---
name: "pcnet_cs"
section: "4"
platform: "linux"
package: "pcmcia-cs"
version: "3.2.8-9"
release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pcnet_cs"
---

# pcnet\_cs(4)

generic NS8390-based PCMCIA Ethernet Driver

## NAME

pcnet\_cs - generic NS8390-based PCMCIA Ethernet Driver

## SYNOPSIS

**insmod pcnet\_cs.o** \[**pc\_debug=***n*\] \[**irq\_list=***i,j,...*\] \[**if\_port=***n*\] \[**full\_duplex=***n*\] \[**use\_big\_buf=***n*\] \[**use\_shmem=***n*\] \[**mem\_speed=***n*\] \[**delay\_output=***n*\] \[**delay\_time=***n*\] \[**hw\_addr=***n,n,n,n,n,n*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**Pcnet\_cs** is a driver for all NS8390-based PCMCIA ethernet cards. It can use either polled IO or a shared memory window to exchange data with the card.  The driver first tests for a shared memory buffer, falling back on polled IO if the memory test fails.  When this driver is bound to a card, it allocates the next available ethernet device (**eth0**..**eth#**).  This device name will be reported in the kernel log file, and passed on to [**cardmgr**(8)](/cardmgr/8.md).

## PARAMETERS

- **pc\_debug=***n*

  Selects the PCMCIA debugging level.  This parameter is only available if the module is compiled with debugging enabled.  A non-zero value enables debugging.

- **irq\_list=***i,j,...*

  Specifies the set of interrupts that may be allocated by this driver.

- **if\_port=***n*

  Selects the transceiver type, for Socket EA and IBM CCAE cards.  1 is 10baseT (twisted pair), and 2 is 10base2 (BNC, or thin net).  The default is 1 (10baseT).

- **full\_duplex=***n*

  For DL10022 based cards where pcnet\_cs can't find the MII interface, this option permits manual control of the duplex setting.  1 is full duplex, and 0 is half duplex; the default is 0.

- **use\_big\_buf=***n*

  For Socket EA cards, a flag indicating if the driver should use the large (64K) packet buffer.  The default is 1 (true).

- **use\_shmem=***n*

  Selects shared memory versus polled IO mode for packet transfers.  The default is -1, meaning to use the card's CIS information to decide.

- **mem\_speed=***n*

  Sets the access speed of the shared memory window, in nanoseconds. The default is 0 (i.e., no extra wait states).  Values of up to 1000 are legal.

- **delay\_output=***n*

  Specifies that a delay should be inserted after a polled IO block output.  This is turned on by default for Accton and Socket EA cards.

- **delay\_time=***n*

  Specifies the length of the **delay\_output** delay, in microseconds. The default is 4.

- **hw\_addr=***n,n,n,n,n,n*

  For cards whose hardware ethernet addresses can't be identified by the current driver, this is a hack for hardwiring a specific address.  The argument should consist of exactly six byte-sized numbers, separated by commas, with no spaces.  Numbers may be in decimal or hex ('0xNN').

## DIAGNOSTICS

- **pcnet\_cs: this is an AX88190 card!**

  Indicates that this card is based on the Asix AX88190 chipset, which requires the **axnet\_cs** driver.

- **eth#: interrupt(s) dropped!**

  Indicates that the driver did not receive an interrupt notification for some reason.  The driver will poll the card (with a significant performance penalty) if the problem persists.  The most likely cause is an interrupt conflict and/or host bridge configuration problem.

- **eth#: MII is missing!**

  Indicates that the driver expects this card to have a \`\`Media Independent Interface'' for link speed and duplex selection, but could not find it.

## AUTHOR

David Hinds - dahinds@users.sourceforge.net

## SEE ALSO

[cardmgr(8)](/cardmgr/8.md), [pcmcia(5)](/pcmcia/5.md).