[comp.dcom.lans] TOPS on a PC with 3C503 Ethernet card

SRWMXPB@windy.dsir.govt.nz (Peter Burgess) (11/30/89)

We just bought a copy of TOPS for the PC.  We haven't managed to get it to
work.  When we run topsmenu it shows no zone and does not allow us to select
one.  We also found that when we run TOPS ZONE ? we get error number -42 with
the message "Unknown error condition".

We have tried both an Olivetti M280 AT and a Mitac AT with a 3COM Etherlink II
3C503 ethernet card.  We only have one PC with an Ethernet card and the
ethernet is connected to a Multigate gate-way through a Cisco router.  The
multigate has an AppleTalk network connected.  We have two macs on the
AppleTalk which are running TOPS successfully, but the PC can't see them
(neither can the macs see the PC).

We have also tried the PC with just a length of Ethernet connected to no other
machines and it gives the same error.  We are pretty sure that the Multigate
is seeing TOPS request for zone information which it sends when it starts up
and sending this info.

It is not clear from the manual how TOPS is meant to be set up if you just have
a network of PC's which communicate only with TOPS.  How do you set the zone?

If there is anyone out there who has set up TOPS on an Ethernet network with
PC's and might have some clues I would very much appreciate any info.

I tried calling TOPS technical support.  They suggested lots of things like
removing resident programs, drivers etc.  None of these worked.

-- 
Peter Burgess (srwmxpb@wnv.dsir.govt.nz)
New Zealand Government Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
Applied Mathematics Division, Wellington.
"If I were a good man I'd understand the spaces between friends" - Pink Floyd