Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!mips!smsc.sony.com!dce
From: dce@smsc.sony.com (David Elliott)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: ethernet over twisted pair
Message-ID: <1991Jan1.190612.26145@smsc.sony.com>
Date: 1 Jan 91 19:06:12 GMT
References: <90361.180653JAYMS@CUNYVM.BITNET> <10261@jarthur.Claremont.EDU>
Organization: Sony Microsystems Corp, San Jose, CA
Lines: 35

In article <10261@jarthur.Claremont.EDU> jdishaw@cbrown.claremont.edu writes:
>From what I have been told (by Cabletron) is that a 10 Base-T compliant
>product can go over the same cable with the phone.  Note, however, that
>10 Base-T does not use a USOC jack, but rather the "new" AT&T jack (RJ445
>I believe).

This is true.  Our office has used such a system for over a year, and
it has been very reliable.

The one thing to realize is that 10BaseT is like thick ethernet in
terms of adding new connections.  Unlike thin ethernet, where a
T-connector can be used to add a device connection, and PhoneNet
(which, of course, isn't ethernet), where the connector has a builtin
splitter, 10BaseT requires that each controller connection connect to
one ethernet device.

I haven't heard of a 10BaseT multi-tap (or "DELNI", for those of you
with DEC tendencies), though I suspect they do or will exist.  You can
certainly convert 10BaseT to thick ethernet and use a DELNI, or go
straight to thin ethernet and take advantage of that connection style.

My opinion is that the right way to go in most cases is to use 10BaseT
as the connection between the work areas and the central patching
station, and to convert to thin ethernet in the office, and convert to
thick ethernet only when needed.

In the past 15 months, I've had from 1 to 4 machines in my office at
any given time, with various combinations of thick and thin ethernet
connectors.  With just a couple of twisted pair jacks in the office, I
would have had to go through contortions every time I wanted to add a
machine.  But, by converting to thin ethernet, I can easily add and
remove machines as I get them.  In fact, I share my single 10BaseT
connection with another person, and even though we have had as many as
10 machines on our thin ethernet, it's never been a performance problem
(and we're both network hogs).