landay@cory.Berkeley.EDU (James A. Landay) (02/11/88)
Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports?
(Compaq '386 and IBM PC AT) I would like to transfer files between
the two quickly. (and the serial ports are used.)
thanks
James A. Landay
ARPA: landay@cory.berkeley.edu
ucbvax!cory!landaymurillo@sigi.Colorado.EDU (Rodrigo Murillo) (02/16/88)
In article <673@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu> landay@cory.Berkeley.EDU (James A. Landay) writes: >Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? >(Compaq '386 and IBM PC AT) I would like to transfer files between >the two quickly. (and the serial ports are used.) Check out PC Magazine, January 12, 88 Vol. 7 Number 1. There is a whole section on data transfer programs that would meet your needs. Not all support parallel file transfer though. Here are some that do: Direc-link (213)377-1640 Paranet (613)236-1487 File Shuttle (800)663-8066 -- ----------- Rodrigo Murillo, UC - Boulder (303)761-0410 ----------- murillo@boulder.Colorado.EDU -or- ..{hao|nbires}!boulder!murillo (Machines have less problems. I'd like to be a machine. -- Andy Worhol)
loafman@convexe.UUCP (02/16/88)
/* landay@cory.Berkeley.EDU.Sun.COM writes... */ /* ---------- "hooking PC's together" ---------- */ Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? (Compaq '386 and IBM PC AT) I would like to transfer files between the two quickly. (and the serial ports are used.) .... /* End of text from convexe:comp.sys.ibm.pc */ Answer: go get a package called the Brooklyn Bridge. It will allow you to hook serial to serial at something over 100k baud, using one system as master, the other as slave. In addition, the slave system appears to be a collection of disk drives to the master. Such things as DOS copy, print, etc., work (a bit slowly, somewhere short of floppy speeds, but not by much). Very reliable and easy to use. The package comes in several flavors depending on the nature of the serial connections which need to be made. The most common flavor contains a Y cable with a db25 on one end, Y'ed to a db9 and db25 on the other end. Very handy for desktop to laptop. I forget which sex the connectors are, but a gender-bender can change anything. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kenneth W. Loafman @ CONVEX Computer Corp, Dallas, Texas | All opinions Voice: work: (214) 952-0829 home: (214) 964-1250 | are my own, USPSnail: 1705 Coit Rd #2101, Plano, Tx 75075 | of course. UUCP: ihnp4!convex!loafman | CompuServe: 72345,233 | ...KWL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
gmd1@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Doughty) (02/18/88)
In article <673@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu>, landay@cory.Berkeley.EDU (James A. Landay) writes: > Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? > (Compaq '386 and IBM PC AT) I would like to transfer files between > the two quickly. (and the serial ports are used.) > > thanks > > James A. Landay > > ARPA: landay@cory.berkeley.edu > ucbvax!cory!landay I just bought a program called "The Interchange" to do this very function. The program is made by Systems Manufacturing Technology, Inc., located at 1145 Linda Vista Drive, San Marcos, California, 92064. The phone number is (619)744-3599 (I copied all this info off of the box it came in). I paid $39.95 at a local software store for it. It comes with a 5.25" disc, a 3.5" disk, a cable, and instructions. Since I only just got it I can't really give you a review. Greg Doughty ihnp4!ihlpf!gmd1
rcw@qetzal.UUCP (Robert C. White) (02/21/88)
In article <63200030@convexe> loafman@convexe.UUCP writes: + +/* landay@cory.Berkeley.EDU.Sun.COM writes... */ +/* ---------- "hooking PC's together" ---------- */ +Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? +(Compaq '386 and IBM PC AT) I would like to transfer files between +the two quickly. (and the serial ports are used.) +.... +/* End of text from convexe:comp.sys.ibm.pc */ + +Answer: go get a package called the Brooklyn Bridge. It will allow +you to hook serial to serial at something over 100k baud, using one Another product that will do this is 'Duette' from Platte River Associates here in Denver. We have this product and it transfers files at the rate of about 119,000 baud. That is not a typo. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ US SNAIL: 11534 Steele St, Thornton, CO. } Robert White { MA BELL : (303) 252-9090 } ihnp4!upba!qetzal!rcw { HORSE : Jct Platte River & Cherry Creek ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isaac_K_Rabinovitch@cup.portal.com (02/24/88)
rcw@qetzal.UUCP (Robert C. White) writes: ->In article <63200030@convexe> loafman@convexe.UUCP writes: ->+ ->+/* landay@cory.Berkeley.EDU.Sun.COM writes... */ ->+/* ---------- "hooking PC's together" ---------- */ ->+Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? ->+(Compaq '386 and IBM PC AT) I would like to transfer files between ->+the two quickly. (and the serial ports are used.) ->+.... ->+/* End of text from convexe:comp.sys.ibm.pc */ ->+ ->+Answer: go get a package called the Brooklyn Bridge. It will allow ->+you to hook serial to serial at something over 100k baud, using one Robert, you missed something. Landay needs a *parallel* connection, he doesn't have a spare RS232. Also, 100K bps (careful with that word "baud") is fast, but couldn't parallel be faster? I've always preferred serial to parallel (when I worked with Unix and CTOS I found serial a lot easier to live with), but now I find myself with ample motivation to do parallel. I've got an AT clone with a parallel port on the motherboard (used by a printer) and another on an expansion card (unused). I have one serial port, used by my modem. If I get a mouse, the cheap approach is a bus version, but I'd prefer to get a second serial port so I can move the mouse to my laptop when I'm using that. I'd like to wire the two machines together (there are alternatives, but I like this approach for various reasons I won't go into) If the connection is serial, I'll have to spend for a *third* serial port, a