[comp.sys.mac.comm] EtherTalk network & AppleTalk LaserWriter

klefstad@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Sue Klefstad) (11/28/90)

We are putting our Macs on a 3Com 3+Share lan.  To use the lan, we
use the Network cdev to select EtherTalk.  But then the LaserWriter
connected to the Mac by LocalTalk isn't accessible.

I understand we could use Farallon's Liaison routing software to
get around this.  But I'd rather not buy that for each Mac with a
printer.  And I don't want to be required to connect every LaserWriter
to the 3Com server.

Is there any other way to be able to use the EtherTalk network
and the AppleTalk LaserWriter at the same time?

Thank you.
-- Sue
=======================
Sue Klefstad   klefstad@uiuc.edu
Ill. Natural History Survey

-- 
-- Sue
--
=========================================================================
Sue Klefstad    s-klefstad@uiuc.edu

tobbe@gbg.infolog.se (Tobbe Lindgren) (11/29/90)

> We are putting our Macs on a 3Com 3+Share lan.  To use the lan, we
> use the Network cdev to select EtherTalk.  But then the LaserWriter
> connected to the Mac by LocalTalk isn't accessible.
> 
> I understand we could use Farallon's Liaison routing software to
> get around this.  But I'd rather not buy that for each Mac with a
> printer.  And I don't want to be required to connect every LaserWriter
> to the 3Com server.
> 
> Is there any other way to be able to use the EtherTalk network
> and the AppleTalk LaserWriter at the same time?
> 
> Thank you.
> -- Sue

Hello Sue!
Your problem is very similar to what I had recently, and therefor I take
the opportunity to answer.

The solution is actually an internet router (like Liaison or Apple Internet
router). It is installed on only one Mac, and runs in the background.
Voila! The LaserWriter becomes visible in the chooser.

Hope this is what you asked about. Feel free to email me for further info.

PS I assume that the traffic load through the router is just ordinary
LaserWriter traffic. If the traffic is high, you should consider the
more pricey solution to buy a separate router (like Shiva FastPath 
or GatorBox). DS

Good luck
-- 
======================================================================
#    Torbjorn Lindgren                  email: tobbe@gbg.infolog.se  #
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======================================================================

sl@van-bc.wimsey.bc.ca (Stuart Lynne) (11/29/90)

In article <1990Nov28.181254.28448@gbg.infolog.se> tobbe@gbg.infolog.se (Tobbe Lindgren) writes:
}> 
}> Is there any other way to be able to use the EtherTalk network
}> and the AppleTalk LaserWriter at the same time?
}> 
}> Thank you.
}> -- Sue

>The solution is actually an internet router (like Liaison or Apple Internet
>router). It is installed on only one Mac, and runs in the background.
>Voila! The LaserWriter becomes visible in the chooser.

How about a slightly different variation. I'd like to do the same. I.e. get
my Macintosh's hooked into my ethernet for ftp/telnet/printing. But instead
of via an ethernet TCP/IP connection via a PPP (or SL/IP) connection. 

We have an ethernet with several Unix boxen, Xterminals and a PC-ROUTER
(ka9q) for an Internet connection. How hard would it be to have a Mac with
Mac TCP connect to the router? At least initially just the basic's like
telnet/ftp would be nice. 

I wonder how hard we could push the PPP speed on the PC side? Presumably
56kbps wouldn't be too hard with 16550's.

-- 
Stuart Lynne	Unifax Communications Inc.
		...!van-bc!sl 604-937-7532(voice)     	sl@wimsey.bc.ca 

clay@ClarisII.claris.com (Clay A. Maeckel) (11/29/90)

klefstad@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Sue Klefstad) writes:
>I understand we could use Farallon's Liaison routing software to
>get around this.  But I'd rather not buy that for each Mac with a
>printer.  And I don't want to be required to connect every LaserWriter
>to the 3Com server.

Sue, you wouldn't have to buy a copy of Liasion for each Mac. You could buy
just one and then make sure all the LaserWriters are connected to the same
LocalTalk cable that the Mac running Liasion is on.

Something else that might work (I can't try it here because we upgraded from
3+Share to 3+Open) is to boot the Mac while the EtherTalk icon is selected
then once the Mac is running switch it back to LocalTalk. You should still
be able to access the 3+Share server, which is using the XNS protocols on
the ethernet, and the LaserWriters, which are using the AppleTalk protocols
on the LocalTalk cable.

I thought I remember reading about a patch sometime ago that made the 3+File
Chooser item believe that EtherTalk was selected so it would use the ethernet
card while LocalTalk was selected in the Network Control Panel. I dig around
and see if I can find it.

--Clay

--
 Clay Maeckel         *   UUCP: {ames,apple,portal,sun,voder}!claris!clay
 (I know nothing!)    *   Internet:  clay@claris.com  *  GEnie: C.MAECKEL
 Claris Corporation   *   AppleLink: Maeckel1   *   CompuServe: 73057,255

macbeth@netmbx.UUCP (Andreas Pahl) (11/30/90)

klefstad@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Sue Klefstad) writes:

>Is there any other way to be able to use the EtherTalk network
>and the AppleTalk LaserWriter at the same time?

You have two choices:
Either put one Fastpath or Gatorbox into your network and use this localtalk
to connect multiple printers, or attach one little gadget from Dayna
called "Etherprint" to each printer. 

Maybe there are even choices.

Rgds Rainer

kdb@macaw.intercon.com (Kurt Baumann) (12/01/90)

In article <650@van-bc.wimsey.bc.ca>, sl@van-bc.wimsey.bc.ca (Stuart Lynne)
writes:
> How about a slightly different variation. I'd like to do the same. I.e. get
> my Macintosh's hooked into my ethernet for ftp/telnet/printing. But instead
> of via an ethernet TCP/IP connection via a PPP (or SL/IP) connection. 
> 

Does anyone remember what the name of that neat little box is?  The one that
came out during Macworld Boston that allowed you to connect the laserwrite
directly to the ethernet?  They didn't cost a whole lot either.  You might
want to try and track this down, I think that the company name was Dayna.

> We have an ethernet with several Unix boxen, Xterminals and a PC-ROUTER
> (ka9q) for an Internet connection. How hard would it be to have a Mac with
> Mac TCP connect to the router? At least initially just the basic's like
> telnet/ftp would be nice. 

We currently do SLIP (and soon PPP) with our product.  But it only works
with our builtin TCP stack.  MacTCP (help is on the way) currently is not
setup to allow SLIP to work well.  When this happens we will support SLIP/PPP
on both our builtin TCP stack, and MacTCP.

--
Kurt Baumann                       InterCon Systems Corporation
703.709.9890                      Creators of fine TCP/IP products
703.709.9896 FAX               for the Macintosh.