> I was already looking at the heat problem.  Hardware wise I have been
> looking at stuff aimed at cooling laptops....fans to go underneath and I
> believe you can get others that fit into the pcmcia slot?  Might as well
> expand my question....anyone had any experience with such kit?  Did it
> help...i.e. anyone leave these things running 24x7?
> 
> ....as to Ethernet, I'd be interested to find out...I could live with
> 10baseT...any news on that front would be gr8.

it's good of you to want to use a machine you have lying around to do some
work, but let's be realistic here.  first of all, there is the heat problem
and the 3GX burning out.  now, you are sitting on a machine that is worth
several hundred dollars.  a well configured sparc5 can be had for what? less
than $100 these days?  sell the laptop and get a sparc5.  it'll solve your
ethernet problem and put some cash in your pocket.

-brian