Re: Connecting to Ethernet

[Jack Friess <jfriess@wctc.net>]

On Thursday, 14 Nov 1996 17:50:26 EDT Toby Reiter 
<str4552@OBERLIN.EDU> wrote:
 
> 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.

Today, I connected a IIgs in our test lab through its modem port to a 
Linux server with a Din-8 -> DB-25 (modem) cable -> straight DB-25 
adaptor -> 486 serial port and was able to send email out to the 
Internet.  I could have connected the IIgs to the server with:  Din-8 
-> DB-25 -> RJ-45 -> DB-25 -> 486 serial port and gotten the same 
results (I did as much with a IIe, also today).  I haven't priced the 
cables yet but expect the DB-25 -> RJ45 (8'-10') to be in the $15-$20 
range.

What we're NOT doing is connecting the IIgs (or even the IIes I have 
in the lab) to an Ethernet network.  It is only a serial connection to 
allow the IIs to have a dedicated connection to the server for acting 
as a dumb terminal for primarily email.  However, through Lynx, I WAS 
ABLE TO LOG ONTO THE INTERNET AND SURF OUR WEB SITE (in text, of 
course)!!  The only network services available would be that which the 
Linux server had available and accessible through the serial 
connection.

To get on an Ethernet network with an Apple II, one would need the 
TCP/IP, ethernet transceivers, and (possibly) a lot of other stuff 
that truly is very complicated.  In our case, we will be using the 
CAT-5 cables (normally used for Ethernet networks) with their RJ-45 
connectors to run our dumb terminal serial transmissions.  My hunch is 
(unless someone at your school has something lots of other people 
would die for), what you saw is similar to what we are experimenting 
with here.

> 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.

Yes, depending.  There are Ethernet cards and software for Macintoshes 
depending on the type--the cards only fit in certain slots and some 
Mac don't have ther right slots.  We have an Ethernet card in a Mac LC 
580 and have it talking to a Pentium NT server and vice versa.  We 
hope to find a card for a Mac Classic we have for testing purposes.  
We plan, if necessary (and only if the PC LocalTalk card we're 
experimenting with won't work), to have have a Mac act as a LocalTalk 
server with an Ethernet connection to the Pentium NT server.

Look for Apple II Email (Updates) in csa2 and csa2.programmer.

Jack Friess
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA