Re: LocalTalk/AppleShare between IIgs and Mac LC 575 - how?

[goble@gtech (David. E. Goble)]

On Wed, 6 Jun 2001 21:07:49 -0400, "Rodney Hester"
><rod3@mindspring.com> wrote:

>Forgive me, for am I not only somewhat Apple illiterate, I am *totally*
>ignorant where Apple networking is concerned.  :/
>
Do not worry, we all started there :>
>
>What I would like to accomplish is fairly simple - I'd like to be able to
>share files between my Mac LC 575 and Apple IIgs via some sort of cheap
>networking solution.  Best I can tell, LocalTalk and AppleShare fit the bill
>nicely.
>
Correct
>
>- I think I need some sort of "Y" cable on the IIgs side, since my printer
>(ImageWriter II) is currently plugged into the printer port, where the
>LocalTalk "splitter" presumably goes.  (The picture I saw indicated the
>printer plugs into one side of the Y, and the LocalTalk connection into the
>other.)  However, another site suggested that having LocalTalk enabled on
>the printer port will not allow me to continue printing to the ImageWriter -
>is that really the case?  (If so, I suppose I can live with it, but will
>simply switching the slot assignment on the GS from LocalTalk back to
>Printer suffice, or do I actually have to physically unplug LocalTalk?)
>
All you need is the printer cable, to get you started. As appletalk
uses the same cable (8pin Mini Din). The IIgs has two ports (printer
and modem ports), both can be set to appletalk or printer. So you can
have your printer connected to one and have the other for appletalk.

I assume the (Apple talk kit) "Y" adapter is for connecting more than
two computers together, using the phoneline cables (RJ somethings).
>
>- Once the hardware end of things is settled down, on to software...from
>what I understand, it's not possible to mount the IIgs drives on the Mac,
>only the reverse.  Do my shared Mac folders/drives appear on the IIgs
>desktop as "hard drives" or somesuch?
>
I am not sure on this. I have only mounted entire harddrive
partitions. These show up on the IIgs desktop as harddrive icons (HFS
partititions) or floppy drive icons (PRODOS partitions).
>.
>- What software setup is required on both machines?  I am running System
>7.5.5 on the Mac and GS/OS 6.0.1 on the IIgs.  If I understood correctly,
>the Mac has to act as an AppleShare server, and I have to have some sort of
>network client on the IIgs.  Can anyone provide more specifics?
>
Simply install the appletalk options from the install disks. From
memory...; On the Mac, appletalk and filesharing. On the IIgs, if you
do not have a harddrive, you can create a appletalk boot disk. This
will allow you to have your system 6.0.1 software on a PRODOS
partition of your mac. With the Mac running, appletalk active and
filesharing enabled, the appletalk boot disk will boot up the IIgs
then lauch system 6.0.1 off the mac.
>
>- I understand that the connection will be slooooooow...I've read several
>places that likened it to the speed of a floppy drive.  Since that's exactly
>the process I'm trying to eliminate, that suits my purposes just fine.  =)
>I'm also aware of the limitations of ProDOS naming conventions and other
>filesystem limitations (such as no 8-bit applications run across the
>network), which is fine, as all I plan to do is limited filesharing.  It's
>also my understanding that both HFS and ProDOS drives/folders on the Mac can
>be shared...I'm assuming more than one at once.  (If it is more than one, is
>there a fixed or practical limit?)
>
I assume there would be a limit on the number of drives/partitions,
but do not know it.
>
>- Is it strictly necessary to run a "network" as such (i.e. can I dispense
>with the whole login/authentication/rights thing and just be the AppleShare
>equivalent of "root" on both sides of the house)?  If so, what's the _least_
>configuration I can get away with?  (I'm not looking to do ANYTHING fancy at
>all here...I'm simply looking for AppleShare to replace SneakerNet(TM).  :)
>