silly waste when I *have* an unused communications port. And turning on the serial port on the laptop raises power consumption beyond what's provided by the external power supply so I couldn't leave it on all the time. At that I'm better off than many, because I even though I don't want to buy more cards, I have extra slots in which to put them. ->Another product that will do this is 'Duette' from Platte River ->Associates here in Denver. We have this product and it transfers ->files at the rate of about 119,000 baud. That is not a typo. I've seen that rate on short RS232 connections before. But some RS232 hardware won't go that fast. Does PRA do a parallel product? Since it's not long, I'll repost the info someone else previously provided about companies that sell parallel transfer products: Direc-link (213)377-1640 Paranet (613)236-1487 File Shuttle (800)663-8066 As I said before, I'm puzzled that the parallel approach isn't more popular. Perhaps it's harder to implement. One issue we might talk about: which approach to file transfer software is better? Brooklyn Bridge provides a device driver that makes the remote disk look like its local, which appeals to me as the most powerful and simple sollution. But I can see the difficulties that might cause if you have to connect your laptop to a lot of different machines. So how many people would rather have a user utility or TSR? One idea I've had: pull the floppy out of a cheap laptop and replace it with a 3-1/2 inch winchester. Use the commlink for backup. Voila, an inexpensive laptop with tons of working space. Pity I can't think of way around the power consumption problem.
rcw@qetzal.UUCP (Robert C. White) (02/27/88)
In article <3438@cup.portal.com> Isaac_K_Rabinovitch@cup.portal.com writes: >Robert, you missed something. Landay needs a *parallel* connection, >he doesn't have a spare RS232. Also, 100K bps (careful with that >word "baud") is fast, but couldn't parallel be faster? Oops. Isaac brings up an interesting point. I always thought that 'baud' and 'bps' were the same thing. They aren't. Dragging out my trusty (if old) Encyclopedia of Computer Science: "A baud is a unit of signaling speed and refers to the number of times the state (or condition) of a line changes per second. It is the reciprocal of the length (in seconds) of the shortest element in signaling code... By contrast, a bit is the smallest unit of information in a binary system. The baud rate is therefore equal to the bit rate only if each signal element represents one bit of information...Unfortunately, in much of today's literature, the term "baud" and "bits per second" are used synonymously." >->Another product that will do this is 'Duette' from Platte River >->Associates here in Denver. We have this product and it transfers >->files at the rate of about 119,000 bps. That is not a typo. >I've seen that rate on short RS232 connections before. But some >RS232 hardware won't go that fast. Does PRA do a parallel product? > >As I said before, I'm puzzled that the parallel approach isn't more >popular. Perhaps it's harder to implement. > I called PRA and talked to them this afternoon. They are aware of the parallel technology, but unfortunately it requires use of a special adapter, and makes most sense on machines whose clocks speeds exceed about 8 mhz as data is transmitted a nybble at a time. In their opinion, the cost of the special adapter (and the costs of supporting customers with it over the phone) negates the advantages of parallel connections somewhat. The correct rate of serial transfer for Duette is exactly 115,200 bps. PRA is not aware of any customer who has not successfully been able to use Duette on account of RS-232 hardware problems. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ US SNAIL: 11534 Steele St, Thornton, CO. } Robert White { MA BELL : (303) 252-9090 } ihnp4!upba!qetzal!rcw { HORSE : Jct Platte River & Cherry Creek ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pjh@mccc.UUCP (Peter J. Holsberg) (03/01/88)
In article <1400@qetzal.UUCP> rcw@qetzal.UUCP (0000-Robert C. White) writes: |Isaac brings up an interesting point. I always thought that 'baud' |and 'bps' were the same thing. They aren't. "Baud" is of interest only to modem designers. We users, OTOH, are interested in how fast our information gets transferred, and THAT is measured in "bps". But then again, every tissue isn't a Kleenex either! :-) -- Peter Holsberg UUCP: {rutgers!}princeton!mccc!pjh Technology Division CompuServe: 70240,334 Mercer College GEnie: PJHOLSBERG Trenton, NJ 08690 Voice: 1-609-586-4800
root@uwspan.UUCP (John Plocher) (03/02/88)
+---- Isaac_K_Rabinovitch@cup.portal.com writes in <3438@cup.portal.com> ---- | ->+Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? | | As I said before, I'm puzzled that the parallel approach isn't more | popular. Perhaps it's harder to implement. +---- Because the parallel adapter in the PC and AT is UNI-Directional - it can send but it can not receive data. Also, a PC (not AT) can hardly keep a 9600 baud connection going full tilt - 19.2K on a PC is a pipe dream. Sure, I can do it in BURSTS, but what happens when I need to get the next part of the file to transfer? Or when the clock interrupt goes off? or when sidekick wants a few clock cycles?... Brooklyn Bridge is Great - but not really a replacement for a smart network card... -John -- Comp.Unix.Microport is now unmoderated! Use at your own risk :-)
johnm@trsvax.UUCP (03/05/88)
I may be shooting myself in the foot by saying this, but... I don't believe that there is any way to get the parallel port to signal you with an interrupt when a character comes in. This means that programs that transferred data via the serial ports would have to continually poll the ports looking for new characters. That would be much harder because suddenly everything becomes time critical, "Wait! We can't save that much data to the disk because we have to keep polling too. We'll have to save to the disk a little at a time. etc." If anyone can correct me on this then I would be glad to hear about it.
