Re: Localtalk card questions.

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Ernest wrote in message ...

>If what I've heard is correct, the LC has a built in Localtalk port but
I'll
>have to find the right LT cable to string them together.


Actually, if you only have the 2 machines that you want hooked together, any
Apple printer cable will do, the one with the small round 8pin plugs.  If
you want these 2 machines, and a printer, or yet more machines networked
together, then you need farallon phonenet dongles. They are about a foot of
cable, with a small box at the end. Each box has 2 rj11 jacks (same as phone
line). You plug a phone line in at one box, then at the next box, and you
can keep daisy chaining them together, I think up to 30. The dongles at the
ends of the chain require a terminator (because these are the only 2 dongles
that dont use both rj11's). Terminators are easy to make, but hard to find,
even if you find dongles. May be wrong, but I think they were 120 ohm
resistors, just crimped into a phone plug. If interested though, contact me
for plans to build a simple/cheap localtalk hub.

>1. What is the difference between Localtalk and Appletalk?


Ok, in the beginning, Apple devised their own networking architecture, which
was substantially cheaper than building in ethernet or token ring (2 other
architectures). Then, when they decided to go with ethernet later on, they
kept the software part of appletalk, but used it over ethernet. This was
'ethertalk', the software aspect still being called 'appletalk'. Now, if the
software was appletalk, what then was the cabling and hardware aspect of
their architecture? At this point they coin a new name for it, 'localtalk'.
This includes not only the cabling, but also the hardware to implement it
(the chipsets and so forth). It is generally best to refer to the
software/protocol stack as 'appletalk' and the cards/cables/routers as
'localtalk'. Mind you, you aren't wrong if you mix em up, but can be
confusing yo both yourself and others.

>2. Can anyone tell me where I can find the Apple IIe software for this
card?

Sorry, I can't answer that. But I believe Apple has released all that
software at some point. Am fairly certain that if set up right, you don't
need software at the //e end, but rather at the Mac. Requires a certain
version (range of versions?) of Appleshare, but basically the E net boots
off the mac.

>3. Is there software for the LC that can convert .shk files to disk?

No idea. Am guessing yes.

>4. Will an LC support a 5.25 apple disk drive?

No idea. Is one surefire way to find out. Better wait though, lest you fry
something. Someone will know this one.

> I also have a IIe card the LC, with the Y-cable and 5.25 unidisk
drive -can
>this help in my plan? I haven't set it up yet but does this card simply run
>like a separate IIe on the LC, or can the IIe card access the Hard drive of
>the LC, to pull .shk files from the HD?

The //e card can access the hd, but uncertain about specifics. With the
hardware you have now, and some patience you can certainly get everything up
and running, and it oughtta be an interesting network , as far as that goes.
Wish you luck, sounds like fun. And be sure to check out
http://aIIethernet.tripod.com/ , it's a project that seems to be making
progress.

John