[comp.dcom.lans] 10BaseT && serial - don't try this at home kids

dpz@dimacs.rutgers.edu (David Paul Zimmerman) (07/26/90)

I've got a floor that is AT&T wired for 4 twisted pair to each office.  That
includes my office.  I needed to get two connections to my office, one serial
connection for my PC and one 10baseT for my Sun.  It almost looked like I had
to do a new 4 pair run for the second connection, but decided to try a hack:

In the closet, I punched down 2 pair serial in my now-standard pattern:

	1 (jack pin 5) cisco RxD
	2 (jack pin 4) cisco TxD
	5 (jack pin 3) cisco ring (I don't use it on the DTE but punch anyway)
	6 (jack pin 6) cisco ground

Then I punched in the Cabletron 10baseT stuff non-standardly:

	3 (jack pin 1) normal
	4 (jack pin 2) normal
	7 (jack pin 7) shifted from 5 (jack pin 3)
	8 (jack pin 8) shifted from 6 (jack pin 6)

In the room, I took a 4 cubit length of flat 8 conductor (my standard
wall-to-computer cabling) and stripped off half the length of outside gray
plastic.  On the intact end, I crimped a 8 conductor modular normally.  On the
other end, I crimped 4 of the now-flailing wires normally for serial (3->3,
4->4, 5->5, 6->6).  I then crimped the other four to reverse my 10baseT closet
hack (1->1, 2->2, 7->3, 8->6).  It actually works, if you don't mind looking
at it, just don't tug very hard on those modular connectors :-).  It certainly
saved me the work and cost of another wire run.

BTW - yes, if I had thought out my wiring plan a little better four months ago
when I started forming my wiring plan, I wouldn't have had to do the shifting.
In fact I probably could have also instead just gotten a modular adapter to
duplicate the 8 conductor wall socket into two 8 conductor connectors.

						David
-- 
David Paul Zimmerman                                     dpz@dimacs.rutgers.edu
Systems Programmer						    rutgers!dpz
Rutgers Univ Center for Discrete Math and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS)

rsmith@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Rusty Smith, MACC) (07/26/90)

In article <Jul.25.22.03.10.1990.17179@dimacs.rutgers.edu>, dpz@dimacs.rutgers.edu (David Paul Zimmerman) writes...

>I've got a floor that is AT&T wired for 4 twisted pair to each office.  That
>includes my office.  I needed to get two connections to my office, one serial
>connection for my PC and one 10baseT for my Sun.  It almost looked like I had
>to do a new 4 pair run for the second connection, but decided to try a hack:

stuff deleted 

>In the room, I took a 4 cubit length of flat 8 conductor (my standard
>wall-to-computer cabling) and stripped off half the length of outside gray
>plastic.  On the intact end, I crimped a 8 conductor modular normally.  On the
>other end, I crimped 4 of the now-flailing wires normally for serial (3->3,
>4->4, 5->5, 6->6).  I then crimped the other four to reverse my 10baseT closet
>hack (1->1, 2->2, 7->3, 8->6).  It actually works, if you don't mind looking

You may find problems with the flat gray cable. It is not twisted 
for 10 baseT . We are using Cabletron Equipment and 4 twisted pairs to each
office also. When we also need RS232 serial connections we just put
a splitter at the office RJ45. The first 2 pairs go to one side, the next
2 pairs the other side of the splitter. Then connect twisted pair
interface cables for 10baseT and flat grey to a DB25 modular adapter
for the RS232. Radio Shack lists duplex splitters for $4.95, we get them 
from our supplier for $1.80. This may help as your network grows.

Rusty Smith			Internet:  rsmith@vms.macc.wisc.edu
MACC Data Communications	Bitnet:    rsmith@wiscmacc
(608)  263-6307			Univ. of Wisconsin @ Madison

dpz@dimacs.rutgers.edu (David Paul Zimmerman) (07/27/90)

rsmith@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Rusty Smith, MACC) writes:

>You may find problems with the flat gray cable. It is not twisted 
>for 10 baseT .

I have, in fact, seen the problems you're referring to, but only in a test
situation where I was using a real stupidly long length of the stuff (15
cubits or so).  It was great -- we'd plug in the 10baseT xcvr and one by one
all the port lights on the central Cabletron TPT-MIMs would go solid.  Most of
the time, though, I'm using very short lengths, 2 cubits max, with the main
length from the wall to the CPU handled by a 3 meter xcvr cable between the
CPU and the 10baseT xcvr.  The more stupid lengths come into play mainly for
serial connections, where I only have the flat gray to go between the wall and
CPU, but surprisingly they have also been pretty much uneventful, even the
longest ones (~10-12 cubits).

>Radio Shack lists duplex splitters for $4.95, we get them 
>from our supplier for $1.80. This may help as your network grows.

Radio Shack sells 8 conductor duplex splitters?  Didn't know that -- I'll have
to check them out.  Who is the other supplier?

						David
-- 
David Paul Zimmerman                                     dpz@dimacs.rutgers.edu
Systems Programmer						    rutgers!dpz
Rutgers Univ Center for Discrete Math and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS)