XIRCOM POCKET ETHERNET ADAPTER III
README.DOC
Version 3.09
October 18, 1994

===================================================================
Thank you for purchasing the Xircom Pocket Ethernet Adapter III
and welcome to a new level of connectivity convenience. The Xircom
Pocket Ethernet Adapter III is the easiest-to-use parallel port
Ethernet adapter available.

Xircom is committed to making all of its networking products compatible
with the widest range of notebook and laptop PCs possible. As a company,
we are equally committed to customer satisfaction and timely response to
the needs and concerns of our customers.

Remember to register your Xircom Pocket Ethernet Adapter III
to receive information about future software upgrades and
new products.


CONTENTS:
---------
1) Features
2) ODI Notes
3) Novell NetWare Server Driver Notes
4) NDIS 3.0 Notes
5) OS/2 Notes
6) PPX Notes
7) EPP Notes
8) EPP Bios
9) Machine Specific Notes
10) Xircom Technical Support




1) FEATURES OF RELEASE
===================

Features of release 3.08 of the Xircom Pocket Ethernet Adapter III
Network drivers:

- NDIS 3.0 drivers for Microsoft's Windows for Workgroups and
Windows NT 3.1

- Novell NetWare Server Driver for NetWare 3.11., 3.12, 4.01,
and 4.02

- Support of EPP BIOS


2) ODI NOTES
=========
If you are using a NET.CFG configuration file with your ODI driver,
using "=" is not a valid syntax.

For example, use INT 7 instead of INT=7.

If you are using a frame type other than 802.2, please be sure to
copy the file NET.CFG from the ODI subdirectory on your Xircom
Network Drivers diskette to the same subdirectory where your ODI
drivers reside on your boot disk or hard disk.


3) NOVELL NETWARE SERVER NOTES
============================
At the time of this release, a new version of MONITOR.NLM for
LAN drivers has been released by Novell for NetWare operating systems.
If you are running a NetWare 3.11 file server and want to use the
Pocket Ethernet Adapter III server driver, you will need to upgrade
the MONITOR.NLM. (There is no need to upgrade for Netware 3.12 or 4.01)


4) NDIS 3.0 NOTES
================
This version of the Xircom NT Driver PE3NDIS.386 supports
Windows NT version 3.1. Microsoft has developed a driver for
the Pocket Ethernet Adapter III for Windows NT 3.5. This driver is
available on the Microsoft Windows NT version 3.5 CD.

Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) mode is not supported with NDIS 3.0
Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT.


5) OS/2 NOTES
==========
The OS/2 drivers available on the disk are intended to support OS/2
versions 2.0 and above. These drivers do not support Microsoft OS/2
version 1.3.


6) PPX NOTES
=========
Software support for the Xircom Parallel Port Multiplexor (PPX) is
programmed into the DOS drivers provided on the current version of the
Xircom Network Drivers diskette. The network device driver will detect
whether or not PPX hardware is present. DO NOT load a separate PPX
driver (i.e., PPX.COM or PPX.SYS).

When you use the Xircom adapter with a Xircom Parallel Port Multiplexor
(PPX) and a printer, be sure that your printer is turned on before
you load your network drivers.

The Xircom Parallel Port Multiplexor is not supported with the NDIS 3.0
drivers for Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT. Support will be
includedin a future release.

The PE3NDIS.OS2 and PE3ODI.OS2 drivers do not support the Xircom Parallel
Port Multiplexor (PPX). Local printing is supported under DOS only.

Some machines with Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) capability may not
support EPP mode when used in conjunction with a PPX.


7) EPP NOTES
=========
The drivers on this disk support personal computers (PCs) that have
Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) capability. To enable EPP mode on an
EPP-capable computer, see your Xircom User's Guide.

This release contains newer versions of the EPP utility files.
Please note that the network drivers on this disk MUST be used
with the EPP utility files on this disk. The EPP utility files
on this disk will support previous versions of the network drivers.

As of this release, the following EPP-capable PCs have been or
are currently being tested:


AST Power Exec 3/25SL
COMPAQ Contura
COMPAQ LTE Lite/20 and Lite/25**
DECpc 325p
Dell 325 NC
Dell NL25
Everex Carrier SL/25
GRiD 1660
IBM N45 SL
NEC Ultralite SL/25c
NCR 3170 Safari
Panasonic CS-480
Zenith MastersPort SLe
Zenith Z-Lite
Zenith Z-Note 320L and 325L

** To enable the EPP utility on the COMPAQ LTE Lite, first use
Compaq's SETUP program to change the default LPT port to LPT2.


