Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!ucselx!bionet!parc!sanders
From: sanders@parc.xerox.com (Rex Sanders)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: Apple's Ethernet Solution
Keywords: Apple Mac ethernet
Message-ID: <1991Jan14.222053.11113@parc.xerox.com>
Date: 14 Jan 91 22:20:53 GMT
References: <1991Jan10.220644.4237@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Sender: news@parc.xerox.com
Organization: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
Lines: 58

In article <1991Jan10.220644.4237@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> german@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Gregory German) writes:
>From what I read Apple is announcing a networking system that is supposed
>to grow into a plug and play ethernet for Macs.  The products described 
>are Ethernet cards for the LC and Nubus slots that have a small non-standard
>(not 10baseT, AUI or BNC) connector that would connect to an external
>non-standard transceiver.  This Apple transceiver is externally powered
>and is ordered in the flavor needed to connect to your standard ethernet
>connector (10baseT, AUI or BNC).
>
>Does anyone have any additional details?  Pricing was mentioned in the
>article, but I am interest in technical details.  

I cornered "Dr. Network" in the Apple Booth at MacWorld with similar concerns.
Here's the scoop:

- Apple's new connector is non-standard.  The secondary connectors ARE standard
  i.e.  AUI, BNC, and 10baseT.

- You don't need external power for BNC or 10baseT connectors.

- You don't need external power for AUI if you have a Mac II series machine
  with "big enough" power supply, like II, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx - the new
  connector will supply the power.

- You need external power for AUI for the under-powered CPUs like LC and IIsi.

- Several non-Apple vendors are supplying the secondary connectors.  Most
  strongly resemble LocalTalk/PhoneNet connectors.

- Apple's implementation of BNC (thin) Ethernet is self-terminating, so
  you can daisy-chain Ethernet just like LocalTalk.

Reasonable extrapolation:

- Many of the trade magazines predict Apple will have on-motherboard Ethernet
  in future CPUs.  Rather than using the Sun approach of thick or thin only,
  Apple's developed a scheme to let you attach whatever flavor of Ethernet
  you like.

- The trend in Apple CPUs is to provide less and less power to the outside
  world.  The new connector provides enought for BNC and 10baseT, but not
  enough for the relatively high power consuming AUI Ethernet.  Hence, the
  need for external power.

- Like you, I initially thought this new scheme is a kludge.  However,
  thinking ahead to changing Ethernet media (from AUI to 10baseT, for example)
  which would you rather do:

  - Replace network boards

  - Add AUI to 10baseT converters to all the Macs (kludge)

  - Replace the secondary connector for "real" 10baseT

Opinions from:

-- Rex Sanders, Macintosh Support Specialist
   sanders@parc.xerox.com