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From: msm@energetic.com (Michael S. Maiten)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: Re:  How long can a PhoneNet network be?
Message-ID: <9008190006.AA15038@Energetic.COM>
Date: 19 Aug 90 00:06:28 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 32

> Date: 18 Aug 90 03:46:48 GMT
> From: bin@uakari.primate.wisc.edu  (Brain in Neutral)
> Subject: How long can a PhoneNet network be?
> To: info-appletalk@andrew.cmu.edu
> 
> What's the maximum end-to-end distance a PhoneNet network can be,
> and what factors does this length depend on?
> 
> Paul DuBois
> dubois@primate.wisc.edu

Funny you should ask; I just looked this one up yesterday! (However, I don't
have the manual in front of me, so this is from memory)...

For a daisy chain phonenet network, the maximum length is 1800 feet with 
24 nodes.  If you use a backbone net, then the distance is the same except that
you must reduce the total length by 4 feet for every 1 foot between the 
backbone jack and the phonenet box on the mac.  If you use wire (for the 
backbone) smaller than the normal gauge then the distance is reduced.

[This is from recent experience]:  If you have a phonenet network that is
too long, then you start getting intermittent behaviour.  The chooser may take
a long time to come up after selecting it, and then you may not see all the
devices you might expect.  If you leave the chooser up, you may see
devices (ie; set it to laserwriters) come and go periodically!  The solution
in this particular case was to reorganize the daisy chain phonenet to remove
unnecessary length; the problems then dissapeared.

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Michael S. Maiten                 Internet:    msm@energetic.com
Energetic Systems                 UUCP:        ensys!msm
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