jmpiazza@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU (Joseph M. Piazza) (06/09/91)
Here's a complex networking situation: I want to link three Macs
together that have access to an EtherTalk TCP/IP network, an AppleTalk
network, and a couple of FastPath boxes. I'm also contemplating creating a
EtherTalk network and connecting it to the TCP/IP network. A couple questions
and then the situation (all in only six paragraphs).
A. Is it possible to access an AppleTalk network via FastPath (or any
other router) as if you were connected directly (that is, use
LaserWriters, Servers, file sharing, etc.) to that AppleTalk network?
B. Alternatively, if we were to make an EtherTalk network connecting our
three Macs could we connect our small network to the TCP/IP network?
I have a IIfx with Ethernet card connected to a TCP/IP network and
I want to connect to two Macs on the floor below me; one also has an Ethernet
card and another currently doesn't (though of course we could get one.)
Currently, both are connected to our department's AppleTalk network with no
easy way of stringing an AppleTalk cable from me to them, leaving me
isolated in the MacishTalk sense. :-(
I can make ftp transfers to our Ethernet equiped Mac (fast!) and
the other Mac via AppleTalk through the FastPath (not so fast) but
what I want most is to take advantage of file-sharing under System 7
with those two Macs in particular -- even if it means severing their
AppleTalk connection to the rest of the department (though I gather it
wouldn't be too difficult to keep that too.)
When I got shipped upstairs I was assured that I would be able to
access the AppleTalk network downstairs transparently over Ethernet through
the FastPath but it looks like that's impossible without some special software
(or ignoring the FastPath and blasting a hole in the floor) -- a solution for
question A.
In turn, our research group has a gaggle of Suns (in another
building) on our University's TCP/IP network (amazing how scope expands),
and since we need only add one Ethernet card (and our research
group has some spare research $$$ :-) forming an EtherTalk network seems
a likely solution to connect our Macs -- but maintaining a link to the Suns
via the FTP/IP network may be crucial to preventing our Macs from being
replaced with Suns (how's that for a solution?) Hence question B.
It seems to me that this will require a hole in the floor too, but the
performance increase would make it much more attractive.
Now as for our _other_ Mac over in ... nah, never mind.
Thanks,
joe piazza
---
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