rak@cup.portal.com (Robert Allen Kim) (06/26/91)
What can I do to speed up a network of three Mac II (II, IIcx, II LC) computers, LaserWriter IINT and an AppleTalk Imagewriter? They are all LocalTalk now. Sitka's (Formerly named Tops) FlashBox is supposed to get "80% of EtherNet speed", but I've heard that there have been conflicts (crashes). 10BaseT will allow the continued use of the dedicated telephone wires in place. But what are the drawbacks to 10baseT? Does it need to be slowed back down to talk to the LaserWriter and Imagewriter? What hardware is neede and at what cost? What software? Systetm 7.0 compatible? UGH! Thanks ahead of time for any responses.
phil@shl.com (Phil Trubey) (06/28/91)
In article <43675@cup.portal.com> rak@cup.portal.com (Robert Allen Kim) writes: >What can I do to speed up a network of three Mac II (II, IIcx, II LC) >computers, LaserWriter IINT and an AppleTalk Imagewriter? > >They are all LocalTalk now. What's slow? Are you just using the LocalTalk for printing, or do you have file sharing across the network as well? If all you are doing is printing, then it probably isn't LocalTalk that is slowing you down - it could be the speed of the NT. >Sitka's (Formerly named Tops) FlashBox is supposed to get "80% of EtherNet >speed", but I've heard that there have been conflicts (crashes). Don't know. >10BaseT will allow the continued use of the dedicated telephone wires in >place. But what are the drawbacks to 10baseT? Does it need to be slowed >back down to talk to the LaserWriter and Imagewriter? What hardware is neede >and at what cost? What software? Systetm 7.0 compatible? UGH! You can't slow down 10BaseT Ethernet. The printers do need to stay on LocalTalk, however. If you went with 10BaseT you would have to do the following: - purchase 3 ethernet cards for the macs. - purchase a 10BaseT concentrator - do one of: a) buy a LocalTalk to Ethernet gateway (Shiva EtherPrint, Cayman Gatorbox, Shiva Fastpath, etc.). b) Buy a software router and have one of the Macs act as a LocalTalk to Ethernet gateway (these programs can run in the background under Multifinder while you're doing other things). Apple sells a package called the Internet Router that does this, and other companies offer similar packages. Hope this helps. Phil Trubey | Internet: phil@shl.com SHL Systemhouse Inc. | or: phil%shl.com@uunet.uu.net 50 O'Connor St., Suite 501 | UUCP: ...!uunet!shl!phil Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Phone: 613-236-6604 x667 K1P 6L2 | Fax: 613-236-2043
habs@panix.uucp (Harry Shapiro) (06/28/91)
In article <1991Jun28.005926.22073@shl.com> phil@shl.com (Phil Trubey) writes: >In article <43675@cup.portal.com> rak@cup.portal.com (Robert Allen Kim) writes: >>What can I do to speed up a network of three Mac II (II, IIcx, II LC) >>computers, LaserWriter IINT and an AppleTalk Imagewriter? >> >>They are all LocalTalk now. > >What's slow? Are you just using the LocalTalk for printing, or do you have >file sharing across the network as well? If all you are doing is printing, >then it probably isn't LocalTalk that is slowing you down - it could be >the speed of the NT. > >>Sitka's (Formerly named Tops) FlashBox is supposed to get "80% of EtherNet >>speed", but I've heard that there have been conflicts (crashes). > >Don't know. > >>10BaseT will allow the continued use of the dedicated telephone wires in >>place. But what are the drawbacks to 10baseT? Does it need to be slowed >>back down to talk to the LaserWriter and Imagewriter? What hardware is neede >>and at what cost? What software? Systetm 7.0 compatible? UGH! > >You can't slow down 10BaseT Ethernet. The printers do need to stay on >LocalTalk, however. If you went with 10BaseT you would >have to do the following: > >- purchase 3 ethernet cards for the macs. >- purchase a 10BaseT concentrator >- do one of: > a) buy a LocalTalk to Ethernet gateway (Shiva EtherPrint, Cayman Gatorbox, > Shiva Fastpath, etc.). > b) Buy a software router and have one of the Macs act as a LocalTalk > to Ethernet gateway (these programs can run in the background > under Multifinder while you're doing other things). Apple sells > a package called the Internet Router that does this, and other > companies offer similar packages. > >Hope this helps. > >Phil Trubey | Internet: phil@shl.com >SHL Systemhouse Inc. | or: phil%shl.com@uunet.uu.net >50 O'Connor St., Suite 501 | UUCP: ...!uunet!shl!phil >Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Phone: 613-236-6604 x667 >K1P 6L2 | Fax: 613-236-2043 An other option is to buy a Tribe LocalSWITCH. They have a local talk hub that packet switches 16 localTALK ports. Each port handles the full 230.4 kbits. You can put a printer on its own port, servers on their own ports, backbone connections (you can have more then one in the same "zone") on their own ports, etc. This hub uses parallel processing (8 mcu's at 19 mhz) and is very reliable. You can also connect several hub together. You can have more then one link between hubs giving you inter-hub bandwidth in 230.4 multiples. Traffic is really switched so a small work group on port x has all its traffice stay local to port x. The only exception being broadcast packets like choose look-ups. Tribe can be reached at 415 547-3874. They are in Emeryville Ca. The list price is $3,495. The works with standard wiring kits. _______ bias I own three localSWITCHes. I'm considering doing some freelance work for Tribe If you have any questions you can reach me at 212 941-4438 _______ habs@panix.com