pcb@gator.cacs.usl.edu (Peter C. Bahrs) (07/24/90)
1) I am getting ready to install a new network. I would like to know what you think a reliable and well supported NIC card is? I have been using Ungermann Bass NICPS2 cards...very unsupported. I want to be able to use the clarkson packet drivers, and run things like novell or banyan, and tcpip stuff concurrently. The nic card will be for non-MCA machines. 2) Most of our campus local nets use RG58-au wire. Can I hook a small piece (75ft) of RG-59 to it with out impedence problems? Is .47 cents a foot a good price for cable? /*----------- Thanks in advance... --------------------------------------+ | Peter C. Bahrs | | The USL-NASA Project | | Center For Advanced Computer Studies INET: pcb@gator.cacs.usl.edu | | 2 Rex Street | | University of Southwestern Louisiana ...!uunet!dalsqnt!gator!pcb | | Lafayette, LA 70504 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------*/
rbn@umd5.umd.edu (Ron Natalie) (07/24/90)
NIC PS/2 cards have the slight advantage in that they are what IBM recommends so most PS/2 software supports them. My only complaint is that they tend to be a little more expensive than most. I've used the 3Com 3C523 with no problem as well, but you have to watch out, not everybody supports these. I'd stay away from the UB NIU cards or any of the other manufacturer's smart cards. There are usually a number of problems with this approach starting with the fact that the cards tend to be more than twice as expensive as their simpler counter parts. -Ron
rbn@umd5.umd.edu (Ron Natalie) (07/24/90)
40 cents a foot is good for thin net in moderate lengths. Playing with 75 ohm cable, while it frequently works, is asking for trouble. -Ron
oberman@rogue.llnl.gov (07/24/90)
> 2) Most of our campus local nets use RG58-au wire. Can I hook a small > piece (75ft) of RG-59 to it with out impedence problems? > Is .47 cents a foot a good price for cable? Depends on how much cable you are buying, but it's not a bad price. I get it for about .35, but that's on 5000 ft reels and with GSA discounts. As to RG-59, DON'T DO IT! I've had a weird network problem for several weeks where 2 systems couldn't talk to each other, but could talk to any others. It was faster to route via some third system than it was to communicate directly. When the problem got irritating enough I took down the segment (about 8 nodes) and TDRed the cable. There was a funny little hitch of mismatch that turned out to be a short piece (about 4 feet) of RG-59. It was NOT between the two systems that didn't work, but set up reflections on the cable that (I believe) beat with communications between these systems and caused packet to be dropped. R. Kevin Oberman Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Internet: oberman@icdc.llnl.gov (415) 422-6955 Disclaimer: Don't take this too seriously. I just like to improve my typing and probably don't really know anything useful about anything.