All this discussion triggers a memory of a similar problem I had with
this card some years ago.  The problem was that the ep driver couldn't
select the correct media using the media options provided by ifconfig.  The
driver reported that it did the right thing, but the card still didn't
work.  I finally had to select the correct media using the DOS utility
against the card.  Once that was done, the driver worked as it was supposed
to.
-Brian

On Apr 20,  6:37pm, Rui Paulo wrote:
} Subject: Re: 3C509 problem
} On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 22:09:48 -0400
} "Steven M. Bellovin" <smb@research.att.com> wrote:
} 
} > Is this an embedded 3Com card, in a Dell?
} No.
} 
} -
} Rui Paulo <goteki@pixeloverflow.com>
} 3F1E DB64 40B0 B027 1F3C  4A4A 1384 42C6 B05A DCB7
} 
}   "Simplicity is the ultimate 
}     sophistication." 
}     -- Leonardo da Vinci      
} 
>-- End of excerpt from Rui Paulo