3Com 3C905-TX Fast EtherLink XL PCI 10/100 Network Card RJ-45 32-Bit

3Com 3C905-TX Fast EtherLink XL PCI 10/100 Network Card RJ-45 32-Bit

The 3Com 3C905-TX Fast EtherLink XL is a 32-bit PCI 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network interface card (NIC) featuring a single RJ-45 port. It supports both 10Base-T and 100Base-TX connections and uses 3Com's Parallel Tasking II architecture to offload network processing from the host CPU, reducing system overhead. The card uses a full-size PCI form factor and is compatible with standard PCI slots found in desktop PCs of the era.

Specifications & What's Included

• Model: 3Com 3C905-TX Fast EtherLink XL
• Interface: 32-bit PCI
• Network Speed: 10/100 Mbps (10Base-T / 100Base-TX)
• Network Standard: Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.3 / 802.3u
• Port: 1x RJ-45
• Main Controller: 3Com ASIC (visible on PCB — large QFP package)
• Form Factor: Full-height PCI card with metal bracket
• Link/Activity LEDs on bracket
• Card only — no driver disk, cables, or accessories included

Applications

The 3Com 3C905-TX was one of the most widely deployed 10/100 PCI NICs of the mid-to-late 1990s, used in corporate desktops, workstations, and servers during the transition from 10Base-T to Fast Ethernet networks. It was broadly supported under Windows 95/98/NT, DOS, Novell NetWare, and Linux, making it a common choice for IT departments upgrading their LAN infrastructure at the time. Today these cards are still sought after for legacy PC restoration, vintage computing projects, and older servers or workstations that require a PCI Ethernet adapter. The 3C905 series remains one of the best-documented and most driver-supported NICs from the PCI era.