ALC@psuvm.psu.edu (05/03/91)
I have some questions about running an AppleTalk network completely on Ethernet
We have a bunch of Macs setup, all connected to our VAX via Ethertalk
running MacTCP and NCSA Telnet for communications. Some Macs have their own
LaserWriters connected via LocalTalk. Everything runs fine.
Now, we're going to establish an AppleTalk network for the Macs which will
run under Ethertalk. So, what I've done is install the EtherTalk 2.0 drivers,
the Network DA and set the Network to Ethertalk. Fine, we can still talk
to our VAX and now, the Macs can see the AppleShare file server we have
setup also on Ethernet. HOWEVER, they CAN'T see the LocalTalk printers!
Is is possible to have AppleTalk and EtherTalk running at the same time?
We have setup a temporary solution by setting up the AppleShare machine
with Apple Internet Router and hooking up a couple of printers on it
using LocalTalk. That works ok, but some of the users still want their
own printers back locally connected.
One solution that is not possible is to rewire using LocalTalk -- too expensive
to implement. A couple of other solutions I thought of would be running
Internet routers on any machine that wanted their own printer -- this seems
very CPU intensive and subject to more potential for crashing, etc. Also,
I could put EtherPrint boxes on the printers to convert them to Ethernet. That
seems pretty expensive.
Any thoughts here?
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"In a calm sea every man is a pilot." -- John Raylim@slc6.INS.CWRU.Edu (Hock Koon Lim) (05/03/91)
In article <91122.143244ALC@psuvm.psu.edu> <ALC@psuvm.psu.edu> writes: > >Now, we're going to establish an AppleTalk network for the Macs which will >run under Ethertalk. So, what I've done is install the EtherTalk 2.0 drivers, >the Network DA and set the Network to Ethertalk. Fine, we can still talk >to our VAX and now, the Macs can see the AppleShare file server we have >setup also on Ethernet. HOWEVER, they CAN'T see the LocalTalk printers! > >Is is possible to have AppleTalk and EtherTalk running at the same time? No. Unless the system is a AppleTalk router. >We have setup a temporary solution by setting up the AppleShare machine >with Apple Internet Router and hooking up a couple of printers on it >using LocalTalk. That works ok, but some of the users still want their >own printers back locally connected. What do you mean by "locally connected"? If the printer is connect through the LocalTalk cabling, and is share by all users on the LocalTalk, then you have to switch EtherTalk to Local before you can send print job to the printer. By switching to Local, you would not be able to access EtherTalk until you switch it back. If the printer is directly connect through the "modem" port not the "printer" port of a system, then this system can use the EtherTalk network and be able to print to this "local" attach printer. However, this printer would not be able to share by other users on the EtherTalk or LocalTalk network because it is set up as a "local" printer. > >One solution that is not possible is to rewire using LocalTalk -- too expensive >to implement. A couple of other solutions I thought of would be running >Internet routers on any machine that wanted their own printer -- this seems >very CPU intensive and subject to more potential for crashing, etc. Also, >I could put EtherPrint boxes on the printers to convert them to Ethernet. That >seems pretty expensive. If you have a printer that need to use by number of users on the EtherTalk network, then the EtherPrint box is a pretty good solution. However, if a EtherTalk user just want to to print it to his/er "own" printer, then just put the printer on the Modem port and not printer port of the system. -- Hock-Koon Lim, Information Network services Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland, Ohio, USA 44106 (216) 368-2982 lim@ins.cwru.edu
tilley@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Richard Tilley) (05/04/91)
In <1991May3.154853.19287@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> lim@slc6.INS.CWRU.Edu (Hock Koon Lim) writes: >In article <91122.143244ALC@psuvm.psu.edu> <ALC@psuvm.psu.edu> writes: >> >>Now, we're going to establish an AppleTalk network for the Macs which will >>run under Ethertalk. So, what I've done is install the EtherTalk 2.0 drivers, >>the Network DA and set the Network to Ethertalk. Fine, we can still talk >>to our VAX and now, the Macs can see the AppleShare file server we have >>setup also on Ethernet. HOWEVER, they CAN'T see the LocalTalk printers! >> >>Is is possible to have AppleTalk and EtherTalk running at the same time? > No. Unless the system is a AppleTalk router. You can probably set the network to EtherNet, get a NCSATelnet/MacTCP session going, then set the network to LocalTalk. This will let you print and VT100 without the need to switch network protocols. Doesn't give you AppleShare tho. :-( ... Richard <tilley@ccu.umanitoba.ca>
frye@cerl.uiuc.edu (G. David Frye) (05/09/91)
The answer to the question is "no", as a couple of posters have said. In case it isn't obvious why this is so, I thought I'd put it in perspective. The Macintosh's native networking method is Appletalk. One can specify what kind of medium the Appletalk protocol is used on, but you only get one choice -- either Localtalk or Ethertalk. Regardless of the one you select, every Appletalk-referenced device must be connected to it in some way. So if you need Appleshare-via-VAX _and_ LaserWriter capability, the LaserWriter must be connected to the ethernet in some way. There are three obvious ways: 1) use the Etherprint device; 2) use a localtalk-ethernet bridge such as the Fastpath; 3) use a Macintosh running some kind of gateway software. The above description is fairly simple. What confuses it is the existence of MacTCP, which is a tool that lets an application talk TCP/IP to the outside world through various means. With MacTCP you are required to specify the connection method: either Appletalk, using whatever network was specified above, by interacting with an Appletalk device that converts IP-in-Appletalk packets to IP packets and transmits them on an IP network (and vice versa); or direct-to-Ethernet by sending and receiving packets with IP protocol. G. David Frye ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTERNET: frye@cerl.uiuc.edu PLATO: frye / s / cerl PHONE: (217) 333-7439 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------