[syslinux] token ring for pxelinux

[Josef Siemes]

Hi,

> > I have it  working with IBM Token Ring cards. 
> 
> Don't suppose it will work with any old MCA cards...

Since the first PCI cards only support RPL I think this is also true for MCA. Is MCA
really still in use with x86-hardware? I only thought of RS/6000 with MCA ...

> > All cards above 'IBM Token Ring
> > PCI Adapter 2' support PXE and RPL, the old 'IBM Token Ring PCI card' 
> > only supports RPL. Use the 'PXE 1 Rom' for booting clients, since the
> > 'PXE 2' rom doesn't seem to work for me. Especially the 'low profile
> > token ring adapteer' comes with the PXE 2 rom preinstalled.
> 
> I have a small PCI adapter, but not sure what type it is. It does show 
> any signs of PXE, although I can start a RIPL boot with it -but it 
> doesn't get very far. 

Try pressing 'ALT-S', and it should show something PXE-like. It's the same rom.

>I also have a TR port embedded in an IBM Network 
> Station which will support PXE. 

I know these. The adapter is PXE capable, the only problem is to update the 
on-board PXE rom. I managed to do this with an old Networkstation Manager installation.
The client needs to boot this once, and you'll see that the PXE rom will be updated.
 
>That is my only exposure to PXE so far, but it is proving difficult to getting it working.

If you have a card with PXE 1-Rom and AL >= PX14xxx I can help you with that.


> Is it possible to upload microcode to these cards, or do you actually need 
> to physicall replace roms?

It's a flash rom, and the downloaded file is actually a Dos diskette wich flashes
the rom.
 
> As far as these AL- BL- fields go, is there a reference anywhere as to 
> what they all stand for? I've looked at them for years wondering what they 
> all mean.

Yes. It's called 'IBM Token-Ring Features', URL:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/networking/ess/public/docs/853481798E78CDAC85256A17005946D3/ffp6cntl.pdf
See chapter 2 (RPL/PXE) for the bios messages.
BTW: You find this and the PXE roms at http://www.networking.ibm.com/support, choose
'IBM 16/4 Token Ring PCI adapter 2' (this one definitively supports PXE ...),
'Technical Documentation' will give you the above link, 
'Downloads->Dos->PCI Flash, Version 3.nn PXE1' will give the PXE1 flash diskette. 

> > And yes, token-ring is still used. I know of several banking and insurance customers
> > still using it. Some plan to migrate to ethernet, though.
> 
> I read somewhere that 100Mb TR was now available, but I guess cards would 
> be prohibitively expensive compared to Ethernet...

Since the 16/4 TR cards already cost 5 times of a good 100 Mbit ethernet card, these 
would be really expensive. I haven't seen this anywhere, only 16 Mbit TR (switched
or as a ring).

Regards,

Josef

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