Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!syntron!jtsv16!uunet!pyrdc!pyrnj!rutgers!att!chinet!les
From: les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Running a LAN off the existing RJ-45 phone lines
Message-ID: <6775@chinet.chi.il.us>
Date: 12 Oct 88 14:37:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: chinet.6775
References: <1238@umbc3.UMD.EDU> <25288@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <375@ftp.COM>
Reply-To: les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell)
Organization: Chinet - Public Access Unix
Lines: 25

In article <375@ftp.COM> jbvb@ftp.COM (James Van Bokkelen) writes:
>One media Kent didn't mention is Starlan (IEE 10base1, I think).
>It uses 802.3 packet formats at a 1Mb data rate, and there are a
>number of PC network cards which support it (AT&T, MICOM-Interlan,
>Western Digital, Fox Research/DCA/10-Net).  Since most of these cards
>are identical with their Ethernet version from a software point of view,
>many TCP/IP packages (and proprietary LAN OSs) will run transparently.
>There are also 10Mb <==> 1Mb bridges available from several vendors
>(Retix and CrossCom are two that I can remember off-hand).

I work with a starlan network of about 70 PC's, 7 3B2's and 7 3B1's using
the (old) AT&T software.  Much of the wiring uses existing phone line and
new runs were installed using unshielded 8-wire twisted pair.  In some
cases an analog phone line takes up one of the pairs.  We did find some
runs of old cable that would not work but generally things worked well.
One thing that makes starlan especially attractive is the ability (using
the 1Mb rate) to daisy chain up to 10 units in a single run from the hub.
We haven't tried any other protocols but are planning to switch to the
new AT&T software that uses the OSI protocol in the near future.  Bridges
to 10Mb starlan and ethernet are available.  Does anyone know what
hardware/software could be connected across such a bridge? (We are
running AT&T's RFS and netbios-emulating DOS server software on the
starlan side).

Les Mikesell