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From: andersa@kuling.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Ethernet : Broadband vs Baseband
Message-ID: <24@kuling.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 22-Feb-87 19:34:57 EST
Article-I.D.: kuling.24
Posted: Sun Feb 22 19:34:57 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Feb-87 18:45:47 EST
References: <2334@sunybcs.UUCP> <18500001@clio> <14863@amdcad.UUCP>
Reply-To: andersa@kuling.UUCP (Anders Andersson)
Organization: Uppsala University, Sweden
Lines: 41

In article <14863@amdcad.UUCP> phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes:
>I've stayed away from broadband systems like the plague (who needs
>modems that stop working because the temperature changed from 75
>degrees to 70 degrees) but I believe you are wrong about broadband
>cable usage. 

Environment dependencies like this seems like a major drawback with
broadband systems, as compared to baseband ones. Is this particular
kind of fault verified by experienced broadband users? Are there other
similar pros and cons to take into consideration?

I'm asking because we have finally installed a baseband network at
our site. Our "managers" wanted to supply us with a broadband network
instead. As a compromise, we now have both kinds (of which we only
use the ether)...

Now, afterwards (and in preparation for future expansion of our site
network) I would like to find out what really is the best choice,
technically and economically. It seems to me that connecting more than
300 terminals via broadband modems would be far more expensive than
using ethernet-based terminal servers. Is this true or false? These
terminals are located in close proximity to each other, within a single
building, and they are supposed to be used in conjunction with a couple
of UNIX systems and two DEC-2060:s.

What I need is info like Phil's complaint above, and suggestions for
important criteria to observe when comparing the two kinds of systems.
Some important facts are already clear: We (those guys who will be
using and operating the system) already have some experience with
baseband and none with broadband, but I would like to hear some purely
technical arguments. I'll welcome public follow-ups as well as mail,
and I'll try to compile the essence of what I get for the benefit of
the net.

I would also appreciate suggestions on what to do with our currently
unused broadband cable (except for linking together all those ethernet
segments which will be found all over the site in years to come)... :-)
-- 
Anders Andersson, Dept. of Computer Systems, Uppsala University, Sweden
Phone: +46 18 183170
UUCP: andersa@kuling.UUCP (...!{seismo,mcvax}!enea!kuling!andersa)