Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uunet!rosevax!scooter.rosemount.com!dan
From: dan@scooter.rosemount.com (Dan Messinger)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Cost of 10BaseT
Message-ID: <8670@rosevax.Rosemount.COM>
Date: 2 Mar 90 15:11:30 GMT
References: <1990Feb26.082610.7963@hellgate.utah.edu> <27314@cup.portal.com>
Sender: news@rosevax.Rosemount.COM
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>1) If I go the 10BaseT route, what are the pieces of hardware I need to
>buy, and what are the costs?  I realize I need 5 10BaseT cards and the
>RJ45.  What else?

First, you need the chassis that the 10BaseT cards go into.  3Com has a
box that the call a MultiConnect repeater.  I have one here.  It holds
about 15 cards, I think (you don't really expect me to walk to the other
end of the building to verify that, do you?)  3Com also has a device that
they call a PairTamer.  It converts thinnet to 10BaseT.  If you use a thinnet
card in the MultiConnect box, then you need a pair of PairTamers for each
TP wire.  I hear that 3Com will soon have a card for the MultiConnect that
is 10BaseT, so then you would only need a single 10BaseT converter on the far
end of the TP wire.

Note that at the far end of the TP, the coverter gives you thinnet.  So if
you have workstations that are reasonably close to each other, you can
hang several on the same thinnet line.  This will reduce the number of 10BaseT
lines that you will need.

>2) I have heard some people express concerns that the 10BaseT vendors
>manufactured their cards before the spec was finished.  Is this a 
>concern, or did the spec that was used to build cards end up being
>the final spec?  In particular, will I be safe buying 3COM's 10BaseT
>cards?

My understanding is that the approved standard (which is basically decided
upon) will match what 3Com has been selling as 10BaseT.  (3Com made a gamble,
and it looks like they won)

dan@scooter.rosemount.com