2 Nic Card on 1 m/board

[kgb]

I"m new to this..so bare with me.
Hi...I couldn't find any Network topic but since its related with motherboard, allow to post my problem.:
I run a LAN (peer to peer w/ 3 win95c computers, there's no hub and i used coax cable with terminator to connect.

Recently i connected my main w/station to the internet with ADSL
requiring an D-Link PCI Nic card. This card works fine.
The problem is my LAN NE2000 compatible ISA Nic card that wouldn't
work. My M/brd have 3 isa slot and 5 pci. They are all filled.
(sound card, graphic card etc) I've tried to disable the LPt1 port in
Bios to make is irq7 off in order to make free for my Ne2000,
i dont use the printer. That wouldn't do. In device manager, it
show no conflict for the Ne2000 but I am unable to access my LAN.
I even disable Lpt1 in the hardware profile in Device Mgr...
still it my Ne2000 wouldn't go for it.
I try re-installing the driver over and over in windows and in dos,
no luck. I am positive that card is physically ok since it worked
beautifully before I install my Internet Nic Card. I'm out of ideas
and getting desperate. My question is ....if you free an irq in bios
why wouldnt accept the new setting? I really would like to know if
its possible what is I am trying to do. Any suggestion please poste
it here or email it to me at do_g@hotmail.com
Thank for your time.
George

[bighammer]

have you given it an address?

[kgb]

Yeah ...this is considering the IP addresses are 192.168.x.x and 255.255.255.0

Any suggestion. My question is, is feasible to disable a port to free the irq in order to use for another slot?

thanks.

[jmeier]

I am assuming that since you are using an ISA card it is either non-plug and play or partial plug and play. If it is the later, these legacy cards often have a hard time when you try to 'tweak' it to a certain irq or memory address. My advise would be in your bios, disable your lpt port but do not make irq 7 unavailable. Just disable the port. This *should* make the irq available. Now, boot up but do not install your nic drivers just yet. Go to your device manager and there should be a tab option to look at used/free resources. Verify that the resources you need are free. If they are and the card is still not installing, check if there is a command line utility available for the card which queries what resources it is trying to use. It is quite possible it is not going to the irq you are trying to assign it when you install the driver or when you change the resources in the device manager. I have also seen some motherboards which will not give up lpt/com resources even if you have them disabled. My suggestion then would be to juggle your irqs. Change the lpt to irq 5, and your Sound card (or whatever was using that irq) to something else. Hope this helps.

[kgb]

Thanks Jmeier. But can we "assign" irq just like that? It seems that 's what i been doing since day one and always get into conflict. But i will try your advice of changing my sound card irq to something else and use irq 5 for my nic card. Boy i hope this will answer my problem.
again, thank you for your time, i'll keep your posted.

Geoge.