Mach 3 Wireless Network Card Interference

[bill south]

Hey Guys;
A question for the experts. I just installed a Belkin wireless network card in my computer which controlls my mill out in the shop. It should give me the ability to swap files from this unit which has bobcad installed and is in a much more comfortable enviroment (plumbing).
I installed the card and had the wireless network working.
But, lost communication with mach3. The installation of the card and driver, changed the address of my second parallel port card which I use with my encoder interface card and charge pump.
I changed to the new address in Mach3 but I never could re-establish communication with Mach3 even though the addresses were the same.
I reinstalled the driver for the parellel card (deleted and installed from scratch) but still no communication.
I then removed the wireless card, and the address for the parallel card reverted back to the initial setting. I switched Mach3 back to the old setting and communication normal again.
Any idea what is going on??? Has me puzzled.
billyjack

[ger21]

When everything is installed, go to the device manager and check the address for the parallel port. The 1st video, I think, at www.machsupport.com shows where to find the actual address. I'm guessing that possibly the address isn't what youthink it is.

[HuFlungDung]

It could be the case that the particular PCI slot that you are using for the network card shares an IRQ with your additional cards. Or maybe doesn't share would be a more apt term. I suspect you may have to shuffle the cards about into a different configuration amongst the available PCI slots.

Before doing this shuffle, uninstall the various devices in device manager. Then shut down the computer. Rearrange the card positions. Maybe do them one at a time and let windows find them again.

Windows could get really hosed doing this, so you might have to reinstall windows, because it seems to remember every old configuration that it ever had, and tends to want to reinstall things the way they were.

Shut off every device in BIOS that you are not using. If you are not using your com ports, or an onboard networking card (whatever) disable them to free up the IRQ's because they can be in very short supply.

[bill south]

Thanks Guys! Ger, I did reset the address in Mach to match the device manager. No help. I also played with the interrupt settings but alals, same negative results...........However, thanks for the input, any idea is worth mentioning!!!
HuFlung, I was wondering if I could switch card positions and impact the interrupts or memory management features. If I were going to use this computer solely for machine control, what would be the best procedure to purge out all unneeded software, features supplied by Compac?? The computer is new and I want the most reliable control out of it possible.
The only software I need (I think) is mach 3, the wireless router and AOL to provide me access to the internet. Which I guess means I should also retain McAfee active.

What are you guys thoughts and again, thanks to both of you for the advice!!!

Billyjack
Cheers GuYs!!!!

[ger21]

What address do you get from the device manager?

[bill south]

Hey Gerry;
I believe it was fff8H but I may be wrong. It had plenty of f's though. The system is at home and I'm at work as we speak. When I have a chance to again tinker with the system, I'll write everything down so that I will have good information to those providing help like yourself.
Thanks again.
Bill