savage@gauss.llnl.gov (Joe Savage) (07/12/90)
This is a posting by a new reader of this group. We`re trying to implement an Appletalk-to-Ethertalk converter for BSD 4.3 Unix. The idea is to eventually allow users of remote macs to dial in to the Vax running Unix and have access to the servers of their zones at work on the lab internet. We're grappling right now with the problem of what to do on the Vax. I gather that we want to emit Ethertalk packets on the Ethernet side and Appletalk ones on the modem side, and accept them appropriately. The problem is we're both new to network- ing and can't seem to dig out the important nuggets from among the volumes of reading we've been doing. Our questions are (1) Are we reinventing anything that already exists that we could just grab and/or modify? Is there any general advice we should know in doing what we're trying to do? What exactly is the difference between appletalk and ethertalk packets? This probably isn't even a sensible set of questions, but any answers would` be most welcome. Joe Savage (savage@gauss.llnl.gov)
wcc@cup.portal.com (wcc - usa) (07/14/90)
Joe Savage (savage@gauss.llnl.gov) writes: > We`re trying to implement an > Appletalk-to-Ethertalk converter for BSD 4.3 Unix. Terminology problem. "AppleTalk" is the protocol suite. "EtherTalk" is the "Data-link-level" part of the suite. > The idea is to eventually > allow users of remote macs to dial in to the Vax running Unix and have access > to the servers of their zones at work on the lab internet. The hard part will be writing the low-level drivers to get the VAX to emit the EtherTalk packets. Currently it "talks" TCP/IP and possible some "DECNET" protocols. A package solution exists, but you have to buy a MultiGate to get it. This allows users to dial into the VAX running Unix and to access the AppleTalk network (and devices and services) from the dialled-in Macs. Tom Evans wcc@cup.portal.com Webster Computer Corporation Suite J, 2109 O'Toole Ave. San Jose, California 95131-1303 Ph (408) 954-8054 FAX (408) 954-1832