Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!coherent!mailcom!postmaster
From: postmaster@mailcom.UUCP (Bernard Aboba)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Tops question
Message-ID: <5.23140285@mailcom.UUCP>
Date: 23 Aug 88 09:25:57 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 204/444 - MailCom Message Cen, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 24


SUN will tell you to connect via EtherNet cable, and get a Kinetics box 
for the Macintosh.  You can then transfer files over TOPS via EtherTalk, 
the EtherNet implementation of AppleTalk.  To me this sounds like 
overkill because a two machine EtherNet will NOT be significantly faster 
than a two machine AppleTalk network, especially if the Mac is an SE or 
Plus.  My timings indicate that speed increases of only 20-30% are 
observable in file transfer when comparing small ethernet vs. appletalk 
networks with low loading.  There is an alternative to the Kinetics box 
called the Gatorbox, but I have no experience with it.  
Unfortunately, an AppleTalk card for SUN will probably run you as much as 
a Kinetics or Gator box, unless it's a 386i, in which case you MAY be 
able to utilize a TOPS PC Card.


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