Last Updated on 10th April 2025 by Suffocation
Predecessor to the Etherlink III card, unfortunately without an RJ45 connector. If you know how to do it, the card is quickly configured and easy to handle, even though it's still not clear to me how the IRQ is set. Please leave a comment if you know more.
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Facts
| Manufacturer | 3COM | 3COM |
|---|---|---|
| Designation | Etherlink III – C | Etherlink II / 16 |
| Chip | 3c509B-C | 3C503 |
| Year of manufacture (integrated circuit card) | ||
| 10Base2 (BNC) | X | X |
| 10 Base-T (RJ45)/AUI | X | X |
| 10 Base-T (RJ45) | X | X |
| 100 Base X (RJ45) | ||
| 1000 Base X (RJ45) | ||
| Other connections | ||
| Configuration | Config Tool | Config Tool |
| ROM Support | X | X |
| ROM Type | 8k-64K 27Cxxx | 8k-64K 27Cxxx |
| ISA 8-bit | ||
| ISA 16-bit | X | X |
| VLB | ||
| PCI | ||
| PCI-E | ||
| Compatible with | ||
| Compatible designation | 3c509 | EtherLink III |
User manual
Source: https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com-etherlink-ii-16-3c503#docs
Driver
Disk Operating System
REM Autoexec.bat for package driver
REM Card Address IRQ Memory_Address
c:\driver\network\3c503\3c503.com 0x60 3 0x300 1
| Option marked with [] | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 3c503.com0x603 300 1 | Card address freely selectable between 0x60 and 0x80 | 0x60 |
| 3c503.com 0x60 [30x300 1 | IRQ can possibly be set via software, but not via jumper (at least not on my card). | 3 |
| 3c503.com 0x60 3 [0x300] 1 | Memory address can be set via jumper. Even if other drivers allow it, don't forget the hex indicator, i.e. 0x, before it. | 0x300 |
| 3c503.com 0x60 3 0x300 [1] | 0 for external transceiver via AUI interface or 1 for BNC connection | 1 |
Windows 3.x
–
Windows 9.x, XP, NT 3.5, NT 4.0, 2000
The driver should be included in the operating system. (Statement not yet verified)
OS2, Novell
Other
The entire driver package
–
Miscellaneous
Technical Reference Manual
Which Archive.org
In the XT
The card probably also works with 8-bit ISA, but requires a special driver which is not optimised for 286s. You can find information, drivers and the configuration tool at the following link:
https://github.com/hackerb9/3C509B-nestor?tab=readme-ov-file
For safekeeping, the current drivers have been backed up here.
XT-IDE
I have the map with a XT-IDE ROM equipped, enabled the ROM in the software, set the address (0c800) and it worked straight away.
Network types
https://www.fambach.net/?p=12059
Conclusion
The predecessor of a great card :).
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does the card work | Yes |
| How much did it cost? | 39,50€ |
| Was the price okay? | No bargain |
| Is it worth it? | To take a closer look at the map, yes, to use it, no, because of the lack of an RJ45 port. There are better and cheaper alternatives for that. |
| Overall conclusion | Neutral |
Problems
Card not recognised
- Address or IRQ conflict, for me the mouse was already on IRQ3
- Address not specified with 0x when loading the driver, for example 0x300.
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Sources
https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com-etherlink-ii-16-3c503
https://github.com/hackerb9/3C509B-nestor?tab=readme-ov-file
Good places to get drivers
http://vogonsdrivers.com/
https://www.philscomputerlab.com
https://www.fambach.net/?p=12059
Log
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 04.04.2025 | Post created and purchased |
| 09.04.2025 | Card received and contribution completed, struggled with driver |
| 10.04.2025 | Battle won, but the problem was still in front of the PC. Post completed and made live. |