From: dnichols@d-and-d.com (DoN. Nichols)
Subject: Re: Ethernet board
Keywords: 3b1, Ethernet, ungermann Bass
Organization: D and D Data, Vienna VA
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 03:37:57 GMT

In article <1ip0sbINNne7@munnari.OZ.AU> muller@munnari.OZ.AU (Paul Muller) writes:
>I have been offered an Ethernet board for the 3b1 of the Ungermann Bass variety
                                                          ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^
>without drivers.

	Huh!  I've never seen one from Ungermann Bass (as far as I know.)
The Ungerman Bass equipment that we have at work is a Wideband Lan, rather
than Ethernet.  There is a box for the Lan which will let Ethernet ride on
one of the channels on the Wideband.

	I know that Ungerman Bass makes cards for PClones, is it possible
that the person making the offer heard UNIX-PC, and figured (PClone running
unix)?  If so, the card will essentially be useless to you.  If it fits the
form-factor for a 3B1 card, and is really ethernet, rather than Wideband (I
don't know who *really* made the ethernet card for the 3B1, so it *could*
have been Ungermann Bass.)

	You need the Wollagong WIN/TCP package to work with the ethernet
card for the 3B1.  It supplies both the libraries and header files for
compiling other programs to use the net, and the normal complement of tools
(ftp, rsh (remsh on the 3b1), telnet, rwho, ruptime, etc.)

>What is a reasonable price to pay? I am thinking of offering $50 Aus for it, is
>that a good price? What euipment/software will I need to connect my machine
>to an existing network? eg are TCP/IP drivers available, do I need an futher
>EXPENSIVE cables, etc.

	I'm unsure of the current exchange rate between Aus and US dollars
at present, but $50 US would be a nice price to pay for it, even without the
software.  I have had to pay $400 each for boards with the software package
(only one came with the manual set).

>I am hoping to play with TCP/IP on a budget, so I am not looking to spend a
>bundle (but whoever is?).

	If you can find a source for the software package for anything
around $200 (US) or less, you are probably ahead of the game with this
board, *if* it is the 3B1 ethernet card.  The only connector on the card is
a DB-15 AUI connector.  You will need a cable, and a tranciever to go with
the card, but any one should do.  They will probably cost you more than we
have been discussing above, if you have to purchase them new.  For short
runs, you can use 15-conductor ribbon cable and crimp-on connnectors.  For
longer runs (up to maybe 25 feet) you should have a genuine shielded AUI
cable.  The ethernet cable can go a fairly long distance (as indoors
distances go).  Do you have something to hang at the other end of the
ethernet cable?  If not, then none of this will do you much good.  However,
if you are in a company or a university, and they are willing to assign you
an IP address, then your 3B1 will hang on the net and work quite well.

	I have several 3B1/7300 machines ethernetted to a collection of Sun
workstations of various vintages, and one Textronix 6130 at home.  In
general the WIN/TCP works fairly well, though if you try to compile certain
programs, it just won't work.  (Ping seems to be everyone's example of one
that won't work.)

	Good Luck
		DoN.
-- 
 Email:   <dnichols@d-and-d.com>  |  ...!uunet!ceilidh!dnichols 
		 <dnichols@ceilidh.beartrack.com>
 Donald Nichols (DoN.)  |   Voice (Days): (703) 704-2280 (Eves): (703) 938-4564
	--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
Xref: sparky comp.sys.3b1:4219 comp.mail.misc:4309