OK.. here is more information..  here are the messages from "netboot"
(copied down by hand)

Loading netbsd...
boot: boot device name does not contain ethernet address
boot: using hard-coded ethernet address.
boot: ethernet address 08:00:2B:E4:2F:AA
bootp: no reply
net_open: BOOTP failed
open netbsd: Input/output error

bootp -d10 run on the server end shows:

bootpd: info(6):   recvd pkt from IP addr 0.0.0.0
bootpd: info(6):   bootptab mtime: Fri Nov 14 18:09:46 1997
bootpd: info(6):   request from Ethernet address 08:00:2B:E4:2F:AA
bootpd: info(6):   found 198.168.10.4 (alpha.futureone.com)
bootpd: info(6):   bootfile="/boot.netbsd.alpha"
bootpd: info(6):   vendor magic field is 99.130.83.99
bootpd: info(6):   request message length=548
bootpd: info(6):   extended reply, length=548, options=312
bootpd: info(6):   sending reply (with RFC1048 options)
bootpd: info(6):   setarp 198.168.10.4 - 08:00:2B:E4:2F:AA
bootpd: info(6):   arp -d 198.168.10.4; arp -s 198.168.10.4 08:00:2B:E4:2F:AA
temp
198.168.10.4 (198.168.10.4) deleted

Ive attempted manually setting that last arp statement, and checking it with
arp -a  which seems to work ok....  bootp: no reply is the errant message I'm
looking at right now..  It seems to cause the later messages and the eventual
retry to the next kernel..

Any ideas would be graciously welcomed..

---
Tim Rightnour    -  root@garbled.futureone.com
http://www.zynetwc.com/~garbled/garbled.html