Switch from thinnet to Cat5 question

Have a 6 node network running in house (kids, wife etc.) that because I'd
always had the cable (picked up here and there) was always using thinwire,
e.g. BNC connectors and the thin cable tv like wiring. It was my
understanding that this alone was sufficient to limit the network to 10Mbs.
However, I was also under the impression the installed network cards were
all capable of 100Mps when using Cat5.

Well. I just bought a 8 port switch and sufficient Cat5 cabling and
everything's up and going as previously using this new hardware. However,
according to the indicator led on the switch, only one of the network cards
is using 100Mps.

I suspect I already know the answer (e.g. get better nic's) but just want to
insure it's not something stupid I'm unaware of.

For example, one of the nics in question is a "Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
Ethernet NIC" according to Device Manager.

In article <#(E-Mail Removed)>, "pjp"
<pjpoirier_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote:
>Have a 6 node network running in house (kids, wife etc.) that because I'd
>always had the cable (picked up here and there) was always using thinwire,
>e.g. BNC connectors and the thin cable tv like wiring. It was my
>understanding that this alone was sufficient to limit the network to 10Mbs.
>However, I was also under the impression the installed network cards were
>all capable of 100Mps when using Cat5.
>
>Well. I just bought a 8 port switch and sufficient Cat5 cabling and
>everything's up and going as previously using this new hardware. However,
>according to the indicator led on the switch, only one of the network cards
>is using 100Mps.
>
>I suspect I already know the answer (e.g. get better nic's) but just want to
>insure it's not something stupid I'm unaware of.
>
>For example, one of the nics in question is a "Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
>Ethernet NIC" according to Device Manager.

Some NICs only run at 10Mps when using Cat5. That's usually the case
with older ones, such as the RTL8029(AS) , that have both BNC and
RJ-45 (Cat5) connectors. This web page has more information:

http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/p...aspx?modelid=3

It shows that the card supports 10Base2 (thinwire) and 10BaseT
(Ethernet), but not 100BaseTX (Fast Ethernet).
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

That 8029 RealTek card only supports 10mbps

Carey

"pjp" <pjpoirier_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Have a 6 node network running in house (kids, wife etc.) that because I'd
> always had the cable (picked up here and there) was always using thinwire,
> e.g. BNC connectors and the thin cable tv like wiring. It was my
> understanding that this alone was sufficient to limit the network to
> 10Mbs.
> However, I was also under the impression the installed network cards were
> all capable of 100Mps when using Cat5.
>
> Well. I just bought a 8 port switch and sufficient Cat5 cabling and
> everything's up and going as previously using this new hardware. However,
> according to the indicator led on the switch, only one of the network
> cards
> is using 100Mps.
>
> I suspect I already know the answer (e.g. get better nic's) but just want
> to
> insure it's not something stupid I'm unaware of.
>
> For example, one of the nics in question is a "Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
> Ethernet NIC" according to Device Manager.
>
>
>

"pjp" <pjpoirier_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Have a 6 node network running in house (kids, wife etc.) that because I'd
> always had the cable (picked up here and there) was always using thinwire,
> e.g. BNC connectors and the thin cable tv like wiring. It was my
> understanding that this alone was sufficient to limit the network to
> 10Mbs.
> However, I was also under the impression the installed network cards were
> all capable of 100Mps when using Cat5.
>
> Well. I just bought a 8 port switch and sufficient Cat5 cabling and
> everything's up and going as previously using this new hardware. However,
> according to the indicator led on the switch, only one of the network
> cards
> is using 100Mps.
>
> I suspect I already know the answer (e.g. get better nic's) but just want
> to
> insure it's not something stupid I'm unaware of.
>
> For example, one of the nics in question is a "Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
> Ethernet NIC" according to Device Manager.
>
>
>

In addition to the other responses, just a general point:

AFAIK, any card that supports 10Base2 ( Thin Ethernet )
will only support 10MBit even if it's a dual-connector card.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no 100Mbit cards
with co-ax connectors on them.

--
Best Regards,
Ron Lowe
MS-MVP Windows Networking

"Ron Lowe" <ron-msng@{d.e.l.e.t.e.}lowe-family.me.uk> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> "pjp" <pjpoirier_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Have a 6 node network running in house (kids, wife etc.) that because I'd
>> always had the cable (picked up here and there) was always using
>> thinwire,
>> e.g. BNC connectors and the thin cable tv like wiring. It was my
>> understanding that this alone was sufficient to limit the network to
>> 10Mbs.
>> However, I was also under the impression the installed network cards were
>> all capable of 100Mps when using Cat5.
>>
>> Well. I just bought a 8 port switch and sufficient Cat5 cabling and
>> everything's up and going as previously using this new hardware. However,
>> according to the indicator led on the switch, only one of the network
>> cards
>> is using 100Mps.
>>
>> I suspect I already know the answer (e.g. get better nic's) but just want
>> to
>> insure it's not something stupid I'm unaware of.
>>
>> For example, one of the nics in question is a "Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
>> Ethernet NIC" according to Device Manager.
>>
>>
>>
>
> In addition to the other responses, just a general point:
>
> AFAIK, any card that supports 10Base2 ( Thin Ethernet )
> will only support 10MBit even if it's a dual-connector card.
>
> To the best of my knowledge, there are no 100Mbit cards
> with co-ax connectors on them.
>
> --
> Best Regards,
> Ron Lowe
> MS-MVP Windows Networking
>
>

as you assumed ...time to pick up some new NIC's :>

"Haggis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Ron Lowe" <ron-msng@{d.e.l.e.t.e.}lowe-family.me.uk> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > "pjp" <pjpoirier_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote in message
> > news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> Have a 6 node network running in house (kids, wife etc.) that because
I'd
> >> always had the cable (picked up here and there) was always using
> >> thinwire,
> >> e.g. BNC connectors and the thin cable tv like wiring. It was my
> >> understanding that this alone was sufficient to limit the network to
> >> 10Mbs.
> >> However, I was also under the impression the installed network cards
were
> >> all capable of 100Mps when using Cat5.
> >>
> >> Well. I just bought a 8 port switch and sufficient Cat5 cabling and
> >> everything's up and going as previously using this new hardware.
However,
> >> according to the indicator led on the switch, only one of the network
> >> cards
> >> is using 100Mps.
> >>
> >> I suspect I already know the answer (e.g. get better nic's) but just
want
> >> to
> >> insure it's not something stupid I'm unaware of.
> >>
> >> For example, one of the nics in question is a "Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
> >> Ethernet NIC" according to Device Manager.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > In addition to the other responses, just a general point:
> >
> > AFAIK, any card that supports 10Base2 ( Thin Ethernet )
> > will only support 10MBit even if it's a dual-connector card.
> >
> > To the best of my knowledge, there are no 100Mbit cards
> > with co-ax connectors on them.
> >
> > --
> > Best Regards,
> > Ron Lowe
> > MS-MVP Windows Networking
> >
> >
>
> as you assumed ...time to pick up some new NIC's :>
>
>

Expected answer, the one running at 100Mbs has only the Cat5 connector and
was swapped in when an Artisoft AE3 (jumper change on board required) didn't
seem to want to work using the Cat5 connection even though was working fine
using thinwire.

WTH, nic's are cheap nowadays. I can remember those AE3's weren't when
bought years ago for running DOS-Lantastic