Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.lans:2826 comp.misc:6139
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mcnc!ecsvax!howell
From: howell@ecsvax.UUCP (Doc A. Howell)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Installing Thinwire Ethernet
Summary: drop cables on thinwire, DEC's answer.
Message-ID: <7018@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: 18 May 89 13:52:21 GMT
References: <1381@ndmath.UUCP>
Followup-To: comp.dcom.lans
Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service
Lines: 28



  Dec has a product that may be the answer to drop cables drom a 
thinwire wallplate. It is called, Thin Wire Ethernet Daisy-Chain connector.
Catchy huh? Supposedly, this device/wallplate/concept allows up to 8
wallplates to be daisy chained on a single thinwire segment from which
a single BNC cable may be run between the workstation and the wallplate.
The Tee is behind the wallplate thus allowing the single coax. This 
drop cable can be up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) from the wallplate. All
of this information is rather poorly described in the DECconnect System
Planning and Configuration Guide. 

  Way back several months ago, this same question of drop cables arose.
Several people said they were running short drop cables from the wallplate
with the Tee behind the wallplate. IT IS AGAINST THE SPECS OF ETHERNET
TO DO THIS. They said it worked. I don't know but it is realistic to
expect that you can get away with certain violations as long as you 
compensate by enforcing stricter limitations in other areas such as 
Max distance, and MAx stations per segment (note the 8 above).

  I will probably try this sometime in the future, I may be forced 
to. DEMPR's are not cheap, neither are MMACs, Multiconnects, or any
of the other similar devices that break thinwire off of an ethernet.
I am sure DEC's wallplate isn't cheap either. 

  Will those people that claimed to be doing this several months ago
like to follow up on the subject again? Has anyone tried DEC's new
product?