GlobalPC connected through Xircom parallel port adapter

    Hello!

    I have managed to connect my Global PC using a Xirxom parallel port adapter (PE3-10BT), and it works amazingly well and stable. I updated my Global PC to the unofficial 1.3 update. However, I find the configuration a mess, with the geos.ini and net.ini files, and I don't understand the concept of it. With the 1.3 update, I have one Geos.ini, and two net.ini. I suspect the net.ini in the 1.3 folder is the one that is used. I am using the packet driver from Xircom and the EtherPKT driver. I need to look through my config, as I have found duplicate entries in geos.ini and the net.ini from 1.3. Maybe I have to look over the handles settings too? Any questions are welcome. I don't recommend to chase any Xircom PE3-10BT, but if you bump into one and it is for free or very cheap, then you can try it. There are many for sale at Ebay, but they are only for die-hards, and expensive. I guess it is better to connect the Global PC through a null modem serial cable, and transfer files that way, form another Geos computer with serial port.

    BR,
    Hans

    I have now sorted everything out. The connection works well. The JavaScript support does not work well, at least for this forum. The browser stalls, but is still possible to close and also the computer itself, no hanging. But if you leave it for many minutes (5-10?) it will crash with KR-16.
    Still, it works well, faster than a modem, and close to a NIC.

    Hans

    Zitat von jpolzfuss

    I wonder if the Xircom would also work on a GeoBook (as the GeoBook's LPT-port is a little bit limited)... ;)

    According to the Xircom manual it will work on any parallel port, as far as I can see, and I am an old PC enginner educated in the DOS days, and I will say that I know the hardware configuration of the ports. The parallel port on the GPC is also limited, and run by the BIOS. IN geos.ini and net ini, there is a remark (REM) that the parallel port is run by the BIOS, in other words, by the hardware. Geos support is broken in that part, however I turned the parallell port off in both geos.ini and net.ini just in case. The question is if the geos version you have in the GeoBook will support the EtherPKT? I think you can use the ODIAPLHA.ZIP package found at this site. Pity, you live in germany, otherwise we could have tested it, but I think it will work, that is my guess. And you will not even need to have a Xircom adapter. I know that Accton etherpocket was very popular in germany, so you can try that if you can get it. BUT, I would advice you to use a separate power feed, not the power feed from the ps/2 port.

    Another alternative is to use a PC-card Ethernet Adapter in the GeoBook if the PCMCIA slots works for more than memory cards. I have used a D-Link on a PC successfully (that eventually burned out, because of the unstable AMD CPU). D-Link with network cable. Orinoco Silver or Gold with wifi, but the support is limited nowadays with WEP 32 and 64.

    BR,
    Hans

    Forgot to say, avoid 3com and Intel PC cards. The DOS driver for the cards are bulky and takes a huge chunk of resident memory. D-Link drivers are better, likewise Orinoco, and probably others too. Check the drivers before you buy or even start. 3Com was 50 Kb, if I recall, which was quite useless.

    Spend some minutes in the PC card, too. Because my D-Link had a weakness, and it was the dongle's contact to the PC card, which was weak, and very easy to break. It is better to put the PJ-45 connector directly inthe the PC card if possible.

    One might wonder, what is the point connecting Geos to the internet? Internet superseeded Geos a long time ago. I do say that there is a point to browse to Rainer's site and to download directly to the Document folder. There are other sites like the Geos Infobase, Marcus Groeber's site and so on. You can even search for things in Google, although the start page look all weird in yellow. Just scroll down to the search box and put your words in there, and Google it. When the search result shows, scroll down and you will see them all. Some might work, some might not. Still useful.

    BR,
    Hans

    Hello

    I've used a Xircom PCMCIA card for long time in my Fujitsu Livebook more then 15 years ago until the notebook died. With enabler tool (no PCMCIA card services needed) and ODI driver it used very few memory (around 30kB) and it worked very well (NDO2000).

    Also, I had a Cisco AirOnNet PCMCIA WLAN card in my Thinkpad 701c (butterfly). With 2Mb/s without encryption. I still own the card, but there is no access point to connect :( Had used it a lot for email and browsing the web when sitting outside in my garden (NDO2000 too).

    Cheers
    Andreas

    I can connect through my NetGear wifi extension box, it allowed connection for my wireless DOS/Geos with my Orinoco Silver PC-card. I used WEP32 encryption and locked the access to MAC-address. The encryption is breakable and therefore the security in not very high. Also, my laptop broke down. So currently I don't have anything. Back in the days, I used the ODI, and I guess the packet driver is better as it uses less memory.

    Hans