Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!decwrl!wuarchive!mit-eddie!media-lab!media-lab.media.mit.edu!dnb
From: dnb@meshugge.media.mit.edu (David N. Blank)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: debugging Localtalk is just too much fun
Message-ID: <DNB.90Oct12105830@meshugge.media.mit.edu>
Date: 12 Oct 90 14:58:30 GMT
Sender: news@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU
Distribution: comp
Organization: M.I.T. Media Laboratory
Lines: 23

Howdy-
    Here at the Media Lab we have many a Mac networked via Localtalk.
I'm sure anyone who maintains a large site with this daisy-chained
"network" can empathize with the irritation I've had caused by one
strategically placed loose connection.  I tend to use a combination
of visual inspection and Interpol which seems to take forever
sometimes to find the problem. So here's my questions:

1) How do other people go about debugging their Localtalk?  What
   software/hardware do you use?

2) Is there any hardware specifically designed for debugging this
   network (similar to the TDR which I use for my ethernet problems)?

3) I have thought about getting a Mac to schlepp around with me to
   spot test the network at different access points, but this seems to
   be a bit pricey, what's the cheapest piece of Mac (or other
   hardware) that will let me do this?

Please send your responses directly to me and I'll gladly summarize to
the net.  Thanks muchly in advance.
            Peace,
               dNb