    AST RESEARCH, INC.         TECHNICAL BULLETIN #0712A                 10-28-91

                    PREMIUM EXEC 386SX-20 AND XIRCOM MULTIPLEXOR

    PROBLEM:       When a Xircom Parallel port Multiplexor is attached to the
                   Premium Exec 386SX-20 parallel port, the Xircom Pocket
                   Ethernet adapter reports the following error messages while
                   operating under Novell 386 OS:

                      "Pocket Ethernet failed memory test"
                      "Network error on server"

    AFFECTED
    SYSTEM:        AST Premium Exec 386SX-20 system.

    CAUSE:         Incompatibility between Xircom's Parallel Port Multiplexor and
                   AST's Premium 386SX-20 system.

    SOLUTION:      This is not an issue that AST can resolve.  Customers
                   experiencing this problem should contact Xircom for a
                   Multiplexor upgrade that will resolve this problem.