farren@gethen.UUCP (Michael J. Farren) (03/05/88)
In article <1894@uwspan.UUCP> root@uwspan.UUCP (John Plocher) writes: >+---- Isaac_K_Rabinovitch@cup.portal.com writes in <3438@cup.portal.com> ---- >| ->+Is there a way to hook to PCs together via the parallel ports? >| >| As I said before, I'm puzzled that the parallel approach isn't more >| popular. Perhaps it's harder to implement. >+---- > >Because the parallel adapter in the PC and AT is UNI-Directional - it can >send but it can not receive data. I was originally going to respond to this in exactly the same way, until I took the time to break out the schematics for the IBM parallel interface and look for myself. Sorry, John, but it IS bidirectional - there is an input data buffer on those data lines as well as an output buffer. You have to switch a bit or two on one of the 8255's to get data in, but it would seem that's all there is to it. -- Michael J. Farren | "INVESTIGATE your point of view, don't just {ucbvax, uunet, hoptoad}! | dogmatize it! Reflect on it and re-evaluate unisoft!gethen!farren | it. You may want to change your mind someday." gethen!farren@lll-winken.llnl.gov ----- Tom Reingold, from alt.flame
james@bigtex.uucp (James Van Artsdalen) (03/07/88)
In article <216100018@trsvax>, johnm@trsvax.UUCP writes: > I don't believe that there is any way to get the parallel port to signal you > with an interrupt when a character comes in. Many years ago I had to help debug a printer "spooler" (as it was called then) that was to use interrupts on the parallel port on an IBM PC. It turns out that there was a design error in the IBM hardware (I can't remember but I think maybe the interrupt was not latched), and it would lose a few interrupts here and there, necessitating a routine on the 15.2Hz line to manually pump the system when an interrupt was lost. -- James R. Van Artsdalen ...!uunet!utastro!bigtex!james "Live Free or Die" Home: 512-346-2444 Work: 328-0282; 110 Wild Basin Rd. Ste #230, Austin TX 78746
context@june.cs.washington.edu (Ronald Blanford) (03/08/88)
From uw-beaver!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!unisoft!gethen!farren Mon Mar 7 09:23:06 PST 1988 In article <1894@uwspan.UUCP> root@uwspan.UUCP (John Plocher) writes: >Because the parallel adapter in the PC and AT is UNI-Directional - it can >send but it can not receive data. In article <730@gethen.UUCP> farren@gethen.UUCP (Michael J. Farren) writes: >there is >an input data buffer on those data lines as well as an output buffer. >You have to switch a bit or two on one of the 8255's to get data in, At the UW Computer Science Department we have successfully used the parallel port for bidirectional data transfer between a PC and a prototype special-purpose image coprocessor. It is fast and the interface at the other end is much simpler to implement than a serial connection. I suspect this technique is not used more extensively for precisely the reason Michael gives: you have to choose and explicitly switch between input and output. Half-duplex serial connections have been anathema outside the IBM mainframe community, so designers tend to avoid them even when the problem may require nothing more. -- Ron
tj@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Terry Jones) (03/11/88)
If you look in the tech ref you get the distinct impression that it is unidirectional. But if you read carefully they indicate that the data presented as input to the parallel port is OR'ed with the data currently output to the port. So if you write zeroes then read you can do it. Also there are interrupts. By the way, I just tried a product called Lap-Link for use with laptops when you want to transfer files to and from your "base" pc... It goes like stink across the serial port, the screen is split in half and on half is the directory of the PC you are on and the other half is the remote pc. Lets you do copies, group copies, renames, wildcard copies, change drives and directories etc, ON EITHER MACHINE!!! Their plus version would allow one computer to use the other computer hard disk AND PRINTER as if they were in the computer!!! I transfered a 980K TIFF scanner image here in 4 minutes between 2 XT's. (206) 483-8088 for info... (I have no connection AT all with this company, in fact, I have only seen the product, I phoned them for info today.) tj BTW, Lap Link uses the serial ports at speeds ranging from a paltry 9600 baud to 115K baud... Thats right, 9600 is the slowest and apparently only needed for some strange hardware!!!