From: seifert@netcom.com (Rich Seifert)
Subject: Re: HELP: VAX to PC Communications questions?
Keywords: VAX VMS BRIDGE ROUTER
Organization: Networks & Communications Consulting
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 16:56:31 GMT

In article <BznHHv.A33@world.std.com>, dlowe@world.std.com (Miller Lowe) writes:
> In our office we have Three Netware Servers, A couple
> of VAX and tens of PCs.  We want to connect the PCs to the VAX
> systems using a LAT terminal emulator such as SmartTerm 340.
> 
> Here is the current cabeling picture;
> 
>    /-----\          /-----\                     /-----\
>    | VAX |          |MICRO|                     |MICRO|
>    |     |12.1      | VAX | 12.2                | VAX | 12.3
>    \--+--/          \--+--/                     \--+--/
>       |                |         LAN 'A'           |
>   ----+-------+--------+---------------------+-----+--------
>               |                  DECNET      |
>               |                          /---+---\
>            /--+---------\                | PC #1 |
>            | PC Running |                \-------/
>            | PCBRIDGE   |
>            \-------+----/
>                    |             LAN 'B'  IPX, TCP/IP & DECNET
>   <-------+--------+------------------------+----------------->
>           |                                 |IPX = FEEDBFOO
>       /---+---\                       /-----+------\
>       | PC #2 |                       |  NetWare   |
>       \-------/                       |v3.11 Server| "MOTHRA"
>                                       \-----+------/
>                   IPX & TCP/IP              | IPX = FEEDBOFF
>    <-----------+----------------------------+------------------>
>                |           LAN 'C'                     Other Netware
>            /---+---\                                   Servers  -->
>            | PC #3 |                                   & LANs
>            \-------/
> 
> I have connected PC #1 and logged into the NetWare Server MOTHRA
> with no problem and according to the terminal program (which has a
> LAT driver) documentatiom I should have no problem logging onto the
> VAX systems from PC#1 or PC#2.  I haven't installed the terminal
> program yet.
> 
> BIG QUESTION #1:
> ----------------
> How do I get PC #3 to process DECNET packets through the NetWare
> server MOTHRA.  While MOTHRA will pass TCP/IP or IPX I do not think
> that it will pass DECNET even though it uses 802.3 Ethernet.
>

I do not believe there is any software (public domain or otherwise) 
which will make a NetWare server act as a DECnet router. You will have to
either:
  -Put a DECnet router between LAN B and C, or
  -Put a bridge between LAN B and C with the capability of blocking
    (not bridging) IPX), to avoid the NetWare conflict.

Note that your original proposal was to get LAT access to the VAXen
from all the PCs. LAT is NOT DECnet---A DECnet router will NOT pass
LAT traffic. LAT is a non-routable protocol, and must be bridged.
This means that the second option is the only really viable one
if what you want is LAT. 
 
-- 
Rich Seifert                    Networks and Communications Consulting
seifert@netcom.com              (408) 996-0922
                                (408) 996-2860 FAX
"... specialists in Local Area Networks and Data Communications systems"
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet