MANAGER@SKIDMORE.BITNET (Leo Geoffrion) (12/19/87)
1) a lack of good, solid connectors means that every week or two,
some portion of the network 'breaks' and we end up with several
nets.
USE PHONENET CONNECTORS BY FARALLON AND THIS PROBLEM
DISAPPEARS.
2) as far as we can tell, print software version 4.0 does not like
to run on Mac II's, which mostly likes version 5.0. This means that
in our mixed network, different versions of the print software
end up having to co-exist and subsequently a new print seems to
require a lengthy printer down-load half the time.
STRANGE... I'VE BEEN USING LASERWRITER DRIVERS 4.0 FOR 6 MOS.
ON MY MAC II WITH NO TROUBLE... ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T HAVE
SOMETHING SET WRONG?
3) adding new hosts is bulky, time-consuming and difficult. Cutting
a cable in half and then attaching new three-prong end-plugs to
each of the new ends is a lengthy, stripping-and-soldering process.
OUR PHONENET IS CONFIGURED AS A STAR ARRANGEMENT WITH ONE
MAC ON EACH LIMB ALL CONNECTING BACK TO A CENTRAL WIRING BLOCK
ADDING AND DROPPING NODES IS THEN A SNAP... JUST CONNECT OR DISCONNECT
THAT LINE FROM THE BLOCK.
ONE CAVEAT... APPLETALK GETS UNHAPPY IF THERE ARE TOO MANY LINES
WITH NO MAC SOMEWERE ON THAT LINE. THUS WE DISCONNECT EMPTY
LINES FROM THE BLOCK.
4) we are not aware of any good network diagnostic software that we
ourselves can get ahold of, as much as we would like to have some.
rumors abound of a network diagnostic tool that verifies all
possible 'pairs' of inter-Mac communication, but we haven't found
a supplier yet.
FARALLON CLAIMS TO SELL SUCH A PRODUCT, THOUGH I'VE NOT TESTED IT.
5) the serial nature of the network is somewhat cumbersome. two wires
usually need to be run to each Mac unless it is the end of the net
(rare), so the cable-duplication and general cable-confusion is
high.
WITH STAR CONFIGURATION, IT'S NO WORSE THAN ANY OTHER CABLING JOB THAT
WE MAINTAIN.
Remarkably, the only thing we presently use our network for is to ensure
that each Mac or Mac II can print to one of two LaserWriter's on the net.
It should be a simple, stable configuration, but we have found this not
to be the case.
WE FIND PRINTING TO BE VERY VERY STABLE... WE HAVE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH
FILE SERVICE (TOPS) WHICH SEEMS TO CRASH WHEN TRAFFIC GETS TOO HEAVY.
FYI... WE HAVE ABOUT 6 PLUS, 12 SE, 2 MAC II, AND 2 LW PLUS PRINTERS.