From: Rick_McCormack@mindlink.bc.ca (Rick McCormack)
Subject: For Bob Colwill, USask, Canada
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:16:35 GMT

Sorry for the public posting but e-mail addressed to Bob bounces.

Subject : Re: LocalTalk
FAXModem Bytes   : 3543
To: Bob Colwill

From: Rick McCormack

RE: FAX-Modem on a LocalTalk network

RM old> I have (am still) installed(ing) an Abaton InterFax 2496
RM old> Send-Receive FAX modem on a small (5 Macs) net, with file sharing,
RM old> no server.
RM old>
RM old> Next step was to install Abaton's InterShare software. Now, this
RM old> seems to work, although we are still trying to find a way of
RM old> telling a group of writers how to utilize the "Chooser, Init, word
RM old> processor, comms software, control panel device, etc...." to
RM old> "easily send FAXes and communicate with other computers."

BC qstn> Sounds like this solution would work for us.  Can you tell me how
BC qstn> the Abaton 2496 attached to a Mac and what model Mac you have it
BC qstn> running in?

RM Ans> The Abaton Fax-Modem is attached to the modem port of an SE
RM Ans> 030--this unit is also running the Intershare Server software, and
RM Ans> thus acts as the FAX-Modem server for the network.

BC qstn> Also, could you let me know where you bought the FAXModem and all
BC qstn> the necessary software and what the approximate costs were?

RM ans> I bought the unit through the local Mac BYTE COMPUTER SHOP, and I
RM ans> think that Intershare came from there also.  Modem was about
RM ans> $(CDN)425, and Intershare was $(CDN)175 (I think--client bought
RM ans> this direct).

[Stuff deleted]

I hope that you have some good luck getting this into your system.
A little update for you now.

We have made contact with a couple of the outside authors who want
to transfer info in. One uses VersaTerm 4.1 (? I think.) and has
to use X-Modem; he could transfer to me here at home, and I could
transfer to the client using Z-modem in SmartCom II 3.3a or
Z-Modem in ZTerm 0.90, but got hangs everytime I tried an X-Modem
transfer (as did the author).

After a lot of dicking around, we now have X-modem transfers
working--I think we have a timing problem since the clientUs
incoming calls go thru their computerized switchboard, on a
supposedly _modem-ready_ line. (Do you remember CompuServeUs
_relaxed_timing_X-Modem_protocol? I think that was a solution for
a very similar problem.)

I am developing a simple overview of the modeming process, and a
short (1 hour) training program for the users who need it. Our
next step is to begin transfers from the client to their press
shop--which means the client will have to learn Stuffit or
Compactor, and some organizational skills to ensure that all
relevant files are sent on!

While NetModems offer a simpler and more straight-forward
installation, they are also expensive. And the few I have used
were in the days of 2400 bps modems and were impossibly slow--the
net traffic made every screen update an agony akin to watching the
Saskatchewan River flow by in February! 9600 and 14.4k modems have
obviously helped, again at a price.

Hope by now you have a working, economical solution.

Rick McCormack

--

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