[comp.sys.ibm.pc] IBM Token Ring Network Question

sl137223@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (sl137223) (03/17/88)

I currently work with a PS/2 Model 80 and Model 60 on an IBM token ring
network.  I would like to add an AT&T 6300 to the network.  I already have
a network card for it, and have installed and run the system diagnostics 
supplied by IBM.  The hardware apparently checks out okay.  What I would like
to know, is this.  What version of AT&T DOS do I need?  The IBM manuals say
I need DOS 3.2 or higher, but they are talking about for the IBM.  I called 
AT&T and they said "We don't support the IBM network, you'll have to talk
to IBM."  So I called IBM and they said, "We don't support the AT&T 6300."
Has anyone added an AT&T computer to an IBM network before?  If not, is anyone
familiar with the internals to the IBM network software?  Everything I have
ever tried to run on the AT&T has worked, so I assume the DOS is compatible
internally, but then again, you never know.  I guess if no one has any 
insight, I will just get DOS 3.2 for the AT&T and see what happens.

Also, has anyone had any experience with the mail order company Gateway 2000?
A friend of mine purchased an AT style machine from them and they sent him a
hodge podge of equipment.  The memory chips in the machine are from three 
different manufactures.  The monitor is from a different manufacturer than was
quoted over the phone.

gmv@cblpf.ATT.COM (G. Michael Vrbanac) (03/19/88)

> I currently work with a PS/2 Model 80 and Model 60 on an IBM token ring
> network.  I would like to add an AT&T 6300 to the network.  I already have
> a network card for it, and have installed and run the system diagnostics 
> supplied by IBM.  The hardware apparently checks out okay.  What I would like
> to know, is this.  What version of AT&T DOS do I need?  The IBM manuals say
> I need DOS 3.2 or higher, but they are talking about for the IBM.  I called 
> AT&T and they said "We don't support the IBM network, you'll have to talk
> to IBM."  So I called IBM and they said, "We don't support the AT&T 6300."

I've never run token-ring, but I can tell you that the AT&T PC6300 will
run IBMs PC-DOS (that I have done).  The only glitch I know of is getting
PC-DOS to know what time/date the 6300 has in it's clock.  There are several
programs to do this, check out the AT&T sponsored support BBS at
(201) 769-5616 or (201) 769-6397.   
One other thing that can be a "gotcha" with the 6300 is that they 8-bit
bus slots *don't* run at 4.77 mhz, rather the designers simply halved the
cpu clock's 8mhz to run the 8-bit bus.  Consequently, anything plugged in
an 8-bit bus slot runs slower, and a very few cards won't run at all.

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