Re: Appletalk and Linux

[lockwood@ecs.csun.edu (James Lockwood)]

Nathan Mates (nathan@visi.com) wrote:
> In article <336ba309.277165@news.ucla.edu>, David Kim <dwkim@ucla.edu> wrote:
> >Recently, I decided to find a reason to keep my old Apple IIgs and
> >decided to network it off my Linux box.  I am assuming it is possible
> >because Linux supports Appletalk and there is a tool called Netatalk
> >which is a package for Unix boxes that allow them to speak Appletalk.

>    IBM PC (and most other serial ports not controlled by the same
> chipset as used in Macs, GSs, etc) cannot speak Appletalk, even the
> 16551 high speed UARTs. The netatalk is appletalk over ethernet,
> requiring a gateway somewhere to translate the packets back and forth
> between Appletalk and ethernet formats.

Although in theory, Linux/SPARC and others might be able to manage it (the
SPARC systems generally have Zilog 8530 UARTs that can speak synchronous
protocols like Appletalk with a little tweaking).  I don't know if anyone
has implemented it yet, though.

> >Anyways, I just wanted to know if anyone else has done this and if so
> >what will I need to get started?  

>    You're most likely going to need a gateway box as described above
> for the reasons specified: Appletalk is not forgiving of any
> deviations in hardware from that for which it was designed.

Find a Shiva/Kinetics Fastpath v4, I see them pop up periodically for
$25-50.  In addition, stock netatalk will not talk to the IIgs properly,
there are some minor implementation details that stop it.  Changes to fix
this should be rolled in shortly.

-James [SPARCclassic + Mac IIfx + Shiva FastPath + Apple IIgs]

=============================================================================
James D. Lockwood                 College of Engineering and Computer Science
Unix System Administrator              California State University Northridge
james.lockwood@ecs.csun.edu