fast
	as the Western Digital card; I believe them.  Empirically, we have
	never spent the time to gather these figures in a systematic fashion.
	App notes; well..., we'll sell you the board, throw in a manual which
	tells you how to configure the boards jumpers, and for a small extra
	fee, we'' sell you a 2096 product.  The 2096 product is the source to
	a 5210 driver.  At that point, its good-bye and good-luck.

	Wouldn't it be interesting if marketing types actually found out what
	people wanted rather than simply knowing what they wanted??


							Larry Backman
							Micom-Interlan