Cannot bring up eth0 with kernel 2.6.12 - 3com 3c754 - LAN+56K PC card

[cga]

I am trying to do a "net install" of debian testing - "etch" on a Dell 
Inspiron 7500 with a 3com "LAN + 56K" pc card connected to a motorola 
surfboard cable modem (optimum online is the isp - IP address obtained 
via dhcp).

debian "etch" currently installs a 2.6.12 kernel by default.

1. The installer initially failed to configure the network card. I 
worked around this by loading the 3c574 module manually and re-running 
the "configure network" step from the install main menu. 
2. After rebooting "ifconfig" only shows "lo" active. However "ifconfig 
-a" and cardctl ident/status suggest that the hardware has been 
correctly recognized and lsmod appears to indicate that the relevant 
modules have been loaded.
3. At this point I  tried a number of things to try to bring up eth0 
manually - ifup.. "ifupdown start" .. etc. but I only got a message to 
the effect that IRQ 11 had been disabled.
4. IOW - I am unable to access the debian mirrors and complete the  
installation.

I have found a few articles reporting similar problems while researching 
this via google but I haven't really found a resolution. Some suggested 
upgrading the kernel.. another mentioned patching the kernel..

What rather surprises me is that the installer boots the same kernel 
version and although the card is not automatically configured it only 
takes minimal effort to do it manually. So it should be fairly easy to 
achieve the same result when booting into the installed kernel..??

Has anyone encountered this problem connecting to a cable modem with 
this particular combo card with recent kernels..? Are there boot params 
that I need to specify? Is there any way I could make the " new pcmcia" 
revert to the old kernel 2.4 behavior - I haven't had any  problem with 
a debian sarge install w/  kernel 2.4.27 on the exact same hardware...?

Pointers.. advice.. much appreciated.

Thanks.
Chris.