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Gateway Communications Ethernet NICs

@6018.adf Gateway Communications G/Ethernet Controller
   Note: Both G/Ethernet and G/Ethertwist use the same ADF.

GELANDRV.zip G/Ethernet & G/EtherTwist Driver Installation v1.01 (Packet Driver 1.13)

Gateway Communications Network Products (Datapro Reports on PC & LAN Communications)

G/Ethernet MC 8221-0031
G/Ethertwist MC 8220-0087
G/Ethertwist MC 8220-0088
G/Ethertwist Diagnostic LEDs
Unused G/Ethertwist MCA Signals
G/Ethertwist Experience
ADF Sections

G/Ethernet MC 8221-0031

AUI/10b2, © 1987, dtd 9040? (photo from ebay seller "ctesales")

Note: The G/Ethernet has all MCA pads populated. IF the circuitry exists, it MIGHT be possible to add one or two IRQs and I/O ranges to the @6018.adf.

8221 supports 10b2 and 10b5 cabling.

G/Ethertwist MC 8220-0087

AUI/TP, 8220087, © 1991, dtd 9032 (photo from ebay seller "ctesales")

JP2 LINK Integrity Test
Enabled - Pins 1 & 2 Closed
Disabled - Pins 2 & 3 Closed

Note: Link Integrity is used with 10Base-T. Disable when using AUI transceiver.

G/Ethertwist MC 8220-0088

AUI / TP, 82200088, © 1990, dtd 9132? (photo from VCF user Alfh)

G/Ethertwist Diagnostic LEDs

Status Condition Jabber LED (D2) ON (Red) Adapter continually sends random data Link test LED (D1) ON (Green) Network connection good Link test LED (D1) Blinks (Green) Wiring error, disabled test jumper Transmit LED (D4) Blinks (Red) Data is being transmitted Receive LED (D3) Blinks (Red) Data is being received

Unused G/Ethertwist MCA Signals

As seen HERE the MCA edge connector is missing several contact pads (photo from ALFH @ VCF):

• Side A: Preempt, Burst, ARB0-4, ARB/GNT, TC, DS 16 RTN, Refresh, DPAR, SBHE, IRQ14
• Side B: IRQ3, DPAREN, DPAR(0), CHCK, CHRDYRTN, SD Strobe, SDR(0)

Many MCA contacts are not populated. There is no DMA support. No ARB/-GNT support. No Arbitration support... The adapters used in the 486-class systems usually have most if not all contacts populated (Ed. A pad being present does not mean the corresponding signal is actually used.)

G/Ethertwist Experience

Source: Alfh @ VCF

There are three different versions of packet driver GEMCTCP.COM in Discmaster and I just tested them all:

• 1.15B DHCP works, static IP works. I can ping other computers on my network but if I ping PS/2 from network the PS/2 hangs. Not even ctrl+alt+del work when it freezes.
• 1.14 No DHCP, no ping with static IP
• 1.13 No DHCP, no ping with static IP

I put my Model 50 on the table and installed the G/Ethertwist, using "@6018.ADF" configured it again at IRQ 5 / I/O base 280. I ran that 1.15B GEMCTCP.COM packet driver and mTCP stuff from a floppy. And it worked!

Tried connect to some BBS and IRC server and connection was steady.

Next I tried to boot Model 95 with clean DOS 6.22 floppy and did the same thing with that, but it froze again after connecting the IRC server. It connected and received some text before it froze after second or two. Dunno if the driver is not compatible or Model 95 does not like the card.

Ed.: I can't tell if it is a timing window issue, a software issue, or a hardware issue. Or "Yes" to all above.

Normally, any MCA adapter can run asynchronously. BUT the G/Ethertwist is an I/O Slave and it is operated in PIO mode from the system master (host CPU). A good part of the logic is from the HCTLS family. The HCTLS's response times are sufficient for the 286-10 in the Model 50, but it falls woefully short in a Model 95. The system Master's timing window for driving the G/Ethertwist is so short, compared to the Model 50?

I can't determine WHAT the G/Ethertwist was for (eg. Model 50/60?). SWAG: Gateway Communications made a packaged system with a modified (and licensed) version of Netware, along with purposely modified LAN cards. My SWAG is the "G/Ethertwist" moniker was used with the permission of HP. -LFO

ADF Sections for @6018h "Gateway Communications G/Ethernet Controller"

NumBytes 2

Interrupt Level Select
   Interrupt level used by the adapter. Default is <Level 5>
     <"IRQ Level 5">, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12
Note: If you open the ADF, you will see the very SIMMple scheme:
   pos[0]=XXX0100Xb [Int 4] through pos[0]=XXX1100Xb [Int 12].

I/O Port Select 
   I/O address range used by the adapter. Thirty-two contiguous addresses are used in each choice. More ranges can be defined if these conflict.
     <"I/O Base 280" [0280h-029Fh]>, 2A0 [02A0-02BF], 2C0 [02C0-02DF], 2E0 [02E0h-02FF], 300 [0300h-031F], 320 [0320h-033F], 340 [0340-035F], 360 [0360-037F], 380 [0380-039F]
Note: "More ranges can be defined if these conflict" means WHAT?