one token ring-pc on an ethernet LAN?

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Hi,

I've got an old IBM PS/2 PC and I just bought an RJ45 network card for
it on Ebay. I just noticed thatt it's not Ethernet, though (I suppose
there aren't any Ethernet cards for that old MCA interface anyway), but
Token Ring.

Is it possible for me to connect this PC to my Ethernet LAN here at
home? Could my LAN Switch or my Linux router be of any use for that?

TIA,
~Mik

--
"The geek shall inherit the earth."
-- Rainer Wolfcastle in "Undercover Nerd"

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

In article <cvfamh$3ci$1@online.de>,
Mario Berger <no_damned_spam@nospam.no> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I've got an old IBM PS/2 PC and I just bought an RJ45 network card for
>it on Ebay. I just noticed thatt it's not Ethernet, though (I suppose
>there aren't any Ethernet cards for that old MCA interface anyway), but
>Token Ring.
>
>Is it possible for me to connect this PC to my Ethernet LAN here at
>home? Could my LAN Switch or my Linux router be of any use for that?
>
>TIA,
>~Mik
>
>--
>"The geek shall inherit the earth."
>-- Rainer Wolfcastle in "Undercover Nerd"


"could it". Yes, I guess you could build a router with a TR card and
an ethernet card in it and installed Linux and configured it IP on
correctly.

IOW, it's not easy. FInd an MCA ethernet card or scrap the machine.

--

a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Begin <cvfamh$3ci$1@online.de>
On 2005-02-22, Mario Berger <no_damned_spam@nospam.no> wrote:
> I've got an old IBM PS/2 PC and I just bought an RJ45 network card for
> it on Ebay. I just noticed thatt it's not Ethernet, though (I suppose
> there aren't any Ethernet cards for that old MCA interface anyway), but
> Token Ring.

They do exist. 3com etherlink III came in MCA flavour, for example.


> Is it possible for me to connect this PC to my Ethernet LAN here at
> home? Could my LAN Switch or my Linux router be of any use for that?

Well, as ObOtherPoster said, you could add another network card like
the one in your PS/2 but in suitable bus flavour for that linux box,
then try and build a network out of that. You might need considerable
intermediate hardware, as not all network types support a peer-to-peer
trick like ethernet does with a crossed cable.

But you first need to know what sort of network the card in your PS/2 box
is for. It is usually, but not always, token ring. It could be starlan
or proteon 10net or cddi or what have you.

I think it might be easiest to go hunting for an MCA ethernet NIC.


--
j p d (at) d s b (dot) t u d e l f t (dot) n l .

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Mario Berger wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I've got an old IBM PS/2 PC and I just bought an RJ45 network card for
> it on Ebay. I just noticed thatt it's not Ethernet, though (I suppose
> there aren't any Ethernet cards for that old MCA interface anyway), but
> Token Ring.
>
> Is it possible for me to connect this PC to my Ethernet LAN here at
> home? Could my LAN Switch or my Linux router be of any use for that?

No, while there were bridges that could convert token ring to ethernet,
they're scarce. You'll have to get an MCA ethernet card. and yes there
were some, though they're probably scarce by now too.

If the vendor advertised that card as ethernet, you should ask for your
money back. As you've discovered, RJ45 connectors were also used for token
ring.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Mario Berger wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I've got an old IBM PS/2 PC and I just bought an RJ45 network card for
> it on Ebay. I just noticed thatt it's not Ethernet, though (I suppose
> there aren't any Ethernet cards for that old MCA interface anyway), but
> Token Ring.

First order of business, if you want to get a PS/2 to do stuff, go over to
comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware. You'll find a bunch of enthusiasts including
some IBM retirees who are always happy to have a new member join the club.

Next, Ethernet is older than Microchannel. Ethernet boards for Microchannel
were commonplace once. There are even Fast Ethernet boards for it.

> Is it possible for me to connect this PC to my Ethernet LAN here at
> home? Could my LAN Switch or my Linux router be of any use for that?

Quick answer--Token Ring is not Ethernet, Ethernet is not Token Ring. While
there are a few bridges out that let one talk to the other they are hard to
find and tricky to set up. Still, if you _do_ find one it's probably
cheap.

Best bet, get a Microchannel Ethernet board. There are several on ebay
right now that look to go for around ten bucks.

> TIA,
> ~Mik
>

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

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J. Clarke wrote:
> First order of business, if you want to get a PS/2 to do stuff, go over to
> comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware. You'll find a bunch of enthusiasts including
> some IBM retirees who are always happy to have a new member join the club.

Great hint, I'm gonna post there, thanksalot!

~Mik

--
"The geek shall inherit the earth."
-- Rainer Wolfcastle in "Undercover Nerd"

 

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adykes@panix.com (Al Dykes) writes:

> "could it". Yes, I guess you could build a router with a TR card and an
> ethernet card in it and installed Linux and configured it IP on
> correctly.

Good luck! I had massive problems with Linux and TR. Never seen so many
kernel panics in my life. And yes I did try different card and different
kernel versions (Hint: older kernels work better than newer ones).

Jens

 

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Jens Link wrote:

> adykes@panix.com (Al Dykes) writes:
>
>> "could it". Yes, I guess you could build a router with a TR card and an
>> ethernet card in it and installed Linux and configured it IP on
>> correctly.
>
> Good luck! I had massive problems with Linux and TR. Never seen so many
> kernel panics in my life. And yes I did try different card and different
> kernel versions (Hint: older kernels work better than newer ones).

A few years ago, I had a notebook computer, running Mandrake, with a token
ring PCMCIA NIC. Worked fine.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

James Knott <james.knott@rogers.com> writes:

> A few years ago, I had a notebook computer, running Mandrake, with a token
> ring PCMCIA NIC. Worked fine.

Well it works. Sometimes. I had a server which would run for a month
without a problem and which than hat 2 kernel-panics a day after
which it was running for another couple of weeks until the next panic.
Totally unpredictable

Jens

 

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Jens Link wrote:

> James Knott <james.knott@rogers.com> writes:
>
>> A few years ago, I had a notebook computer, running Mandrake, with a
>> token
>> ring PCMCIA NIC. Worked fine.
>
> Well it works. Sometimes. I had a server which would run for a month
> without a problem and which than hat 2 kernel-panics a day after
> which it was running for another couple of weeks until the next panic.
> Totally unpredictable

Sounds like an intermittent hardware problem. Try to correlate it to
temperature and humidity.

> Jens

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

"J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet@snet.net.invalid> writes:

> Sounds like an intermittent hardware problem. Try to correlate it to
> temperature and humidity.

I tried different computers with different Card, with different drivers
in different environments (air conditioned server room, wiring closet
on 1st floor (south side), wiring closet in a cellar) and had
unpredictable kernel panics. Sometimes it worked for weeks without any
problem and than it crashed two times a day.

Jens