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From: kwan@MHUXA.BTL.CSNET
Newsgroups: mod.protocols.appletalk
Subject: Appletalk to RS232 interface
Message-ID: <8603132316.AA04486@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
Date: Thu, 13-Mar-86 19:32:35 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8603132316.AA04486
Posted: Thu Mar 13 19:32:35 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 01:36:43 EST
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Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 33
Approved: info-applebus@c.cs.cmu.edu

Origin: mhuxa

We like to connect a 3B2 to Appletalk to share the LaserWriter with
MacIntoshes on Appletalk.  Are there hardware/software available that
enable one to convert an RS232 into Appletalk?  Any pointer and
suggestion will be very helpful.

Choi Kwan
Bell Labs Murray Hill
(201) 582-5727
ihnp4!mhuxa!kwan

[Note from moderator:  There are many alternatives, including the following:

1. Dedicate a Macintosh to this task, writing a spooling program that listens
  to requests on the Modem port and converts it to AppleTalk packets on the
  Printer port.

2. Get a bridge (Seagate, Kinetics, Butcher Board, Centram Tops, etc.)
  and add a serial port to it, with appropriate software.  (Query for
  info-applebus readers: How feasible is this for the various boxes out
  there?)

3. Get an ethernet board and spooling software for your 3B2.  This will
  probably give the best performance.

  I recommend #2, if it's economically and technically feasible for you.
  An AppleTalk/Ethernet/RS232 bridge will (with the appropriate software)
  give you flexibility for many tasks as yet unimagined.  For example,
  you can use the 3B2 as a file server for your Macintoshes, or vice versa.
  you can attach modems to the serial ports on the bridge and provide
  dialup/dialout access to the 3B2 and Macs.  You can add IBM (err, AT&T)
  PC's on any of the links.]