Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod!swrinde!ucsd!network.ucsd.edu!dcdwest!dcdwest.dcdwest.com!steve
From: steve@dcdwest.dcdwest.com (Steve Meloche)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: External floppy port for network? (2nd try)
Keywords: NET:, PD, Floppy
Message-ID: <1991Jan14.223623.19008@dcdwest.uucp>
Date: 14 Jan 91 22:36:23 GMT
Sender: steve@dcdwest.uucp (Steve Meloche)
Distribution: na
Organization: ITT Defense Communications Division - West
Lines: 47


Hmmmmm....  I tried this a few months ago and got zero replies.  Perhaps 
everybody has been too busy namecalling at -MB- to notice my relatively boring
question.  Now that the new newsgroups are here I will try again..... Anyway,
here was my previous posting:

Over the course of the Amiga's history, a number of interesting programs
have been developed in the public arena for inexpensively networking amigas
together.  The ones I am aware of use DNET as a basis.  First there was a
NET: thingy for the serial port (with which I have had only limited success),
then it was modified to work over the parallel port.  The big problem for me,
with my A1000, is that I already have three things competing for the parallel
port and one or two for the serial port.  What I would like to know is:  can
the parallel or serial versions of these networks be modified to use the floppy 
drive port with a special cable?  Something like the following:

       Amiga #1                                                 Amiga #2
  .______________.   Ext. Floppy                 Ext. Floppy  .____________.
  | ._______.    |   ._________.  Special cable  ._________.  |            |
  | | Hard  |    +---+  _____  +-----------------+  _____  +--+            |
  | | Disk  |    |   |_________|                 |_________|  |            |
  | |_______|    |                                            |_____.______|
  |______________+--- Peripherals (serial or Parallel)              |
                                                              more peripherals

The floppy port is something that everybody has (I think) and even if an
external floppy is installed it has a pass-through connector, which is not
true of my modem, printer, digi-view, etc.  This would work the same way as the
other versions of the NET: device - each Amiga would have access to the devices
on the other machine (even floppies?? - hmmmm... that might be a problem!)

I guess the fundamental question is a hardware one.  I have no idea what is on
the floppy port, or even if there is any way for software on the computer to
get the needed access to this port, but I would think it would be possible.
In my mind this means of connection would be much more useful to most Amiga
owners than the serial or parallel port configurations, which steal our
precious ports away.  I just can't afford to use them for this reason.

So anyway, net gurus - is it possible?  Would it be as fast as the other ports?

Anxiously awaiting replies... (AGAIN!)

						   Steven Meloche
    _____ _____ _____
      |   ` | ' ` | '      ITT Aerospace/Communications Division
      |     |     |        San Diego, CA
    __|__   |     |        dcdwest!network.ucsd.edu!ucsd!... (last I checked)