DFE-910
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
General
1. Where can I find information about the MidPoint
Lite Internet connection sharing software that came with my DFE-910
kit? (Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
Please follow this link: http://www.midpoint.com/support/top10faq.htm.
2. I intend to call D-Link technical support for help. Specifically,
what technical information will the Network Engineer (NE) need from
me? (Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
The Network Engineer (NE) will ask you for the model number of the
product you are calling about. This is very important since D-Link
manufactures and supports many products. For instance, if you are calling
about a DFE-910 Network-in-a-Box starter kit, you should tell the NE that
you have a DFE-910 kit and then, if necessary, you should narrow the focus
to the particular component in the kit, such as the DSS-5+ switch or the
DFE-530TX+ card.
Next, the NE may ask you for the name and version number of the
operating system your computer (or computers) are running on, e.g.,
Windows 95, Rev A, B, or C, or perhaps Windows 98 SE (second edition).
Depending upon which product you are calling about, the NE may ask you for
the brand name and model number of your computer. In some cases, the NE
may even ask you how old your computer is, or what brand and model of
microprocessor your computer contains, e.g., Intel Pentium III, Intel
Celeron, AMD K-6, etc. Note: If you do not have all of this information,
the NE will still be able to help you.
3. Are there any limitations to D-Link's technical support for the
DFE-910 kit? (Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
Yes there are. As an example, suppose that you construct a network
using the DFE-910 kit and then add a PC that uses a network adapter card
made by another company. When you try to browse the network from this
newly added PC, you discover that you cannot access the network or that
you cannot "see" any of the other PCs on the network. If you contact us
for help with this PC, we will not be able to diagnose and resolve
the problem because we are not familiar with the technical details
of the non–D-Link adapter card.
Likewise, if the non–D-Link adapter card is defective, or if it is not
properly installed, you probably will not be able to "see" or access this
PC from the PCs containing the D-Link cards. In either case, you would
need to obtain technical support from the manufacturer or dealer that sold
you the non–D-Link brand card.
4. I have a network adapter that does not have the D-Link brand name
stamped on it; however, I was able to trace the FCC number on the card
back to D-Link Systems. Can I obtain drivers and technical support from
D-Link Systems for this card? If not, can you tell me whom to ask for
driver and technical support? (Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
D-Link provides driver support and technical support only for
products with the D-Link brand stamped on the product. It is the
responsibility of the company and their dealers to provide both driver and
technical support for the products they sell. Furthermore, we are not able
to trace the identity of these organizations from the FCC number on the
cards.
5. My hub or switch is defective and I must return it for repair. Can I connect my two PCs together with a single cable and
network them this way until the repaired hub or switch is returned?
(Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
Yes, however, you must use a special Ethernet cable called a "crossover
cable." A crossover cable resembles the Ethernet patch cables that came
with the DFE-910 kit, but two of its wire-pairs are reversed, i.e., the
transmit and receive pairs. This wiring configuration allows you to
connect the RJ-45 Ethernet jack in one PC to the RJ-45 Ethernet jack in
another PC. Stores that specialize in computer products usually stock
crossover cables.
6. I have misplaced the floppy disk that contains the DFE-530TX+
drivers. Can I download them from your website? (Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
Yes. If you click on the following link it will take you to the Driver Downloads section of our WEB site where you can download drivers for any of our products. Here is the link:
Driver Downloads
7. The hub or switch that came with my DFE-910 kit has five useable
ports. Does this mean that I cannot have more than five computers or
devices on my network? (Back to DFE-910 FAQ
questions)
No, you can easily increase the number of devices on your network by
cascading a second hub or switch to the existing one. You can do this by
running a normal, straight-through patch cable between the Uplink port on
the existing hub or switch and any one of the normal (MDX) ports on the
second hub or switch. If you do this, remember that the Uplink port shares its circuitry with
Port 1X; therefore, you cannot connect a PC or other device to Port 1X
when there is something connected to the Uplink port.
Please be advised that there are practical limitations to the size of a
peer-to-peer network. Microsoft, for instance, recommends that you limit
the size of a workgroup to 10 users. Visit the following URL for more
information on this: http://www.microsoft.com/
WINDOWS2000/smallbiz/003march/peer.asp. In a separate
presentation, Microsoft recommends limiting the size of the network to 4
users for optimum performance. Going beyond this number of users may
degrade the performance and reliability of your network. You may visit the
following URL to view this presentation:
http://www.microsoft.com/Seminar/1033/19981020peer/seminar.htm
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