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From: aiko@cs.odu.edu (John K Hayes)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Ethernet vs. ARCnet for a Novell lan
Message-ID: <1990Oct29.161448.24234@cs.odu.edu>
Date: 29 Oct 90 16:14:48 GMT
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Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk Virginia
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Anybody know the advantages and disadvantages of ethernet and arcnet?  I know
ethernet is faster and seems to be cheaper as well.  What are the problems
involved with a single workstation screwing up the whole net with ethernet
as opposed to arcnet?  I heard from someplace that with ethernet, if a station
goes down (locks up), it affects the rest of the net (possibly brings the 
whole net down) - but I don't think this is true.  I heard also that it is
possible for one workstation to mess things up (not necessarily bring down)
for the whole net with both ethernet and arcnet.  How's that?  I have seen
with my own eyes where a arcnet setup was brought down by a faulty cable
connection to one of the workstations (this is reasonable); I'm interested
in software related problems (such as lock ups).  
I am setting up a lan for 6-10 PCs with a possible expansion to 20-50 PCs
each no more than 500' apart.  Any comments on the type cabling I should use?
I am shying away from twisted pair since it seems to be cost prohibitive in
terms of network adaptor cards and concentrators and also worries me about line
noise and unshieldedness.  On the other hand, I am leaning toward unshielded
coax since it is better than unshielded twisted pair and shielded coax is
too expensive.  Do you think this will be sufficient?

Also - can anyone explain (generally) the technology behind ethernet and arcnet?
As in how they work - why one is faster than the other - which one is best
suited to a net with less than 50 PCs.

Thanks loads,
   John Hayes
-- 
    ---{john hayes}  Old Dominion University; Norfolk, Virginia USA
                     internet: aiko@cs.odu.edu
                     Work: (804) 460-2241 ext 134