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From: german@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Info. Request re. Mac<>PC LAN
Message-ID: <174400070@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: Fri, 13-Nov-87 11:19:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uxc.174400070
Posted: Fri Nov 13 11:19:00 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Nov-87 17:46:46 EST
References: <1447@ttidca.TTI.COM>
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Nf-From: uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!german    Nov 13 10:19:00 1987



The two products I have looked are TOPS and Kinetics.

TOPS, a Sun Microsystems company (still had to look under Centram in the
advertisers index) offers an AppleTalk hardware card for the PC machines
and software for both the Mac and PC to use each others hard disks.
The network runs at AppleTalk speeds (230kbs) and runs $189/Mac (software)
and $389/PC (software and hardware).  There are other options as well, 
but I have not looked into these.  TOPS can be reach at 800-222-TOPS
(or 800-445-TOPS if you are in CA).

Kinetics offers a couple of options.  The one that we have been using the
longest is the Kinetics FastPath ethernet gateway.  This is an AppleTalk
to ethernet gateway and we use it to provide TCP/IP's Telnet and FTP 
from the Macs to the rest of campus including PCs.  I don't have the 
current price list from Kinetics but list price for this box is over $2000.
We are paying less with educational and volume discounts.  This box can 
handle quite a few Macs, but just how many depends on how much each station
is doing.  This option still has the 230kbs AppleTalk link in the path between
your Mac and the rest of the world.

The other option Kinetics has is ethernet (10mbs) directly to the Mac.  This
is really only available with the more recent Mac models as you need a
SCSI interface.  I have not used this product yet, but this would provide you
with a 10mbs linke from your Mac to the rest of the world.

Kinetics can be reached at the following address:
Kinetics, Inc.
P.O. Box 3341
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
(415) 947-0998
Telex 6502877642 MCI

Disclaimer:  I don't work for any of the above mentioned companies and many
of the names above are trademarks or registered trademarks of their 
manufacturers.

         Greg German (german@uxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU) (217-333-8293)
US Mail: Univ of Illinois, CSO, 1304 W Springfield Ave, Urbana, IL  61801
Office:  181 Digital Computer Lab.