oberman@ROGUE.LLNL.GOV (06/16/90)
In article <9006152010.AA15384@gateway.mitre.org>, hal@GATEWAY.MITRE.ORG (Hal Feinstein) writes: > > I've been trying to resolve if > Ethernet2 can interoperate with > (be on the same cable, talk together) a IEEE 802.3 > at the *physical layer*. I've asked > [Text deleted] 3 is correct. There is a difference between SQE and heartbeat, but those are really specific to transceivers, not the media. In any case, they certainly do operate on the same cable. I understand that interoperation on a common physical layer was a requirement for the 802 committee. 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.
hal@cup.portal.COM (06/17/90)
I've been trying to resolve if Ethernet2 can interoperate with (be on the same cable, talk together) a IEEE 802.3 at the *physical layer*. I've asked a number of knowledgeable folk and, while these discussions were useful, I was left with a range of answers. I figure the question can't be that hard and someone must have already been through this. Roughly, I got these answers: (1) NO. Both Ethernet2 and IEEE802.3 can use the same LAN cable system BUT, they cannot talk (communicate) with each other at the physical layer. (2) MAYBE. Both (Ethernet2 and IEEE802.3) are very *very* close (at the physical layer) and maybe functionally equivalent. They SHOULD be above to interoperate and coexist on the same cable. (3) YES. Of course they can. They are a little different (IEEE802.3 physical layer has a heartbeat and one or two optional signals) but YES, they can interoperate and coexist on the same cable. Are any of these the correct answer? SUN seems to support both physical layers from a single interface. So I assume that (3) is correct. Am I right?