Token ring adapter set-up - please help
Clive Keep
I have 3 model 70's with token ring adaptors installed and configured. The
machines are all in the same room and I would like to use these adaptors to
network the computers for file sharing- no need for messaging etc, I just want
to be able to access all disks from any of the machines. I have some network
software installed by previous users(Novell I think) but no helpfiles etc.
Can anyone tell me What I can do with these cards. Do I need a hub and if so
where can I get one and how much is it likely to cost? Does one machine have
to act as a server, and if so does this render the machine inoperative for
nomal use? The socket on the card are female 9-pin d-shell which would seem
to indicate serial cables. Can anyone confirm this? I have downloaded a
shareware program called nslan. Is this any use?
As you can see, I am a complete no-nothing novice when it comes to networks
but I have a pretty good grasp general computing principles so anything anyone
can tell me will be useful. I'm running windows 3.1 with win32s on one of
the machines. Would consider upgrade to 3.11 if it will make a difference but
let's be sensible and not talk about windows 95!
Thanking gratefully in advance anyone who can enlighten me in these matters.
Best regards
Clivus
P.S. Can anyone express an opinion regarding the 486-50 mother board upgrade
for this model versus the blue lightning chip upgrade?
Peterwendt
Hi !
First of all: Token-Ring is *not* a serial port. It is ... Token-Ring :-)
Second: you need a 'sort of' hub. In IBM technoslovakian this thing is
called "Multistation Access Unit" (MAU) ... and is a bit expensive if you
take an original MAU.
The IBM passive MAU is the 8228 Model 001. It has 10 ports, 8 of them are
for user-stations, 1 is called Ring In, 1 is called Ring Out. These 2 are
for cascading mutiple MAU up to 240 stations.
A typical IBM 8228 Multistation Access Unit (MAU)
IN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 OUT
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
|o +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ o|
| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |[]| |
|o +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ +--+ o|
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
From To
another 8 connectors for stations another
8228 8228
The original 8228 has connectors of IBM Cabling System (ICS) and use a
very unfamiliar plug, which is called 'Hermaphrodite Plug' and is plug and
socket as well.
There are however compatible MAU available from i.e. AMP, which use RJ-45
connectors. The typical IBM Token-Ring cable has a 9 pin Sub-D plug on the
adapters end and an ICS-plug on the MAU end. The cable can be extended very
easy using another cable with ICS-plugs on both ends. The maximum cable
length between MAU and station can be 300 feet at 4MB/s and 150 feet at 16MB/s.
One *can* create an own cable using shielded twisted pair cables like used
on telephone lines, if the length between adapter and MAU does not exceed
60 feet. (That's what I often did !) - the ICS plugs are available
separately and are very easy to install with only a larger plier to press
in the self-cutting cable connector. Takes about 2 minutes with some experience.
An IBM Token-Ring cabling consist out of 2 pairs of wires, which create a
system of 2 'rings' - one main data ring and an additional backup ring. The
topology is a star (the MAU in the center and the stations connecting with
a single cable to it), the logical architecture is of course a ring. Each
station inserts into this ring without disturbing data-traffic to the other
stations over the MAU. Token-Ring is -other than Ethernet- a collision-free
transmission and a failure in a single station or cable will not course
larger segments to crash.
There are 2 different TR-systems out: the 4MB/s and the 16MB/s Token-Ring.
If the cards have a round green decal at the rear bracket with 16/4 printed
on it then these are the adapters which support both speeds. But you will
have to decide which speed you use - either 4 or 16. An adapter supporting
only 4MB/s or set to 4MB/s cannot work in a 16MB/s-net and other way round.
It is very easy to setup a small network under WfW 3.11, using the drivers
coming with WfW on the older standard MCA TR-adapters. You may have a
dedicated server but must not have one neccessarily. If you share only
ressources like disks or printers the Peer-To-Peer services will do. It
will of course work with Win95 as well, but I would not recommend Win95 for
the old Mod. 70s. A coexistance between WfW-3.11 and Win95 stations is
possible. My personal Token-Ring network in my home-office consists out of
an IBM 8228, an 8595 Server running under Win95, 2 Win95 workstations
(Compaq LTE-5380 and IBM 9556-0BA) and 2 WfW-3.11 workstations (PS/VP and
Mod. 80-A31). Copying of data among these machines works fine with no
problems at 16MB/s.
Very friendly greetings from Peter in Germany
http://members.aol.com/phwimage1/mcaindex.htm