[comp.dcom.lans] Experience with Telebit's NetBlazer anyone?

jalsop@seachg.uucp (John Alsop) (04/11/91)

I'm looking for real-world experience/comments on this product.

Thanks in advance,


-- 
John Alsop

Sea Change Corporation
6695 Millcreek Drive, Unit 8
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5N 5R8
Tel: 416-542-9484 Fax: 416-542-9479
UUCP: ...!uunet!attcan!seachg!jalsop

sob@tmc.edu (Stan Barber) (05/28/91)

In article <1991Apr10.231552.14835@seachg.uucp> jalsop@seachg.UUCP (John Alsop) writes:
>I'm looking for real-world experience/comments on this product.

I am sitting at home on my ISC 386 with TCP 1.2 talking to my computer at work
via two NetBlazers. The one at work as a T2500 modem. The one at home has a
T1600. I am running PPP over a V.32 dialup.

It does work! It even seems faster than dialing up at 9600 baud direct!

The documentation must be read throughly before getting started. Otherwise you
will waste alot of time. I intend to write a one-sheet on getting one set up
for local use here. [Of course, it may not be one sheet long!]

The software (version 1.00x0) seems a little buggy. It sometimes forgets
how to get control of the modem or doesn't notice that the line has 
disconnected for a while.

The router software only support RIP and does not do proxy arp (at least I
can't find it in the manual). This is a problem on my net, but may not be
a problem on yours.

However, it is really slick when you telnet to your "home" computer from 
work and after a short wait you have a login prompt. The dialup and connect
is all transparent.

I will have more to say as I learn more.

-- 
Stan           internet: sob@bcm.tmc.edu         Director, Networking 
Olan           uucp: rutgers!bcm!sob             and Systems Support
Barber         Opinions expressed are only mine. Baylor College of Medicine

emv@msen.com (Ed Vielmetti) (05/28/91)

>> real life experience
> software seems a little buggy

The site 'ftp.telebit.com' has load images.  1.1 is not yet released;
there are beta 1.0 releases out which add some features, remove some
bugs, and change some things.  1.13x1 is what's out there now; there
was a 1.14x1 which didn't work at al.

I'm surprised there's no proxy arp -- the KA9Q software which this is
derived from had it all along.  Did you try something like "arp add" ?
(no manuals here handy to look at, sorry).

Late beta rleases have a "telnet -b" option, which is supposed to
allow you to get a fully transparent network connection with 8 bit
passthrough and no flow control, suitable for doing UUCP through.
There are some bugs in a regarding processing of linefeeds or carriage
returns that cause it to break, though  -- we're seeing either doubled
CR or no CR at all coming through.  Our only test system is running
SunOS, I don't know if it breaks the same way for Ultrix or real BSD.
Any takers on testing?  We got the box for dialup UUCP as well as
dialup IP, so we're in a real pinch until we can use it the way it was
intended to work...

The nagging question that I have about the system is its performance
under load, like how many full-speed PPP sessions can you have going
before the 386sx starts to run out of steam.


--
Edward Vielmetti, vice president for research, MSEN Inc. emv@msen.com

sob@tmc.edu (Stan Barber) (05/28/91)

In article <5730@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> sob@tmc.edu (Stan Barber) writes:
>The router software only support RIP and does not do proxy arp (at least I
>can't find it in the manual). This is a problem on my net, but may not be
>a problem on yours.

I just found proxy arp in the manual. I have not tried it as yet. I just
wanted to correct this inaccurate information I had in a earlier article.

More later.




-- 
Stan           internet: sob@bcm.tmc.edu         Director, Networking 
Olan           uucp: rutgers!bcm!sob             and Systems Support
Barber         Opinions expressed are only mine. Baylor College of Medicine

brian@telebit.com (Brian Lloyd) (05/31/91)

sob@tmc.edu (Stan Barber) writes:

>The router software only support RIP and does not do proxy arp (at least I
>can't find it in the manual). This is a problem on my net, but may not be
>a problem on yours.

The NetBlazer does support proxy arp.  See the command "configure arp
proxy" for more info.  You can also call 1-800-TELEBIT or write to
support@telebit.com if you need a hand getting proxy arp working.

-- 
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN                              Telebit Corporation
Network Systems Architect                        1315 Chesapeake Terrace 
brian@napa.telebit.com                           Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1100
voice (408) 745-3103                             FAX (408) 734-3333