Connecting to Ethernet

[Toby Reiter <str4552@OBERLIN.EDU>]

There was a recent discussion in comp.sys.apple2 about methods for 
connecting a IIgs to ethernet, and a lot of people proposed extremely 
complicated and expensive solutions. One thing that I have seen here at 
my college (Oberlin) has really piqued my curiousity. It is a cable which 
connects to a serial mini din8 port, ends in what looks like a rs232 
serial connection (male I guess) which is then attached to a female rs232 
which then become a ethernet, cable and is plugged into an ethernet port 
on the wall. Does anyone know what this thing is, and could it be used 
with a IIgs? It looks like it would be incredibly inexpensive. And I 
assume that it would be extremely easy to use under the new GS/TCP 
utilities which are coming? in the near future.
Also, does anyone know if Macintosh servers can be accessed over an 
EtherTalk network? This would be nirvana for me, if this could be done. 

TIA,
Toby Reiter