Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!shl!phil From: phil@shl.com (Phil Trubey) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans Subject: Re: 10Base T concentrators Message-ID: <1990Dec08.035741.21006@shl.com> Date: 8 Dec 90 03:57:41 GMT Distribution: na Organization: SHL Systemhouse Inc. Lines: 45 In-Reply-To: Tried to mail a response, didn't get through... >Does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with 10Base T ethernet >concentrators? I am interested in a comparison between CableTron, David >Systems, Synoptics, and NetWorth. > >I am interested in how each fares in regard to reliability (i.e. built in >redunancy), network management features, IPX management, connections to >other TCP/IP ethernet hosts, and compatibility with the Western Digital >10Base T card (EtherPlus Card). > >Thanks in advance to all those reply. We've used both Cabletron and Synoptics 10BaseT concentrators with the WD cards - they work OK. Synoptics and Cabletron stuff interop OK, we have had Cabletron 10BaseT xvrs hooked into our Synoptics hubs and vice versa. The Synoptics and Cabletron hubs we have had have been equally reliable. Synoptics network management is OK - it has a flashy Windows interface (note can only run in Windows 3.0 in real mode, not 386 extended mode), but true to form of Windows programs, the UI manages to be clumsy and inefficient. Major piece of missing functionality is that the concentrator only grabs stats from the concentrator since it does not communicate with the ethernet cards ( no SNMP support). This means that a major piece of diagnostic info is missing. Cabletron network management also has a clumsy Windows interface. It uses SNMP however, so you can see if the card has seen the packets you are sending it ... this only applies if you have Cabletron cards however, since WD cards do not *yet* support SNMP (although they are planning it). Neither network manager has IPX management support (and aren't likely to - different protocol levels) - why would you want to use Novell anyways?? :-). -- Phil Trubey SHL Systemhouse Inc. (Internet: phil@shl.com UUCP: ...!uunet!shl!phil) -- Phil Trubey SHL Systemhouse Inc. (Internet: phil@shl.com UUCP: ...!uunet!shl!phil)