[comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc] Book: Blueprint of a LAN

stanley@phoenix.com (John Stanley) (12/21/90)

   The Library of ... Book Club is offering this month a book titled
"Blueprint of a LAN", with code, for $30. 

   This looks interesting, but nowhere do I see anything about what the
hardware protocol is. Is it written for Ethernet cards, or for serial?
Serial, I can use. Ethernet I no got and no afford.

rjbeeth (Rick Beetham) (12/23/90)

In article <ag8Hu6w163w@phoenix.com> 
(John Stanley) writes: 

> 
>    The Library of ... Book Club is offering this month a book titled
> "Blueprint of a LAN", with code, for $30. 
> 
>    This looks interesting, but nowhere do I see anything about what the
> hardware protocol is. Is it written for Ethernet cards, or for serial?
> Serial, I can use. Ethernet I no got and no afford.

John,

I summarize from Chapter 6 for you
"BP-LAN uses RS232C-tyep serial ports to communicate... only the hub
computer requires addtional boards... supports 256 sockets...may
access a server over a modem (2400 or 9600 recommended)"

"supports up to 24 shared drives (C-Z)...transparent access to
printers and modems on the server...256 semaphores available for
locking devices and files...DOS commands may be initiated on the
server"

"server can run network commands in foreground or in
backround...menu driven mail facility....source code provided"

"disadvantages are 115,200 baud (100 times slower than high end
networks...file locking presently not supported...file security
presently not supported"

I got the book for backround reading (presently do have an RS232 Lan
running but not BP-LAN) and although it is slow across the comm
ports it does work and quite well at that. I am impressed with the
highlites listed in the book, and if I have time I may give BP-LAN a
go. Hope the above helped.

Rick

---
{...}isishq!kesrith!rjbeeth    | Nepean, Ontario
rjbeeth@isishq.fidonet.org