Re: Shiva FastPath Help?

[pitz <pitz.wong@gmail.com>]

On Aug 5, 4:47 pm, A2Aviator <a2avia...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Like the original Gatorbox, the ZFP metal box one, does not work with
> the IIgs as it sits, but the Gatorbox CS does.
>
> The Dayna EtherPrint is another, the metal box ones tended to have
> about a 95% chance of working where as the plastic box ones were about
> 95% chance of not working.
>
> I can't recall the brand, but they were about the size of a pack of
> cigarettes, they never worked. Might be the Asante box. Heck, most
> Asante bridge boxes didn't work.

I was taking some notes a few weeks back about these routers/bridges.
For simple LocalTalk to EtherTalk bridging, what worked well for me
was the Sonic Systems microPrint/2.  I also seem to recall from years
back that I could not get the Asante boxes working.  My recent notes
indicate having issues on my IIgs using the Farallon EtherWave
adapters (those manta-ray-like adapters) -- they also work for a few
minutes, then hangs the IIgs for a while before subsequently shutting
down and disabling AppleTalk on the IIgs.

One great feature of the microPrint/2 is that it uses +5v for power,
and I've tested it to work taking power from the IIgs ADB port.  The
downside of the microPrint/2 is that it doesn't directly play well
with switching 10/100Mbps hubs.  I use an intermediate 10Mbps hub in-
between them, which defeats the purpose of wanting to not have an
additional wall wart.

For more complex routing requirements, including MacIP support, I've
tested the FastPath 5, GatorBox CS, GatorBox GX-R, Compatible Systems
EtherRoute TCP/II, and Compatible Systems RISC Router 3000E.  My
preferred device is the EtherRoute TCP/II because of it's small form
factor.  I think the RISC Router 3000E has the fastest hardware from
the bunch that I tested.

I'm very interested in the problems that are experienced with the
FastPath 5.  I didn't run each setup for longer than a few minutes, so
I have not seen the problems.  Is it specific to A2s (with the
LocalTalk adapter) or to the IIgs?  If the IIgs does need Phase I,
wasn't there a setting in the FastPath 5 to select either Phase I or
Phase II?

There is one aspect of the FastPath 5 that makes me sometimes prefer
it over the others.  It's the only one from my bunch that can serve IP
and EtherTalk right from the same Ethernet AUI port (use an AUI-to-
RJ45 transceiver that is available for cheap).  That is, it can
perform MacIP routing with a single RJ45 cable running to the unit.
With my IIgs using a LocalTalk to EtherTalk bridge (like the
microPrint/2 setup), I have a longer RJ45 cable all the way to my
Ethernet hub.  The FastPath 5 sits close to the hub connected through
another RJ45 cable.  For MacIP purposes, the AppleTalk protocol goes
from the IIgs through the hub to the FastPath 5, and IP comes out from
the FastPath 5 and through the same hub.

IIRC, the FastPath 5 can be programmed/configured either through its
LocalTalk connection or through its AUI connection (using EtherTalk)
-- I got my Mac set up to use AppleTalk over its Ethernet port instead
of through its LocalTalk port and I can still reach the FastPath 5 to
configure it.

/pitz