From: JeffC@comb1.comb.umd.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: Appletalk to Ethernet
Date: 6 Jan 1993 22:20:29 GMT
Organization: Maryland Biotechnology Institute
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: 136.160.1.43

In article <1992Dec31.045311.1043179@zeus.calpoly.edu> gluna@zeus.calpoly.edu
(George Luna) writes:
>I want to hook a Mac to a Novell network of PCs. The PC network
>is using Ethernet. Is there a card I can buy for my Mac that 
>will allow it to talk to Ethernet, or is there
>a box that will convert from Appletalk to Ethernet?
>
>Do I need special software in addition to hardware? How much
>will everything cost?
>
>Thanks,
>gluna@nike.calpoly.edu
>

I've seen a lot of confusing replies to this message... 

First of all, Appletalk refers to a protocol that Macintosh computers (and 
other machines can) use to talk to each other.  For now, lets call Ethernet
the hardware (card, cabling, etc) that connects various machines on the 
network.  Ethertalk is an implementation of the Appletalk Protocol on 
Ethernet - there is phase 1 (an old version) and phase 2 (current).  Stay
away from phase 1 if at all possible - it's outdated (I don't think it's
even supported with system 7, but I could be wrong).  Localtalk is twisted
pair cabling hardware available from Apple.  PhoneNet is an alternative to
Localtalk that provides the same performance for a fraction of the cost of
Localtalk.


The best/normal way of connecting macs up to a Novell file server is something
like the following:

Run the Appletalk NLMs on the Novell fileserver - use at least vers. 3.011 -
3.01 had losts of bugs in print services.  This provides an Appletalk stack
on the fileserver - ie, the fileserver will act like an Appleshare File
Server, show up on appletalk, and communicate with appletalk devices.

Assuming Ethernet:
  Each Mac will need an ethernet card or SCSI adapter box.  They always (at
  least I've never seen one that doesn't) come with installation software
  that allows the Mac to talk ethertalk.  Connect that into the same wiring
  as your PC's.  No extra software needs to be installed on the Mac to 
  interact with novell other than what comes with the card.  The NLM's come 
  with a disk of utilities for the Mac that can be installed on macintoshes -
  they allow you to check novell print queues, send messages to other users,
  etc, but are not necessary.  With phase 2 extended networks, you can have
  something like 16 million nodes (don't remember for sure, but it's more
  than you're likely to fit on one line...), whereas localtalk only allows
  253 or 254 nodes on a cable.  Also, Localtalk is restricted to 1000 ft of
  length - Ethernet can be much longer.  Also, if you have PC's, workstations,
  etc, you only have to run one set of cable that you can put the Macs, PC's
  etc on, rather than having to run localtalk or phonenet along with it.  

Assuming Localtalk or PhoneNet:
  If you already have a localtalk or phonenet network that you want to connect
  to the fileserver, you can get a card for the Novell fileserver (such as
  a DL2 card).  With the Appletalk NLMs running on the fileserver, it will
  show up as an Appleshare File Server to the Macs on Localtalk/phonenet.
  Nothing has to be done to the Macintoshes.  The Novell utils can be added
  as above.  This is the cheaper solution if you already have a localtalk
  network.  Note, though that an Ethernet network is MUCH faster than
  localtalk - it's like comparing the speed of a Ferrari to that of a Yugo.

Educational prices will cost you about $100-$125 for ethernet cards, whereas
you can get a phonenet box (compatible from Focus, I think) for about $8-$10
per Mac (cabling a minimal addition).

Additionally,  with the Appletalk NLM's, you can allow PC's to print to
Appletalk printers, share files with PC's, add security to printers, etc.
If your Macs are on localtalk and Ethertalk, the fileserver will route
between them so they can communicate, rather than the cost of something
like a Gatorbox or Fastpath that doesn't provide file services (note
though, that hardware routers like the gatorbox and fastpath do a lot of
things the fileserver doesn't do, so don't think a novell fs is a replacement
for them...). 

===============================================================================
Jeff Clowser                                         "A keyboard... how quaint"
JeffC@comb1.comb.umd.edu
Network Administrator, Macintosh Technical Support
Information Resources Group, Maryland Biotechnology Institute
University of Maryland

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
From: alan@bones.demon.co.uk (Alan Staniforth)