Text 127, 45 rader
Skriven 2007-01-23 15:21:28 av David Calafrancesco (1:2624/306.0)
    Kommentar till text 124 av Mike Powell (1:2320/105.0)
Ärende: IBM Token Ring Adaptor ?
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Mike Powell wrote in a message to All:

 MP> This is not actually an OS/2 question, but it is a question about
 MP> another IBM product.  This is the only place I could think of to
 MP> post it.  
 MP> If I wanted to get an old 8-bit XT computer hooked up to my
 MP> ethernet network, would I be able to do so with an IBM Token Ring
 MP> PC Network Adaptor II?  I am thinking that, because it is Token
 MP> Ring, that it would not be compatable, but I wanted to verify that.
 MP>  
 MP> I am having a difficult time finding 8-bit network cards.

As has been related elsewhere, ethernet and token ring are not compatible on
the same cable. They don't even have similar cabling requirements. However,
ethernet cards were available in 8bit back in the day. They would have been
using the 15pin hard cable adapters or would have used a coax ethernet
connector. To connect to an existing twisted pair network you would need to
bridge the two cable mediums. You can do this by using an old hub which has a
coax connector and twisted pair connections, usually only available in 10mbit
hubs as opposed to today's 100mbit and gigabit switches. 

I have to ask the obvious question of why you would want to connect an XT class
system to an ethernet network? If it is just the nostalgia value, then part of
the good feeling is to be able to locate an old card and make it work. If you
have data that you need to access, you might have alternative methods available
to access than trying to put a 30yr old system on a modern network. 

I know I had 8 and 16bit ethernet cards around here, but have no idea if I
still have any nor where they might be hiding. I even had a whole collection of
Arcnet cards and have been running ethernet and arcnet networks personally and
professionally since the 80s. I even had a PROM burner at point so I could make
boot proms for the ethernet cards and make diskless network nodes. Years before
PXE boot systems :) 

Your best bet is to locate a collector who happens to have some of these
ancient cards floating around they could send you. I doubt you'd even find one
on eBay these days. I'll try to find some time to check some of the old boxes
and if I come across some things, I'll let you know. 

Dave Calafrancesco, Team OS/2
dave@drakkar.org

... They got the library at Alexandria, they're not getting mine! 
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