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Ibm ps/2 70 386

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I think you're missing the point: that is NOT an "ethernet port," it is an RJ-45 which was used for both ethernet AND token ring networks; a 2-prong AC plug does not mean a kettle is a toaster. Token ring networks could also use the bipolar IBM connector, just as ethernet nets could also use coax BNC connectors (which is probably what you mean by a "dual-mode" card).

Yes, I was confused. I thought a token ring card meant that it had a coax(BNC?) connector on the back. I now realize it can be token ring AND still use the modern day RJ-45, but that means nothing. As you said about the power plug, an RJ-45 type connector does not mean it is a standard ethernet card. It just means it uses a standard wire, with different internals.

--Jack
 
Right on!

Coax (10Base-2) and twisted pair (10Base-T) Ethernet is compatible at the protocol level (although 10Base-2 maxes out at 10MHz AFAIK); all you need is a Hub with both connectors or a computer with both types (on separate cards AFAIK).

If you had another token ring card and another computer to put it in, it ought to be possible to use that to bridge your token ring system to your ethernet network.

Anybody have any relevant experience?
 
You need a file for each MCA card installed to use them, if not you get an error on bootup. There is a bootable utility disk at the MCA mafia that will list all the cards in your machine by a 4 digit/character code plus the card name that makes looking up the drivers easy. Once you have the drivers just make a floppy disk and dump them all there, boot from the machine specific system disk you made and when it asks you about the file just insert the drivers disk and all is fine. Setup reminds me of EISA cards but EISA systems actually tell you the file name you need, MCA doesn't. I suggest you wait untill you get a battery installed before setting the system up because it will be lost when you power down. Its worth the effort just for the RAM card to work.

The 4/16 Tokenring cards cannot be used with ethernet. The RJ45 ones are kind of cool and make life easier with cabling. I have a TR setup I am playing with, so if you are going to toss that card let me know.

I prefer MCA and EISA to ISA, but I like EISA better because it lets you know the file name you need during setup, and you can run ISA cards in EISA slots if needed (try to find a cheap MCA soundcard).

http://www.mcamafia.de/mcapage0/qbmca.htm

That is the utility software page to see what cards you have installed.

Or you can just get into ROM BASIC and type in a short program to list the adapter ¨POSID¨s. Other than Peter´s site you can find the ADFs elsewhere, and maybe even some information about the card (i.e.: http://www.gilanet.com/ohlandl/NIC/auto16-4.html). For a standard TR setup (and there are ways to bridge to an Ethernet network, plus everything other than the first adapters run at 16Mbps) you will need a MAU and at least another TR-based station (there are ISA, MCA, EISA, PCMCIA, Apple Nubus, and PCI Token Ring adapters) to actually have a working setup.
 
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Right on!

Coax (10Base-2) and twisted pair (10Base-T) Ethernet is compatible at the protocol level (although 10Base-2 maxes out at 10MHz AFAIK); all you need is a Hub with both connectors or a computer with both types (on separate cards AFAIK).

If you had another token ring card and another computer to put it in, it ought to be possible to use that to bridge your token ring system to your ethernet network.

Anybody have any relevant experience?

Yes, but I shoulda paid more attention at the time. At Discount Computers, we used to run a 3 or 4 station TR net that was interfaced to the main network thru a dedicated box of some sort as a bridge. Other than that, I'm really fuzzy on the details, 'cept that it was in reality, two separate networks which were able to talk to each other. (We also had some Arcnet boxen somehow jacked-in).

--T
 
Sounds reasonable, but I don't have another PC with a token ring adapter...I guess I could experiement with this later, I think I have one or two cards around...

BTW, I left the PS/2 off for 10 minutes instead of just 2 or 3. This time, the options were not set. I guess the motherboard holds a charge for a few minutes after powering off?

--Jack
 
I am thinking about using an old P60 with Novell Netware 4 to bridge the Tokenring network with my Ethernet one. The most I have done so far is get a working MAU, make some adapters for the db9 interface on my Mac Nubus cards, and get my PS/2 9595 to click with the MAU and light it up. I also have a TR interface for my HP 4SI laser printer to make things interesting. Once I figure out Novell things should get interesting. I think I have TR for all 5 of my PS/2 systems and a few cards for my older ISA machines. I even put black electrical tape one the ends of the cables I connect to the TR MAU incase I plugged one by accident into my 10/100 3com switch (not sure what that would do).
 
Sounds reasonable, but I don't have another PC with a token ring adapter...I guess I could experiement with this later, I think I have one or two cards around...

BTW, I left the PS/2 off for 10 minutes instead of just 2 or 3. This time, the options were not set. I guess the motherboard holds a charge for a few minutes after powering off?

--Jack

Capacitors hold a charge for a brief amount of time, it might also take a few seconds for the memory used to store the info to lose its data.
 
Dont think it does, but why would a regular ethernet plug be labeled a token ring adapter, though? Does it use the same technology but just with a different plug?

Generally IBM put a green dot sticker (plain for the oldest 4Mbps adapters, with a "16/4" marking for the 16Mbps cards) on the back bracket to denote that the connection was Token Ring. Later TR cards had RJ-45 connections for better cabling options (ever try to network using 'Type 1' cable for TR? It's horrible), the earlier connections are going to be DB-9 (you can also get "media filters" to adapt it to an RJ-45 connection). It's a bit of trivia, but "CAT4" was the standard for cable to carry the 16Mbps Token Ring signaling.
 
one of the ibm ps2 P70s i just got has a db9 16/4 tr card in it but no software that uses it lol. i did learn though although it says long cards wont fit in the bottom slot this guy did lol not pretty.
 
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