On Sun, 3 May 1998 10:20:02 +0100,
Chris Bennett <lists@lunedale.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm running NetBSD 1.3.1 on a Performa 475 (with 68040), but the
> ethernet card doesn't seem to be supported. The output of dmesg is:
> 
> nubus0 at mainbus0
> nubus0 slot e: EtherNet card (Vendor: TFL LAN INC., Part E410
>     NuBus/E420 LC PDS,Ethernet Adapter) Type: 0004 0001 011e 0100
>     not configured
> 
> The card is based on the Macronix MX98803A, which is itself based on
> the MX98902A ethernet controller. It works happily under Mac OS with
> nothing other than standard system software.

Is the chip compatible with any of Ethernet controller chips we
support? (National Semiconductor's NIC and SONIC chips, i.e. DP8390,
DP83902, DP83932, DP83934, DP83916, etc., and AMD Am79C940 MACE)

If not, someone will have to write a driver for it.

> Can anyone guess whether there might be a chance of getting this
> working using one of the existing drivers? I've already got data
> sheets, output of the slots program, and the system source code (when
> I figure out how to patch 1.3 to 1.3.1). I notice that in
> arch/mac68k/dev/nubus.h is the line
> 
> #define    NUBUS_DRHW_INTERLAN  0x0100
> 
> which seems to imply that one of the supported cards has the same
> hardware as mine, but maybe this is irrelevant? (The software type,
> 0x011e, doesn't match any others.)

Maybe, maybe not.  Cards are recognized when *both* DrHW and DrSW
match.  In your case, only DrHW matches...  The different DrSW may
imply that there are hardware differences enough to make separate
device drivers necessary.

Writing a new driver for vastly different controller chip from scratch
won't be easy, but if the MX98902A chip is sufficiently similar to
what NetBSD already supports, it can be just a matter of finding a few
addresses (ROM base, RAM base, register base, etc.).

Anyway, you might want to write to the list when you find something
new about your card.  Some of us may be able to help you with the
information.

Hope this helps,

Ken