[comp.sys.mac] MODUNet WARNING

hgw@julia.math.ucla.edu (08/31/89)

This is a warning to all of you using MODUNet appletalk modules from
DataSpec.  They do not work.  If you are having problems with one machine
not being able  to talk to another or not being able to choose a printer,
then check for these connectors.  Even if only one of these connectors are on
your network, it will affect other Macs. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harold Wong         (213) 825-9040 
UCLA-Mathnet; 3915F MSA; 405 Hilgard Ave.; Los Angeles, CA 90024-1555
ARPA: hgw@math.ucla.edu          BITNET: hgw%math.ucla.edu@INTERBIT

gilbertd@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Don Gilbert) (08/31/89)

In article <1647@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> hgw@MATH.UCLA.EDU (Harold Wong) writes:
>This is a warning to all of you using MODUNet appletalk modules from
>DataSpec.  They do not work.  If you are having problems with one machine
>not being able  to talk to another or not being able to choose a printer,
>then check for these connectors.  Even if only one of these connectors are on
>your network, it will affect other Macs. 

I have used about 20 of these with no problems at all.  Could you be more
specific about "they do not work"?  What is your network like? Were they
installed properly?

-- Don           gilbertd@silver.bacs.indiana.edu 
 

hgw@julia.math.ucla.edu (Harold Wong) (09/01/89)

In article <25260@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> gilbertd@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Don Gilbert) writes:
>In article <1647@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> hgw@MATH.UCLA.EDU (Harold Wong) writes:
>>This is a warning to all of you using MODUNet appletalk modules from
>>DataSpec.  They do not work.  If you are having problems with one machine
>>not being able  to talk to another or not being able to choose a printer,
>>then check for these connectors.  Even if only one of these connectors are on
>>your network, it will affect other Macs. 
>
>I have used about 20 of these with no problems at all.  Could you be more
>specific about "they do not work"?  What is your network like? Were they
>installed properly?
>
>-- Don           gilbertd@silver.bacs.indiana.edu 
> 


I'm using them like any normal localnet installation.  Let me describe two
situations.

One time I had seven Macs hooked up along three consecutive tables.  The phone
cord between the Macs were 6 ft.  Two of the Macs had appletalk so I placed
them at the end.  When everything was hooked up, I had difficulty getting
falcon and net trek to work.  Sometimes each of the Macs could see the other
and at other times, they couldn't. Yes, I tried taking the terminator out
but that didn't help.

In the second situation, I have many Macs scattered throughtut two floors
of our building.  Once hooked up, I had the same problem.  This time the problem
was easier to detect since all I had to do was to use the chooser to look for
our laserprinter.  Again, some of the Macs at different times could find the
printer and at other times couldn't.  Traffic watch found lots of CRC errors.

I finally decided to take a chance and replaced all the modunets with phone net.
The network has been flawless since.  I was careful not to disturb any of the
existing wiring.  This time, I tried a little experiment.  I replaced one of the
phone net with a modunet and the problem showed up again.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harold Wong         (213) 825-9040 
UCLA-Mathnet; 3915F MSA; 405 Hilgard Ave.; Los Angeles, CA 90024-1555
ARPA: hgw@math.ucla.edu          BITNET: hgw%math.ucla.edu@INTERBIT

stel@tank.uchicago.edu (stelios valavanis) (09/01/89)

In article <1647@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> hgw@MATH.UCLA.EDU (Harold Wong) writes:
>This is a warning to all of you using MODUNet appletalk modules from
>DataSpec.  They do not work.  If you are having problems with one machine
>not being able  to talk to another or not being able to choose a printer,
>then check for these connectors.  Even if only one of these connectors are on
>your network, it will affect other Macs. 

WRONG!  i used modunet from dataspec for about a year (no network now)
and had no problem at all.  you must have a bad batch or some other
problem.  i recommend everyone to buy these instead of faralon's since
they are much cheaper. they're about 60% of the price of the faralon
ones.  just goes to show you how much mark up there is on all these
so-called "name brands"
stel

-- 
Bitnet:        uclstel@uchimvs1.bitnet | remember, you can't know something
Internet:       stel@tank.uchicago.edu | you know, but you can be 
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hgw@julia.math.ucla.edu (Harold Wong) (09/02/89)

In article <5259@tank.uchicago.edu> stel@tank.uchicago.edu (stelios  valavanis) writes:
>In article <1647@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> hgw@MATH.UCLA.EDU (Harold Wong) writes:
>>This is a warning to all of you using MODUNet appletalk modules from
>>DataSpec.  They do not work.  If you are having problems with one machine
>>not being able  to talk to another or not being able to choose a printer,
>>then check for these connectors.  Even if only one of these connectors are on
>>your network, it will affect other Macs. 
>
>WRONG!  i used modunet from dataspec for about a year (no network now)

	Wrong?  I really did have a problem.  Really.  No kidding.

>and had no problem at all.  you must have a bad batch or some other
>problem.  i recommend everyone to buy these instead of faralon's since

	I had to return all 26 of these Modunets.  I was lucky they gave me a
	refund.  How can you recommend something that is unreliable?  Time
	is much too valuable to waste on debugging a system.  What happens
	if you had to install 100s of these things, then spend days, trying to
	debug it and then finally have to tell your boss you have to throw 
	them all out because these things weren't working.  Now you tell him
	it's going to have to cost him an extra %60 of what you paid for and
	you hope dataspec will take them back and give you your money back.
	No thanks, do it right the first time.

>they are much cheaper. they're about 60% of the price of the faralon

	Have you check Mac Connections prices lately?  Phonenet plus $35 ea.
	and $21 ea. in a pack of 10.  MacWorld Sept 1989 issue.

>ones.  just goes to show you how much mark up there is on all these
>so-called "name brands"
>stel
>
>-- 
>Bitnet:        uclstel@uchimvs1.bitnet | remember, you can't know something
>Internet:       stel@tank.uchicago.edu | you know, but you can be 
>uucp: ...!uunet!mimsy!oddjob!tank!stel | aware of it
 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harold Wong         (213) 825-9040 
UCLA-Mathnet; 3915F MSA; 405 Hilgard Ave.; Los Angeles, CA 90024-1555
ARPA: hgw@math.ucla.edu          BITNET: hgw%math.ucla.edu@INTERBIT