I did a search on google and found a report of this with a suggestion from Alan Cox that replacing the ne2k-pci modules with ne.o and setting the options to match those of the card in the bios.
I forgot to mention that the person who I am doing this server for bought the kit from his brother who works at NCR. Every possible setting is hard coded into the bios. I can't help but wonder if that's part of the problem. Many thanks for pointing me in the right direction. -- Patrick Kirk Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggy" until you can find a rock.