8) EPP BIOS
========

The drivers listed below support an EPP BIOS standard for
DOS. Since the IEEE P1284.3 standard for EPP BIOS had not reached
final approval at the time of this release, Xircom and numerous laptop
PC manufacturers have chosen to support one of the earlier draft
revisions of the standard. Specifically, this release supports draft
revision 3, dated March 1993, of the EPP BIOS specification.
EPP BIOS support removes the need to load a separate utility to make
use of a PC's EPP capability. If EPP BIOS is present, the driver will
detect it and the Pocket Ethernet Adapter III will operate in EPP mode.

EPP BIOS is a standard for DOS with a PC's CPU operating in real mode.
Therefore, EPP BIOS is only supported with the following DOS drivers.

Novell ODI Workstation driver, PE3ODI.COM
NDIS driver, PE3NDIS.EXE
Packet driver, PE3PD.COM

- KEYWORD "NOEPP"
The ODI driver configuration file, NET.CFG, contains a new keyword
specifically for EPP BIOS. This keyword is "NOEPP". When this
keyword is present in the NET.CFG file, or the PROTOCOL.INI file EPP
mode, will NOT be invoked by way of EPP BIOS.

The following machines have been identified as supporting EPP BIOS.

AST Ascentia 900N
COMPAQ Elite
COMPAQ Contura Aero
Dell Latitude XP
Dell Latitude M Series
Gateway 2000 Colorbook
IBM EduQuest Fifty-five
NEC VERSA
NEC VERSA/V50
Zenith Data Systems Z-NOTEFLEX


9) MACHINE-SPECIFIC ISSUES
=======================

COMPAQ LTE Lite/20 or Lite/25
- When running these models in EPP mode, run Compaq's setup program and
change the printer port from LPT1 to LPT2 before loading the Xircom
EPP utility. When the network driver is loaded, a message will
indicate that LPT2 is being used.

IBM PS/2 Model 70, IBM ThinkPad 720, and ThinkPad 350
- These machines utilize a different implementation of the parallel port
which requires the "RDS" keyword to be placed in the appropriate
network configuration file. If you are using ODI, place the keyword
in the NET.CFG file. If you are using NDIS, add it to the PROTOCOL.INI
file. Other machines may also have this different implementation and
may require this keyword to be added.

IBM ThinkPad 500
- When using NDIS 3.0 with Windows for Workgroups 3.11 make sure that
the parallel port setting is set to OFF. To do this, go to CMOS setup
by pressing Func+F3. Set the parallel port setting OFF (not Auto).
The port should remain in this mode for it to function properly. The
driver should then load normally.


10) XIRCOM TECHNICAL SUPPORT
========================
Corporate Offices Technical Support and Information
------------------------ ------------------------------------------------
Xircom, Inc. United States................ TEL: 800-874-4428
Corporate Headquarters (THE FOLLOWING 805 NUMBERS VALID JANUARY, 1994)
2300 Corporate Center Dr. 24-Hr Fax-on-demand.(USA).... TEL: 800-775-0400
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 24-Hr Fax-on-demand (Intl)... TEL: 805-376-9020
TEL: (805) 376-9300 24-Hr Fax.................... FAX: 805-376-9100
FAX: (805) 376-9311 24-Hr BBS Data Lines......... BBS: 805-376-9130
24-Hr Internet E-mail........ INT: [email protected]
24-Hr CompuServe............. CIS: GO XIRCOM
HOURS: 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (Pacific Time)

Xircom Europe NV Europe, Mid-East, Africa TEL: +32/(0)3.360.38.60
Bisschoppenhoflaan 82-84 24-Hr Fax-on-demand......FAX: +32/(0)3.360.38.00
2100 Antwerp, Belgium 24-Hr Fax................BBS: +32/(0)3.326.31.50
TEL: +32/(0)3.360.38.11 24-Hr BBS Data Lines.....TEL: +32/(0)3.326.23.68
FAX: +32/(0)3.326.31.50
HOURS: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday
0:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Friday

Xircom Asia Ltd. Asia Pacific................ TEL: +852-2525-2078
1604 Century Square
1-13 D'Aguilar Street 24-Hr Fax................... BBS: +852-2537-6048
Hong Kong 24-Hr Data Lines............ BBS: +852-2537-6048
TEL: +852-2525-2078
FAX: +852-2525-8955
HOURS: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday


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Thank you for making Xircom a part of your network.

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Xircom acknowledges all tradenames and trademarks used in this document
as the property of their respective owners.

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