1-2
Compaq NC3131 Fast Ethernet Server Adapter User Guide
Hardware Overview
The NC3131 Server Adapter is a high performance, upgradeable adapter with two fully
integrated 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX networking chips. The adapter supports emerging
standards for system manageability and power management, such as ACPI.
The NC3131 Server Adapter is a sophisticated 64-bit PCI component with enhanced scatter-
gather and bus mastering capabilities. Its 64-bit architecture enables it to perform high-speed
data transfers on the PCI bus using four DMA channels. This microcode-based engine enables
the controllers to process high level commands and perform multiple operations without
processor intervention.
The NC3131 Server Adapter also operates in a standard 32-bit PCI slot and supports both 32-bit
and 64-bit systems.
Figure 1-1. Compaq NC3131 Ethernet Server Adapter
NC3131 Server Adapter Illustration
The NC3131 Server Adapter has two RJ-45 ports. Three LEDs on each port indicate link,
activity, and port speed.
Figure 1-2. NC3131 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX RJ-45 ports and LED indicators
