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Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!pesnta!amd!amdcad!phil
From: phil@amdcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.dcom
Subject: Re: Office networking ala RS-232
Message-ID: <11666@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-May-86 20:34:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdcad.11666
Posted: Tue May 13 20:34:38 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 14-May-86 17:44:06 EDT
References: <532@gould9.UUCP> <545@gould9.UUCP>
Reply-To: phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai)
Distribution: na
Organization: AMD, Sunnyvale, California
Lines: 37
Keywords: patch panel, cabling

In article <545@gould9.UUCP> joel@gould9.UUCP (Joel West) writes:
>I got 14 replies, nearly all of which suggested Mod-Tap (manufactured 
>by Darlabs, Inc. 800 252-1100).  In California, a firm called Nevada 
>Western seems also to be popular.  Apparently these companies are not 
>consistent in their assignments of the 6 (8) wires.

I was never able to get a schematic of their patch panels from Nevada
Western. MOD-TAP is very knowledgeable and cooperative. They
understood the information I wanted and provided it.  With only 8
wires I could ohm it out myself but without documentation from NW in
principle they could change it any time.

Furthermore, MOD-TAP has one model which conforms to what has as much
chance as anything else to be a standard, the Western Electric 258A.
The 258A uses the same pinout as you get if you have ATT install their
Premise Distribution System in your plant. It is also compatible with
the new devices which use 8-wire connections such as ATT's DDS DSU/CSU
(2556, etc) and switched DDS.

I recommend the 8-wire technology, done according to 258A.

>One of the messages gave me an idea.  We have 25-pair telco cable in 
>each office left over from a previous phone system.  We should be using 
>only 3 or 4 pair for our new phone system, so I will probably use the 
>remaining 40 wires to supply up to 5 8-line RS-232 lines.  The only hitch 
>on this is physical access to the phone cabinet, but the advantages are 
>so significant that I'll find a way around this.

Here's another reason to use the 258A pinout. Your offices will
probably already have a 258A in them. It's a connector with 6 8-wire
outlets.  Let me know if you've got them. Or if you have more
questions.
-- 

 Phil Ngai +1 408 749 5720
 UUCP: {ucbvax,decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil
 ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.dec.com