[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] Need help with TOPS Network package!

chuck@umbc5.umbc.edu (Chuck Rickard) (04/26/91)

I have been wanting to do a little network in my house for some time, and
I've been collecting the pieces I needed to do it... at least I thought
I did...

Okay, let me go over this.  I have two TOPS Flashcards, the teleconnectors,
and the software to run it.  After reading through the manuals for
everything, I thought everything would be fine for connecting my two
machines, a 386SX-16mhz and a 386DX-40mhz.  After a conversation with a
friendly neighborhood technician, I found out that the TOPS cards can't be
used in machines faster than 25mhz.  Now, its not that I doubt his word,
but I felt that I should get a "second opinion".

So, the question goes to the panel:  Will it work without screwing up my
system?  Or, if it won't work "au naturel", is there some sort of fix that
can be applied?

Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

(BTW, the main reasons for going TOPS over Ethernet is both economy and
desire to attach a Mac into the system.)

Thanks!
-- 

Chuck Rickard
(chuck@umbc5.umbc.edu)

bbb@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (04/27/91)

In article <1991Apr26.034156.4615@umbc3.umbc.edu>, chuck@umbc5.umbc.edu (Chuck Rickard) writes:
> I have been wanting to do a little network in my house for some time, and
> I've been collecting the pieces I needed to do it... at least I thought
> I did...
> 
> Okay, let me go over this.  I have two TOPS Flashcards, the teleconnectors,
> and the software to run it.  After reading through the manuals for
> everything, I thought everything would be fine for connecting my two
> machines, a 386SX-16mhz and a 386DX-40mhz.  After a conversation with a
> friendly neighborhood technician, I found out that the TOPS cards can't be
> used in machines faster than 25mhz.  Now, its not that I doubt his word,
> but I felt that I should get a "second opinion".
> 
Interesting!
We have a A-Talk net at work and a few Tops cards are connected to it.
(most of the PCs use a Local-talk card.)  I tried and tried to make
a tops card work in a Zenith-33mhz-386 and finally give up, using a local-talk
card in the 33 an putting the TOPS in a 16mhz-386 and all was fine.
Never really gave it anymore thought till I saw your message.  Maybe your
Tech neighbor is right..  As far as fouling things up, it just would
either hang the 33mhz or the ATALK driver would error message. NO DAMAGE
GOOD LUCK   (Would be interesting to know the tech reasons behind such
a non-functionality.)
BB